Director of Distillery Operations - Gunnar's Bourbon (Kansas)

[Gunnar]

 

Overview
Gunnar’s Bourbon Company is situated in the heart of wheat country, Sedan Kansas. Sedan is surrounded by the Chautauqua hills, fields of wheat, and many nearby picturesque small towns. These towns offer a quality of life on the simple side, with low crime, a lower cost of living, less traffic, and far less stress. Kansas is known as the Wheat State and at Gunnar’s our specialty is Wheated Bourbon, both as a brand and as a bulk source for other brands.

We are looking for a Director of Distillery Operations with a commitment to quality, and the desire to collaborate with our team to make something truly great.  This is a unique opportunity to be part of a young company and participate from the ground up as we build the business and the brand.  Our ideal candidate is looking for a long-term opportunity to build a career, grow as we grow, and participate as part of our founding team.  

Detailed job description and requirements below. If you are interested in applying or learning more please email us at: Careers@gunnarsbourbon.com

Job Summary
In this role, the Director of Distillery Operations will work hand in hand with the owners overseeing all aspects of grain handling, fermentation, distillation, barrel aging with the added responsibility of directing through a Hospitality Manager, part of the business operating as a tourist attraction.  The candidate will manage a growing team of associates and will also have a public-facing role in promoting the product and brand.  This is an exciting role for an ambitious professional to help craft the style, vision, product and culture of an early-phase distillery and brand.

Key Responsibilities include the following:

·         Manage all aspects of production (including milling, mashing, fermentation, distillation, barreling, barrel management, blending and bottling). This person will also be ultimately responsible for the hospitality side of the business working through a subordinate Hospitality Manager who’s directly in charge of items that include a cocktail program, retail store, and food service provided by a subcontractor

·         Accurately forecast demand.

·         Manage inventory levels and aging warehouse(s).

·         Manage the day-to-day operations of the distillery, including employee management and key vendor coordination

·         Logging and record keeping to ensure product consistency and TTB compliance

·         Assist in new product formulation and development

·         Provide ongoing process optimization and production efficiency feedback

·         Oversee maintenance schedule for equipment and related process infrastructure

·         Ensure compliance with relevant health and safety regulations

·         Assist in sourcing and supply chain management for ingredients and other related product and production sourcing needs

·         Assist in shipping to retailers and distributors

·         Represent the distillery to the public 

·         Maintain strict oversight of quality controls and product excellence

·         Implement and foster a safety culture for our operations team

Qualifications
The ideal candidate has a 7+ year’s professional experience in the production of beer, wine or spirits, with 2+ years distilling preferred.  A deep understanding of fermentation and distillation techniques and managing a team is also required.  Specific skills and experiences also include:

·         All areas of distilled spirits production, including equipment setup,  grain milling, mashing, fermentation, distillation, barreling, aging, blending and bottling

·         Developing and accentuating specific flavor profiles through ingredients choice and fermentation techniques

·         Managing and motivating a team, including hiring, training and scheduling

·         Familiarly with TTB regulations and requirements, as well as operational safety compliance 

·         Experience with both batch distillation and continuous distillation.

·         Forklift operation

·         Bachelor’s degree in related field, such as brewing, microbiology, food science, fermentation or chemistry or job history based knowledge

Additional Desired Traits and Attributes

·         Commitment to quality and desire to create a truly great product

·         Commitment to innovation and ongoing product and process improvement; relentless curiosity and desire for ongoing education and professional development

·         Commitment to collaboration in a team environment

·         Ability to problem-solve and improvise

Physical Requirements:
Must be able to stand and walk for long periods of time.
This is a physical job.  Must be able to lift up to 50 pounds.

If you are interested in applying or learning more please email us at: Careers@gunnarsbourbon.com