Bar Assistant

Contigo Catering; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 30,307 - 34,440; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Health and dental benefits

Mileage reimbursement

Bonuses

Free meals

Job summary

A catering company in Texas is seeking a Bar Assistant to manage event beverage needs and assist the Beverage Manager. The ideal candidate is organized, detail-oriented, and able to work flexible hours including nights and weekends. Responsibilities include packing bar coolers, preparing beverages, and inventory management. This role offers hourly pay of $22-$25 based on experience, alongside benefits including health and dental coverage. Opportunities for growth within the company are also supported.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of bar/beverage experience preferred.
• Exceptional organization and communication skills.
• Ability to work flexible hours, including nights and weekends.

Responsibilities

• Pack and manage bar coolers for events.
• Execute beverage preparation and production tasks.
• Assist Beverage Manager in inventory management.

Skills

Organizational skills

Problem solving

Communication

Teamwork

Attention to detail

Job description

Overview

Launched in 2014, Contigo Catering grew out of roots in the Contigo family ranch in Fredericksburg and Contigo Restaurant in Austin. Now our own independent company responding to rapid growth and high demand, we are a leader in custom catering in Central Texas. From backyard gatherings to large corporate banquets, Contigo Catering has the know-how to turn any special day into a memorable celebration… served with a slice of Texas hospitality. Our events are noteworthy for their custom crafted menus, exceptional hospitality, eye for style, seamless coordination, unique bar service, and a special catalog of package additions.

Reporting to and working closely with the Beverage Manager

Contigo Catering's Bar Assistant is responsible for making sure events have all their beverages from in house mixers, to packing bar coolers, and unpacking bar coolers. While the day-to-day responsibility of this role reflects the schedule and workload of events and will adapt to further growth, as a whole, the Beverage Assistant helps the Beverage Manager streamline all general & administrative procedures relating to beverage and bar management in order to ensure organizational effectiveness and efficiency.

Ideal Candidate Profile

As such, the ideal candidate is a highly organized and detail-oriented individual, able to fulfill both short-term and long-term objectives without losing sight of day-to-day tasks. Their focus is helping bring the Beverage Manager's vision to the next level as a hands-on doer, not just a planner or a delegator. We are a small, tightly knit team that enjoys good food and values good people. We are seeking a candidate with long-term potential who will feel comfortable growing with us.

Location

Our office, kitchen, and warehouse are located in Southeast Austin at 3709 Promontory Point Drive, Suite B201, Austin Texas 78744. This role offices at this address for meetings and certain responsibilities, but serves predominately on-site at our client events. As such, this role involves travel to and presence at various event spaces throughout and around Austin, particularly downtown, Westlake, and Dripping Springs.

Schedule

Hourly, 30-40 hours per week, exempt position. This role falls during office hours, generally between 10 am and 6 pm Monday through Friday, with some flexibility required due to the nature of events. Exact hours vary based on event schedules, and weeks fluctuate with seasonal demand; some weeks will be higher, flex hours on slower weeks account for this. Night and weekend availability is required.

Compensation

Hourly rate $22 - $25, commensurate with experience. This role also features great benefits: health & dental, mileage and parking reimbursements, bonuses, swag, and more. Delicious, chef-prepared breakfast, lunch, or dinner is a regular benefit of this role, too. W2 Employee status.

Day‑to‑Day Ownership

This is an opportunity to impact and elevate the entire company on a daily basis. Beverage the Assistant day‑to‑day will reflect current events and ongoing priorities, but can generally be designated within and held accountable to the following:

Event Preparation

• Pack for events; this includes packing all bar coolers, pulling bar alcohol from inventory, n/a beverages like sodas, coffee, etc; various errands to pick up product; help packback bar wares as well; help assist with tastings.

Event Beverage Production

Execute all N/A bev needs including specialty mixers, simple syrups, agua frescas, etc. maintaining Contigo standards; work under kitchen supervision while handling N/A product such as fresh fruits, simple syrups, etc to comply with local health codes and rules as well as maintaining a good working relationship with kitchen while utilizing shared space and ingredients.

Inventory Management

Work with the Beverage Manager to provide accurate event ending inventories and monthly inventories; work with the Beverage Manager to help push product that isn't moving; make sure all bar wares are up to date and kept up; make sure percolators and other various bar equipment is up to date as well.

Beverage Knowledge

Learn from the Beverage Manager about wines and cocktails.

Work Events

Work events as needed.

General / Office Tasks

• Assist with managing our bar and beverage program; creating and implementing new processes as needed
• Review BEOs in advance of events. Ask Planner/Production any questions/thoughts/notes on things missing, etc
• Review and study post‑event inventories to learn & hone our processes (ex: look at what sells, what doesn’t, what brands people like, what we always send too much of or not enough of, accuracy of bottle/wine pours, trends in consumption based on time of year, day of week, time of day, type of group, etc)
• Work events when needed (this is primarily offsite position – at the kitchen)
• Help with tastings when possible
• Everything in catering is very team oriented, you may be asked at times to help with other areas (warehouse, production, etc.)
• Prepare and execute all specialty items for events, including but not limited to: simple syrups, agua frescas, garnishes, etc
• Packing & unpacking bar coolers for all events
• Attend weekly huddles with Beverage Manager

Warehouse Tasks

• Pack & unpack alcohol and coolers for events
• Restock alcohol after events
• Manage bar and beverage inventory and update inventory with Beverage Manager
• Manage all bar and beverage equipment inventory (EX. make sure we have enough jugs, wine bottles, stocked bar kits, french presses, etc)
• Run errands for beverages.

Outcomes

A successful candidate in this role embodies the following:

Each and every one of our clients is satisfied. You make beverage products that not only taste amazing, but are beautifully presented, and you do it with consistency. Costs are managed really well, and extra product or waste re‑routed with efficiency, quality, and creativity.

You stay calm and handle change well. You can take directions without hesitation, but are also comfortable with autonomy.

You are a versatile team player, a resource and guide. You maintain a close connection with the Operations Manager and they can rely on you for support as well as maintaining good working relations with the rest of the teams at the company. You maintain high standards, but the team enjoys being around you, and you contribute creative ideas in a collaborative way.

Characteristics & Skills

• Creative & Forward‑Thinking: Part art, you know flavor profiles and standards, but can also come up with new combinations and offerings with enjoyment and ease.
• Comfortable with Numbers: Part science, you don't shy away from analyzing data & numbers, and you use them to help guide decision‑making.
• Proactive & Self‑Motivated: You have an inherent ability to prioritize, and take action without being asked to do so and encourage others around you to become self‑starters as well.
• Problem Solver: You're solution‑oriented, all the time, but especially on site for events. You make it happen in ever‑changing environments, and come up with creative options when others may be stumped. You have an ability to balance the focus on clients' needs with company needs, seeing the ‘big picture.'
• Team player: You anticipate the needs of your team, are able to hold people accountable without micromanaging them, and consider yourself a mediator.
• Detail‑oriented: The little things matter to you; you notice minor discrepancies, unpolished glasses, or things that aren't quite right & dig in to not only understand them but to resolve them.
• Finisher: You finish projects that you start and over‑deliver on expectations.
• Quality‑focused: You don't call a project done until it's perfect & error‑free, and strive to establish protocols to avoid repeating errors in the future.
• Hands‑on doer: You have the desire & ability to roll up your sleeves and get in the trenches with event staff as required.
• Strong organizational skills: You're highly organized and have a place for everything that can be interpreted and accessed by others. You're not overwhelmed by shifting gears when needed, or keeping track of multiple clients and events at once.
• Excellent planner: You plan ahead on an hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, and annual basis to ensure commitments, deadlines, and goals are met whether last‑minute or long‑term.
• Outgoing & Mindful: You don't have to be that person that befriends everyone, but you're comfortable in a variety of spaces and sensitive to standards of communication with different types of clients. You help contribute to ensuring that our clients and team don't feel like a transaction, and instead like family.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate has:

• 2+ years of bar/beverage experience. Catering experience is helpful, but not a dealbreaker; we don't want you stuck in old ways of another company.
• Demonstrated experience of quality and consistency is a major plus.
• Exceptional organization, communication, and interpersonal skills; a knack for keeping multiple projects in mind, properly and consistently ensuring that key messages cascade across the team and our client base, keeping everyone in the know.
• Passion for good food and drink, events that inspire, and a volition to provide Texas style hospitality every step of the way.
• Ability to integrate into the culture of Contigo Catering, and be a steward for this company no matter where you are.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule that matches the above description, sometimes including evenings, holidays, and weekends in accordance with business demands.

Physical Requirements

Ability to safely lift up to 50 lbs and engage in medium work, including being on your feet for a full shift.

Ability to operate necessary equipment needed for producing n/a beverage needs and garnishes.

Ability to withstand exposure to varying conditions of noise and sound, temperature, and environmental conditions.

Ability to walk amidst varying terrains and perform onside event duties, if needed, climbing stairs and ramps, or occasionally stooping, kneeling, pushing, and pulling to assist with event production needs.

Please note that Contigo Catering's offices are ADA compliant, and Contigo Catering will do their best to make accommodations for the qualified applicant with mobility limitations or other disabilities. We encourage everyone of differing abilities to apply, but while doing so, please let us know what accommodations are required in your working environment.

Equal Employment Opportunities

Contigo provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender identity, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetics, marital status, or sexual orientation. We particularly encourage individuals who identify as BIPOC and LGBTQ+ to apply.

The responsibilities and duties listed above are intended to communicate general priorities for this position, but should not be understood as an exhaustive list of all job requirements to be completed through the duration of employment with Contigo Catering.

What to Expect After Applying

We review all applications received. If your materials spark interest, we'll send you a brief questionnaire.

If your responses are promising, we'll send you a link to a Culture Index Assessment. This brief 5-10 minute survey allows us to round out your submitted materials, and convene as a team to decide which candidates might be a good fit.

If all of your materials above all seem to align and are promising, we'll invite you to an initial, 15 minute phone screening with the hiring manager.

If this conversation also shows alignment, promising candidates will be invited to participate in a full-length interview that lasts approximately 2-3 hours.

All candidates, whether good or bad news, will receive some form of notice regardless of which stage of the process they progress to.

The above steps move at a pace that align with candidate response time, team availability, and other components. Generally speaking, we are looking to make a hire as soon as we identify the right fit. We expect to make a hire by WHEN at latest, though details of our timeline are subject to change.

Think this job is the fit for you? We encourage you to apply! If the listing is still live, we're still looking for the right person. We look forward to hearing from you!