Head Bartender Responsibilities & Duties

Reports to: General Manager

Summary/Objective 

Head bartenders are the top dog in the bar industry. They’re responsible for managing all aspects of their establishment’s beverage program, including creating and executing drink recipes, training other bartenders on how to make drinks correctly, ordering supplies, etc.

Essential Functions

• Training new employees on company bar procedures and policies.
• Serving as a liaison between the manager and other bar staff members.
• Creating new alcoholic beverages or updating existing recipes based on customer requests.
• Overseeing the inventory of liquor in the bar, ordering new supplies when necessary, and organizing storage space for bottles.
• Managing all bar operations including staff scheduling, inventory, ordering supplies, and creating drink specials.
• Ensuring that customers receive prompt attention from waitstaff and bartenders.
• Maintaining cleanliness of bar area and equipment to ensure sanitary conditions for patrons.
• Determining when to stop serving alcohol to patrons who have had too much to drink.
• Preparing drink orders for patrons, including mixing beverages and serving them to customers.

Skills/Qualifications

• 3 years of restaurant and bartending experience required.
• Have a working knowledge of English and Spanish.
• Team-work oriented.
• Communication: Bartenders often communicate with customers to understand their needs and preferences. 
• Creativity.
• Knowledge of drinks.
• Be able to lift, reach, bend, stoop, and carry.
• Be able to work in a standing position for long periods (up to 8 hours).

Work Environment

This job is performed usually indoors and outdoors, in a controlled environment, and experiences a high level of noise in the work environment. This job has intermittent levels of high stress. Head bartenders must be able to stand for long periods of time and lift and carry heavy bottles and cases of liquor. They must also be able to work in a fast-paced environment and handle customer complaints in a professional manner.

Physical Demands

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee is required to stand and walk.

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work

This is a full-time position. The employee is expected to work an alternating schedule including nights, weekends, and holidays.

Required Education, Experience, and Qualifications

• Be 21 years of age or older.
• Be able to understand English and Spanish.
• Ability to multi-task, prioritize, and organize.
• Customer-oriented.
• Must be able to lift 20 pounds at a time.
• Must be able to work in both warm and cool environments; indoors and outdoors.
• Must be able to tolerate high levels of noise.
• Must be able to tolerate potential exposure to allergens: peanut products, egg, dairy, gluten, soy, seafood, and shellfish.
• Excellent communication skills to connect effectively with co-workers and guests.
• Possess the ethics and positive attitude that support our values and culture

Supervisory Responsibility

This position has no supervisory responsibilities.

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

V&E provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.