Lead Bartender / Beverage Program Lead
Red Lion Tavern at The Red Lion Inn 1704 – Cohasset, MA
Reports To: Restaurant General Manager / Hotel General Manager
Department: Food & Beverage
Position Overview
The Red Lion Tavern is seeking an experienced, creative, and hospitality-driven Lead Bartender / Beverage Program Lead to take ownership of our bar and beverage program.
This is more than a bartending position. We are looking for someone who can deliver exceptional service behind the bar while also helping develop and manage a distinctive, profitable beverage program. The Lead Bartender will be responsible for cocktail development, beverage costing, wine and spirits management, inventory controls, ordering, vendor relationships, and beverage preparation for both the Red Lion Tavern and Events at The Red Lion Inn.
The ideal candidate combines creativity behind the bar with strong business discipline—someone who understands that an outstanding beverage program must excite guests while also meeting the company's financial and operational goals.
Key Responsibilities
Cocktail & Beverage Program Development
- Develop creative seasonal and signature cocktails that complement the Tavern's food and dining experience.
- Maintain a balanced selection of classic and contemporary cocktails.
- Create standardized recipes and specifications for all cocktails.
- Prepare detailed cost cards for new and existing beverages.
- Establish appropriate portion sizes, recipes, and presentation standards.
- Work with management to establish appropriate beverage pricing based on product cost and target margins.
- Regularly evaluate cocktail sales and profitability.
- Develop specialty cocktails for weddings, private events, and seasonal programming.
- Coordinate and execute pre-batching of specialty cocktails while maintaining consistency, quality, labeling, storage, and proper controls.
- Train bartenders on recipes, preparation techniques, presentation, and proper pours.
Wine & Beverage Program
- Help lead and maintain the Tavern's wine, spirits, beer, and cocktail program.
- Maintain a thoughtful wine list appropriate for the Tavern's menu and clientele.
- Work with management and vendors on wine selections, vintages, pricing, and availability.
- Maintain appropriate inventory levels while avoiding unnecessary overstock.
- Educate restaurant staff on wines, spirits, cocktails, pairings, and new products.
- Conduct beverage tastings and training when appropriate.
- Monitor beverage trends and recommend new products and program enhancements.
Beverage Cost Control
The Lead Bartender will play an important role in protecting beverage profitability.
Responsibilities include:
- Monitor beverage cost percentages and identify opportunities to improve margins.
- Maintain accurate recipe costing and cost cards.
- Monitor portion control and proper pouring standards.
- Identify excessive waste, over-pouring, complimentary beverages, breakage, and other potential losses.
- Assist management with beverage inventory counts.
- Compare inventory usage against sales when requested.
- Communicate significant cost or inventory concerns to management.
- Maintain appropriate par levels based on sales volume and upcoming events.
- Work toward established beverage cost targets.
Ordering & Inventory
- Prepare and place weekly beverage orders for the restaurant and Events operation.
- Review inventory and upcoming business before placing orders.
- Coordinate beverage requirements for weddings, functions, and special events.
- Maintain appropriate par levels for wine, beer, spirits, mixers, and bar supplies.
- Receive and verify beverage deliveries when required.
- Confirm quantities and products against invoices and purchase orders.
- Communicate shortages, substitutions, pricing changes, or vendor issues to management.
- Maintain organized beverage storage areas and proper product rotation.
Vendor Relationships
- Maintain professional relationships with wine, beer, spirits, and beverage distributors.
- Meet with vendor representatives to review products, pricing, availability, and new opportunities.
- Coordinate tastings and product evaluations.
- Negotiate and identify purchasing opportunities while maintaining the quality standards of the Tavern.
- Communicate significant product or pricing changes to management.
- All purchasing decisions must remain consistent with approved company budgets and management direction.
Bar Operations & Guest Experience
This remains a hands-on bartending position.
The Lead Bartender is expected to:
- Work regularly behind the bar during service.
- Welcome guests warmly and create genuine connections.
- Guide guests through cocktails, wine, beer, and food selections.
- Demonstrate strong knowledge of ingredients, spirits, wine, and food pairings.
- Prepare beverages consistently according to approved recipes.
- Maintain an organized, clean, and professional bar.
- Support servers and other bartenders during high-volume periods.
- Resolve guest concerns professionally and involve management when appropriate.
- Maintain the highest standards of hospitality expected at the Red Lion Tavern.
Leadership & Training
- Serve as a beverage resource for bartenders, servers, and restaurant management.
- Train bartenders on standardized cocktail recipes and preparation.
- Conduct wine and beverage education for FOH employees.
- Reinforce responsible alcohol service and company beverage policies.
- Help establish consistent opening, closing, stocking, and sanitation procedures.
- Lead by example through professionalism, teamwork, accountability, and hospitality.
- Communicate operational concerns promptly to Restaurant Management.
Compliance & Responsible Alcohol Service
- Follow all Massachusetts alcohol-service requirements and CHP policies.
- Ensure responsible alcohol service standards are consistently followed.
- Never serve visibly intoxicated guests.
- Maintain required certifications as directed by the company.
- Ensure alcohol is properly secured and controlled.
- Follow CHP's Employee Alcohol and Ready-for-Duty Policy.
- Maintain proper sanitation and food-safety standards for garnishes, juices, syrups, and other beverage ingredients.
Qualifications
Preferred qualifications include:
- 3+ years of professional bartending experience.
- Previous Lead Bartender, Bar Supervisor, Beverage Manager, or similar experience preferred.
- Strong knowledge of spirits, classic cocktails, modern cocktail techniques, wine, and beer.
- Experience developing cocktail recipes and seasonal beverage menus.
- Understanding of beverage costing, margins, inventory, and purchasing.
- Experience with wine programs and vendor relationships.
- Strong organizational and communication skills.
- Ability to train and motivate other bartenders and servers.
- Strong attention to detail.
- Comfortable balancing creativity with financial accountability.
- Experience with Toast POS or similar restaurant systems preferred.
- TIPS or equivalent responsible alcohol-service certification preferred or required within the company's established timeframe.
Schedule & Physical Requirements
- Must be available to work evenings, weekends, holidays, and special events.
- Ability to work extended shifts in a fast-paced restaurant environment.
- Ability to stand and move for extended periods.
- Ability to lift and transport beverage cases, kegs, and supplies as required.
- Must be dependable and available based on restaurant and event business levels.
What Success Looks Like
The successful Lead Bartender will deliver a beverage program that is:
Creative enough to excite our guests.
Consistent enough to execute every night.
Profitable enough to meet our financial goals.
Organized enough to support both restaurant and event operations.
Most importantly, this person will help create a bar experience that makes guests want to return to the Red Lion Tavern again and again.
Job Types: Part-time, Full-time
Pay: $800.00 - $1,000.00 per week
Benefits:
- Dental insurance
- Employee discount
- Flexible schedule
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
Shift:
Experience:
- Bartending: 3 years (Required)
Work Location: In person
