Head Sommelier

The Pembroke Club; City of Westminster; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Family meal on shift

Pension scheme – including employer"s"

Private club perks

Job summary

The Pembroke Club in London seeks an experienced Head Sommelier to lead all wine experiences for its members. You will command on-floor service, leveraging deep wine knowledge to delight guests while mentoring the team and maintaining the highest standards across outlets.

You will curate a premium wine program with the Beverage Director, oversee cellar management, stock audits, and private events, and ensure impeccable service from cellar to table.

Qualifications

• Experience across multiple outlets in high-volume environments.
• Luxury wine role experience in central London hospitality.
• Strong knowledge of wine and relevance to high-end service.

Responsibilities

• Maintain highest service standards on the floor for all member levels.
• Collaborate with Beverage Director to evolve a wine list that caters to members’ tastes.
• Lead wine program opening strategy and ongoing operational planning.
• Perform monthly stock audits and manage cellar inventory and rotation.
• Curate and manage wine offerings for private events and bookings.
• Inspire and develop the wine and service teams with training and mentorship.
• Support deliveries and food service as needed to assist colleagues.

Skills

Leadership

Wine knowledge

Inventory control

Staff development

Education

DipWSET or similar

Court of Master Sommeliers

Job description

Steeped in history and situated in the heart of Belgravia, The Pembroke stands apart as a unique club for Londoners. From the spirit of our members to the splendour of our events, we are a home for eclectic and excellent living. A place to eat, drink, dance and meet, The Pembroke opens its doors to those who wish to fill their world with the finest experiences, from cocktails to culture, billiards to business.

With striking views across Buckingham Palace Gardens and Hyde Park, The Dining Room is the club’s flagship restaurant, stretching three exquisitely finished rooms and serving a selection of the finest Mediterranean fare from breakfast to dinner.

ROLE OVERVIEW

The Head Sommelier
for The Pembroke Club will be the responsible, operational and passionate force
behind all members’ wine experiences at the club.

They will have a
thirst for exceptional service, despite challenging environments, with high a
volume of fine wines served across multiple, concurrent outlets at all times of
the day.

On the floor they
will lead the charge and take full ownership of service, utilising their expert
product knowledge. Guest experience is their highest priority, with a fervour
to develop and nurture their team.

In the cellars they
will have meticulous organisational skills, handling thousands of bottles with
exceptional care and attention. They will be passionate about the wine they
offer, from cellar to table.

They will work
closely alongside the Beverage Director, Club Manager and Head Chefs, while
inspiring confidence in those under their wing. They set the highest example in
service and professional conduct, migrating their fascination with wines and
hospitality to those keen to be inspired.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• A constant, visible and active
  attendance on the floor, confronting high pressure environments with leadership
  and assertion. Cement and uphold the highest service standards for both high and low budget members. Exceed the lofty expectations of the seasoned wine-devotees whilst providing serendipitous adventure for the amateurs.
• Work in partnership with the Beverage
  Director on an evolving, pliable and eye-catching wine list for all members’ tastes, providing continuous constructive feedback and requests from members.
• Lead the opening strategy for the wine program at The Pembroke, creating solutions for both pre-opening and ongoing operational planning. Anticipating positive member and staff experience and fostering and monitoring staff morale.
• Perform monthly stock audits and apply experience and expertise to minimize waste and discrepancies. Ensure strict cellar management by overseeing ongoing inventory control, stock rotation, vintage management, breakage prevention, and accurate stock reporting.
• Curate, tailor and manage all wine offerings for members’ private parties and pre-bookings, organising and executing events with calm effortlessness, meticulous attention to detail and determination to exceed expectations.
• Inspire and motivate the wine and service teams, fostering a culture of curiosity, aspiration and ownership. Support career growth and succession planning within the wine department. Establish and maintain service standards to ensure wine service is seamless, creating and delivering ongoing training sessions that increase confidence and control.
• Regardless of their seniority, they are always at their happiest when at the member’s table. Whether receiving deliveries, aiding the restaurant in food service or reaching out to support a colleague.

IDEAL EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience working across multiple outlets at the same time at an exceptionally high standard. A natural propensity to remain calm and in control in high volume environments. Ensuring the level of service and expertise are never diluted by capacity.
• Experience and understanding of luxury wine roles within a large scale, high-end hospitality venue. Ideally a London members’ club, hotel or high-volume fine dining environment.
• Has passionate, up-to-date wine knowledge with a strong understanding of relevance in high end, central London hospitality.
• Strong experience managing stock, achieving targets and a meticulous passion for inventory control in a large scale.
• Unsurpassable service skills with a passion for member experience. A warm, professional and meticulous attention to every detail of the full member experience.
• Experience with recruiting, managing and developing a large team. The ability to work within a large team of professionals in all departments, creating a calm and approachable environment for their team no matter the urgency.
• Has unmatched standards of personal appearance and of the appearance of their environment.
• Court of Master Sommeliers, DipWSET or similar, long-term experience considered.

WHAT WE OFFER

• Family meal on shift
• Pension scheme – including employer contributions.