Lead Bartender

New Castle Hotel•Woburn, MA

12d

About The Position

The Lead Bartender serves as the standard-setter for the Matadora bar team and leads assigned shifts by supporting an organized, professional working environment. The role ensures the bar is prepared before service, monitors operations during the shift, coordinates workflow during busy periods, and communicates operational concerns to restaurant management. The Lead Bartender also assists restaurant leadership with opening and closing standards. The position prepares cocktails, wine, beer, and other beverages accurately and consistently, maintains knowledge of Matadora’s offerings, and provides knowledgeable recommendations and a polished guest experience. It supports bartender training and onboarding, reinforces recipes and service procedures, and provides real-time direction when standards are not being followed. The Lead Bartender assists with inventory and beverage controls, including monitoring stock, maintaining par levels, following portioning procedures, minimizing waste, and ensuring products are rotated and stored properly. The role maintains bar cleanliness and organization, cares for equipment, and follows applicable food safety, sanitation, alcohol-service, and workplace safety requirements. It works closely with restaurant management to improve beverage execution, cleanliness, inventory control, training, speed of service, and the overall guest experience.

Requirements

Previous bartending experience required.
Strong knowledge of cocktails, spirits, wine, beer, and responsible alcohol service.
Strong communication, organization, and guest-service skills.
Ability to remain professional and composed in a fast-paced restaurant environment.
Ability to coach and support fellow team members while maintaining positive working relationships.
Dependable attendance and punctuality.
Ability to work evenings, weekends, holidays, and other shifts based on business needs.
Ability to perform the physical duties normally associated with restaurant bar operations.

Nice To Haves

Previous lead, training, or supervisory experience preferred.

Responsibilities

Serve as lead bartender on assigned shifts and help establish a professional, organized working environment.
Lead by example in guest engagement, beverage preparation, cleanliness, teamwork, and service standards.
Ensure the bar is completely set up and prepared before service.
Monitor bar operations throughout the shift and communicate operational concerns to restaurant management.
Help coordinate workflow during high-volume periods to maintain timely beverage service.
Assist the restaurant leadership team with opening and closing standards.
Prepare cocktails, wine, beer, and other beverages accurately and consistently according to established recipes and presentation standards.
Maintain knowledge of Matadora’s cocktail, wine, beer, and spirits offerings.
Provide knowledgeable recommendations and create an engaging, polished guest experience.
Ensure beverages are produced efficiently for bar guests and restaurant service, with proper glassware, garnishes, presentation, and quality.
Assist management with training and onboarding bartenders.
Reinforce cocktail recipes, proper pours, product knowledge, POS procedures, side work, and service expectations.
Help maintain consistency between bartenders and shifts, and provide real-time direction when operational or service standards are not followed.
Serve as a resource for the bar team and escalate significant employee or operational concerns to management.
Assist with liquor, wine, beer, mixer, garnish, and bar-supply inventory; monitor stock and communicate items needing replenishment.
Help maintain established par levels and organized storage areas.
Follow proper pouring, portioning, and beverage-control procedures; help minimize waste, breakage, over-pouring, and product loss.
Ensure products are properly rotated and stored.
Maintain a clean, sanitary, and organized bar throughout the shift, and complete opening, closing, and daily cleaning responsibilities thoroughly.
Maintain organized liquor, wine, beer, glassware, garnish, and supply areas, and ensure bar equipment is cleaned and cared for appropriately.
Follow applicable food safety, sanitation, alcohol-service, and workplace safety requirements.
Work closely with restaurant management to continuously improve beverage execution, cleanliness, inventory control, bartender training, speed of service, and the overall guest experience.