Lead Bartender

Job Description

Job Description

Position Summary: The Lead Bartender serves as the primary floor and bar leader for beverage operations, acting as the crucial link between front-of-house staff, bar staff, culinary teams, and management. This role demands exceptional guest service, comprehensive knowledge of craft cocktails, spirits, wine, and beer programs, and meticulous attention to operational details. The Lead Bartender oversees bar execution, continuous staff training, opening, closing, facility security procedures, and purchasing and inventory control to deliver an elevated, flawless member experience.

Key Responsibilities

• Bar Leadership & Service Excellence: Lead by example behind the bar and in the lounge, providing attentive, personalized service to members and guests. Maintain high bar efficiency, support bartenders and barbacks during peak times, and handle special member beverage requests or service recovery with professionalism and grace.
• Purchasing, Ordering & Vendor Relations:
  • Oversee and execute primary purchasing and ordering for all beverage assets, including spirits, draft/bottled beer, wine, mixers, syrups, and fresh garnishes to maintain par levels across all bars in the outlet, the grille, and banquets.
  • Develop creative seasonal menus, cost out cocktail recipes, manage product waste/spillage, and track cost of goods sold (COGS) to maximize beverage profitability.
• Staff Training & Development:
  • Lead ongoing training initiatives for new and existing bar staff, establishing high standards for mixology, pouring technique, speed of service, POS proficiency, and member rapport.
  • Conduct daily pre-shift meetings to educate the team on signature cocktails, featured wines, draft selections, spirit pairings, and specific member preferences or club events.
  • Provide real-time coaching, constructive feedback, and side-by-side mentoring during service to elevate overall team performance and consistency.
  • Implement service standards and training modules for proper beverage prep, speed-crafting techniques, responsible alcohol service, and professional conflict resolution.
• Opening Procedures:
  • Perform pre-opening walkthroughs to inspect bar lines, lounge seating, taps, prep stations, and glassware for cleanliness, safety, and proper setup.
  • Unlock facility entry points according to security schedules.
  • Review daily reservation sheets, banquet event orders (BEOs), special beverage requests, and member notes with the bar team.
  • Inspect and ensure all POS terminals, tap lines, ice machines, blender stations, lighting, music systems, and bar equipment are fully operational.
• Closing & Facility Security Procedures:
  • Oversee comprehensive post-service side-work, deep cleaning, sanitization, and line-flushing of all bar and lounge areas.
  • Complete cash drawer reconciliations, close out daily POS batch reports, track liquor spillage/comp logs, and secure all receipts and cash drops per club accounting policy.
  • Conduct a thorough final walkthrough of the bar, lounge, liquor storage rooms, coolers, and service corridors to ensure all equipment is powered down, taps are locked, and refrigeration units are secure.
  • Ensure all liquor lockers, storerooms, exterior doors, windows, and service entries are securely locked, and the facility's security and alarm systems are properly armed before departure.
• Inventory & Stock Management:
  • Monitor par levels for daily bar operations, including spirits, wine, beer, mixers, fresh garnishes, ice, syrups, glassware, and bar tools.
  • Conduct daily and weekly inventory counts of high-value spirits, wine cellars, kegs, and bar dry stock as assigned.
  • Coordinate with management to report stock shortages, track breakage/waste, order specialty spirits, and restock bar stations promptly.
• Team Morale & Culture Leadership: Cultivate a positive, high-energy work environment by actively motivating staff, recognizing exceptional performance, and fostering a culture of teamwork and mutual respect. Act as a supportive and approachable leader to help resolve minor interpersonal conflicts, reduce burnout, and keep team spirit high, especially during peak service hours or high-stress events.
• Champion of Team Engagement: Build a cohesive and enthusiastic bar and lounge team by leading with a positive attitude and celebrating team wins. Ensure staff feel valued and supported, creating an environment where team members are motivated to deliver their best performance for the membership every shift.
• Team Communication & Reporting: Maintain open lines of communication between the bar, floor servers, and culinary teams throughout service shifts, ensuring smooth drink ordering and timing. Act as the vital link to upper management, ensuring leadership is consistently updated on beverage sales flow, inventory needs, and notable member interactions.
• Member Advocacy & Request Fulfillment: Serve as a dedicated advocate for members and their guests by actively tracking, managing, and fulfilling unique drink requests, dietary/allergy preferences, and custom cocktail creations. Cultivate deep familiarity with member beverage profiles and take a proactive, "yes-centric" approach to hospitality—ensuring the team exhausts every reasonable avenue to accommodate special requests, curate personalized drink experiences, and deliver flawless service recovery whenever necessary.
• Operational Versatility: Responsibilities are not exclusive to a single outlet or main bar. The role requires cross-functional adaptability across all food and beverage operations, including the main lounge bar, dining room beverage service, private catering and banquet bars, outdoor patio bars, the beverage cart, and any future areas as the club's operations grow and evolve.
• Safety Supervision & Compliance: Act as a front-line safety leader across all bar areas by actively monitoring for potential hazards, wet floor/slip risks, and equipment safety. Ensure the bar team strictly adheres to all state liquor laws, TIPS/ServSafe alcohol certification standards, local health regulations, and sanitation protocols, overseeing safe operating and lockdown procedures to protect both members and staff.
• Event Prep & Quality Control: Oversee the proactive stocking and meticulous setup of all banquet bars, portable bars, and event stations prior to functions. Ensure flawless execution by verifying bars are stocked with precise spirit lists, batch cocktails, correct glassware, fresh garnishes, ice, and linen setups. Act as the first line of quality control by taking immediate action to resolve any missing inventory or equipment issues, escalating to upper management only when a problem cannot be solved on the floor.
• Operational Flexibility: Perform additional responsibilities, tasks, and projects as directed by the management teams such as seasonal cocktail menu development, recipe costing, and spirit tastings—to support the overall success of the food and beverage program.

Qualifications & Requirements

• Minimum of 2–3 years of high-volume, high-end bartending or mixology experience in a country club, luxury hotel, or upscale restaurant, with proven leadership, supervisory, purchasing, or lead bartender responsibilities.
• Demonstrated experience in inventory management, beverage purchasing, vendor negotiation, and cost control for liquor, beer, wine, and perishable bar items.
• Strong working knowledge of beverage service standards, classic and craft cocktail recipes, wine and beer varieties, spirits categorization, menu pairing, and point-of-sale (POS) systems.
• Active state-required Responsible Alcohol Server Certification (e.g., TIPS, ServSafe Alcohol) and Food Handler certification; Sommelier or Cicerone certifications are a plus.
• Exceptional organizational skills, patience for coaching, attention to detail, speed of execution, and the ability to maintain composure under pressure in a fast-paced environment.
• Physical ability to stand and walk for extended periods, bend, reach, and lift up to 50 pounds as needed for liquor cases, keg movement, ice buckets, and setup.
• Reliability, punctuality, and utmost trustworthiness regarding cash handling, liquor control, opening/closing protocols, and facility security.