Job Title: Bar Manager
Department: Bars
Reports To: Head of Food & Beverage
Responsible For: Bar Duty Manager / Bar Staff / Concessions Staff
Rate of Pay: £770/week (plus holiday pay) – 6 days per week
Dates of Work: 1st August – 3rd September 2026
The Festival Bar Manager is responsible for the successful operation of one or multiple festival bars on their site. The role oversees bar setup, staffing, stock control, customer service & licensing compliance while ensuring fast, safe, and efficient service in a high-volume environment.
The Festival Bar Manager leads bar teams during live trading periods and plays a key role in delivering a positive customer experience.
Key Responsibilities
Bar Operations
- Manage day-to-day operation of festival bars during live events
- Ensure bars are fully prepared and operational before gates open
- Monitor service flow, queue management, and transaction speed
- Maintain high standards of cleanliness, organisation, and presentation
Team Leadership & Staff Management
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Supervise duty managers, concessions teams, bartenders, barbacks, supervisors, and support staff
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Allocate positions and manage staff deployment during service
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Motivate and support teams in high-pressure environments
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Monitor staff performance and address issues where required
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Ensure staff welfare and maintain a positive working environment
Stock Management
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Monitor stock levels and coordinate replenishment throughout the day
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Minimise wastage, breakage, and stock loss
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Coordinate with stock managers and logistics teams to maintain supply
Customer Service
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Deliver a fast, professional, and friendly customer experience
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Handle customer complaints and escalations effectively
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Support smooth customer flow and minimise excessive queue times
Compliance & Safety
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Ensure compliance with licensing laws and Challenge 25 procedures
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Maintain health & safety standards across the bar operation
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Monitor intoxication levels and support responsible alcohol retailing
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Ensure incident reporting procedures are followed where necessary
Event Setup & Breakdown
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Assist with bar builds and operational setup
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Ensure equipment, refrigeration, taps, and POS systems are functioning correctly
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Support post-event breakdown and stock return procedures
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Ensure bars are left clean, safe, and operationally compliant
Skills & Experience Required
Essential
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Experience managing high-volume bars, festivals, or hospitality operations
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Strong leadership and team management skills
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Excellent organisational and communication ability
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Good understanding of licensing laws and responsible alcohol service
Desirable
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Festival or outdoor event experience
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Personal Licence Holder certification
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Experience managing large temporary workforces
Staff Benefits
- Free entry to shows at Underbelly venues (subject to availability).
- 25% discount at Underbelly bars.
- Staff social events.
Equal Opportunities
Underbelly is committed to reducing its environmental impacts in its everyday operations. We are also committed to maintaining the open-access policy of Underbelly. We are an equal opportunity employer and welcome applications from all sectors of the community.
It is the policy of Underbelly to ensure that no job applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, race, religion or belief, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, or is disadvantaged by conditions or requirements that cannot be shown to be justifiable.
We expect employees to support these commitments and to assist in their realisation.