Bartender / Barista

John Lewis Partnership; Cookham Rise; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading retailer in the UK is looking for a dedicated team member to join their hotel team. The role focuses on delivering exceptional guest experiences through outstanding customer service and bar operations. Responsibilities include serving drinks, managing guest inquiries, and maintaining hygiene standards. Candidates should have strong communication skills and experience in bar service. The role offers flexibility with various working hours including evenings and weekends, along with opportunities for personal and professional development.

Qualifications

• Excellent problem-solving abilities and positive attitude towards customer service.
• Demonstrated experience in bar service and drink preparation.
• Ability to work flexible hours, including weekends.

Responsibilities

• Provide excellent customer service and communicate clearly.
• Take orders and assist guests with queries.
• Uphold food hygiene standards and manage cash handling.

Skills

Excellent communication skills

Basic knowledge of IT & POS systems

Self-motivated

Experience in bar operations

Knowledge of beverages and stocktake

Job description

Apply on JLP Jobs - the official careers website for John Lewis Partnership, John Lewis & Partners, and Waitrose & Partners.

About the role

To work as part of the hotel team to deliver and maintain a first-rate guest experience through the focus on the delivery of market-leading customer service. To add value to the efficient and profitable running of your hotel in order to achieve your business and personal objectives, along with those of your team and the hotel. Through your profession, you will have the opportunity to develop and stretch personally and professionally to achieve your potential. The Partnership supports agile and flexible working practices, including when, where, and how we work. We offer several flexible work arrangements, including part‑time, flexible or compressed hours, and job sharing. Head office areas also support a blended working approach. We celebrate diversity and inclusion in the John Lewis Partnership, and we are committed to becoming the UK’s most inclusive business, reflecting and connecting with the diverse communities that we serve.

Key Responsibilities

• Confident communicator
• Interacting with guests, sharing product knowledge on drinks and food.
• Taking orders, checking back, and assisting with Queries.
• Liaising with the kitchen team to fully understand the menu.
• Development of knowledge of food and wine.
• Clearing down and setting tables.
• Working behind the bar, serving drinks and taking orders for food.
• Working as part of the events team to deliver the Bar service.
• Upselling and recommending foods/drinks where appropriate.
• Resolving guest queries/complaints at the first point of contact.
• Following the opening and closing duties of the operation.
• Upholding all policies and standards of food hygiene.
• Cash handling in accordance with hotel standards.
• Completion of daily and weekly cleaning schedules.
• Correct use of PPE.
• Supporting the implementation of changes to ensure continuous innovations and improvements are made within the department.

Act in accordance with the Partnership’s purpose and democratic principles, constructively participating in co‑ownership, and demonstrating to customers and each other that it is a better way of doing business. Share your knowledge, experiences, ideas and opinions to improve the Partnership, speaking honestly and frequently.

Invest in your personal and professional development to achieve your potential by doing more, doing better, or doing differently. Continuously engage with and actively contribute to your profession.

Appreciate what different life experiences bring to the Partnership and the value this adds to unbiased and smarter decision‑making.

Essential skills/experience you’ll need

• Excellent communication skills
• Basic knowledge of IT & POS systems and able to use standard software
• Self‑motivated/Industrious
• Proven experience and knowledge of working on a bar, making and serving drinks, coffees and cocktails
• Knowledge of bar operations, making hot drinks, non‑alcoholic and alcoholic beverages, cocktails, stocktake, ordering, beer lines, and compliance.
• Confident communicator

Desirable skills/experience you may have

• Level 2 Food Safety

37.5 hours per week - Fully flexible, full time work, across seven days to include early starts, late finishes, evenings and weekends between the hours of 07:00‑23:30. One full weekend off per month.

The partnership

We’re the largest employee owned business in the UK and home of our cherished brands, John Lewis and Waitrose. We’re not just employees, we’re Partners, driven by our purpose to build a happier world. As we look to our future, there’s never been a more exciting time to join us.

We’re ruthlessly focused on being brilliant at retail. We continue to innovate, adapt and diversify. Never knowingly undersold on price, quality and service in John Lewis and passionately serving food‑lovers in Waitrose.

As Partners we all share the responsibility of ownership and in its rewards. We use our voices to contribute to our success, working together through the good and challenging times, holding true to our behaviours and treating everyone with kindness and respect.

We all own making the Partnership somewhere we belong. Embracing our differences and creating an environment where we’re free to be ourselves and can thrive. Growing ourselves individually, and as a collective.

As Partners, we make all the difference. And, we all own it.

Important points to note:

It’s important to note that some of our roles are subject to pre‑employment vetting (which may include DBS checks for successful candidates). If required, you’ll be informed and provided with information about vetting during the recruitment process and we encourage you to complete any vetting documents quickly to avoid delays. Any DBS checks required will be carried out by a third‑party registered body and financial probity checks may also be required for some of our roles.

We occasionally close vacancies early in the event we receive a high volume of applications, and therefore, we recommend you apply early. If you require a reasonable adjustment due to a disability which means you may need longer to complete your application please contact us as soon as possible.

We want all of our Partners to have a good work‑life balance and we support flexible working. This might mean flexible or compressed hours, job sharing or shorter hour contracts, where possible. Please discuss this further with the hiring manager during your interview.