Lead Bartender & Beverage Strategy Leader

W Hotels; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive Salary

Mentor/Buddy Program

Career advancement

Prime location

Discounts on food and beverage

Community engagement

Award-winning workplace

Employee referral bonus

Job summary

W Melbourne’s Curious Bar seeks a Head Bartender to lead a high-energy team and elevate the guest experience in the heart of Melbourne’s CBD. You will drive cocktail program development, menu engineering, and seasonal beverage concepts while ensuring exceptional service and cost control.

You’ll manage talent rostering, training, and daily operations, partnering with the kitchen and wider hotel team to deliver memorable experiences for guests and locals alike.

Qualifications

• Current Victorian RSA and valid Australian working rights are essential.
• Experience supervising in a fast-paced upscale bar/F&B environment is required.
• Flexible to work weekends, late nights, and public holidays.
• Knowledge of inventory, costs, expenses and cash handling procedures.

Responsibilities

• Assist in daily supervision of bar operations and drive menu planning.
• Own and drive beverage strategy including seasonal menu developments and cocktail concepts.
• Support rostering, timesheets, leave management and workforce administration.
• Maintain beverage performance, quality, cost control and financial targets.
• Monitor beverage trends and opportunities for innovation and market leadership.
• Lead training to improve guest and staff satisfaction.
• Assist in opening/closing procedures and beverage ordering processes.

Skills

Bartending experience

Supervisory/management

Guest engagement

Financial knowledge

Shift flexibility

Job description

W Melbourne’s Curious Bar seeks a Head Bartender to lead a high-energy team and elevate the guest experience in the heart of Melbourne’s CBD. You will drive cocktail program development, menu engineering, and seasonal beverage concepts while ensuring exceptional service and cost control.

You’ll manage talent rostering, training, and daily operations, partnering with the kitchen and wider hotel team to deliver memorable experiences for guests and locals alike.