Assistant Bar Manager

Typical job description and responsibilities

You can expect to perform many functions in addition to your support of the Bar Manager. At some locations, you may be responsible for welcoming guests and ensuring that their experience at the bar is a pleasant one. In some cases, if guests have complaints you may be the person to handle and resolve them. You will also be the person to handle staff and ensure that they follow the guidelines that have been laid down by both management and the Bar Manager. At times you may be the bridge between workers and the Bar Manager and you may be called upon to represent their concerns.

Assistant Bar Manager Duties and Responsibilities:

• Assist your Bar Manager with daily checks of inventory and re-stocking efforts

• Perform administrative duties and help ensure that the rules established by the bar are followed at all times by the employees

• Oversee the training of staff under the guidance of the Bar Manager

• As the staff’s supervisor, you will also have to resolve conflicts and other staff issues to ensure that the bar is never left without the right amount of personnel

Following training as an Assistant Bar Manager, you will be equipped with the skills to:

• Monitor staff activities

• Ensure all safety procedures are followed

• Approve the sale of alcohol

• Solve work-related issues

Assistant Bar Managers are also responsible for:

• Training and motivating of staff
• Helping with the recruitment of new staff

• Staying up-to-date with licensing legislation

• Assisting the Bar Manager

• Basic administrative duties

Working Conditions

You can expect to be busy for large periods of your shift. Even though the job is very demanding it can be fun as well. This will really depend on how well you and your team can work together. Your focus therefore should remain on motivating your team to get the best out of them. In addition to this, you should also remember that you play an important role as a supporter of the Bar Manager. 

The job can cause you to work very strange hours. In some cases, you may not pick up your shift until around 10 pm and may not get off until closer to 4 am. If you get a restaurant setting you may find that your hours are more standard but you may have a lot more duties. You should consider the organization’s opening hours before you take up a job as this could help you maintain the right work/life balance.

Skills and personal qualities required: 

An Assistant Bar Manager also needs to be:

• A great multi-tasker

• Physically fit

• A quick problem solver

• Great at communication

• Knowledgeable of licensing laws and health and safety regulations

Education required

There are no specific qualifications such as GCSEs required to take your SIA course. However, because all you need is your SIA qualification, you will be competing with a lot of people from countries around the world who have the right to work in the UK. You should have a very strong command of English as you will be required to listen and understand situations as well as write reports and communicate with your team.

Benefits of the job:

• Increased earnings as you learn more about the service industry

• Developing communication skills

• Some bars may offer free food and drinks while you are on duty

• Great at communication

• Development of leadership skills

You can also expect to:

• Learn about the Service industry

• Learn about Management skills

• Learn about customer Service

Life skills they would acquire

Probably the greatest asset you could gain from the job is the ability to multi-task efficiently as this could also serve you in your personal life. You can also pick up useful training in human resource management which could help you in other sectors of the service industry. You may also learn how to be compassionate as you respond to the concerns of the staff that you are responsible for. 

Here are a few skills that you will learn during your course and can hone as you get more experience on the job:
 

• Conflict management

• Confidence

• Customer service dealing with the general public