Requirements

Catering or bar manager - requirements

Working as a catering or bar manager will see you planning, managing and developing the service of food and drink to customers, alongside managing people and business processes. Read out to find out what working in this sector is like, your career prospects, and what you’ll need to study and do to succeed.

Know what you'll need to land a job below.

What qualifications do you need to be a catering or bar manager?

You don’t need any formal qualifications to work in this role, but they can help you develop useful skills and knowledge or stand out against other applicants.

Subjects to consider include:

These courses could be delivered as a bachelor’s, higher national diplomas or apprenticeships depending on your previous qualifications and preference. Overall employers usually value your experience, personal qualities and skills the highest when hiring.

Please note this is a beta version. We'll continue to improve our suggestions here so that we show you the most relevant subjects.

Do you need a postgraduate qualification to be a catering or bar manager?

Postgraduate qualifications aren’t needed to work in this sector but if you studied in an unrelated area, you could complete a master’s to break into the field.

Examples of master’s courses you could take include:

International hospitality and tourism management
Strategic hotel management
Business with hospitality and tourism management
Innovation and sustainable hospitality

What skills do you need to be a catering or bar manager?

The core skills that employers look for in catering or bar managers are usually leadership, communication, self-motivation and organisation skills.

Hard skills usually include:

Food safety
Restaurant management
Operations management
Stock management

Soft skills include:

Customer service
Management skills
Interpersonal skills
Leadership ability
Marketing and sales
Attention to detail

Do you need work experience to be a catering or bar manager?

Work experience is essential for getting jobs in this sector and securing promotions for more senior roles. Getting experience across different establishments and types of work is a great way to help you find your passion.

Demonstrating your motivation, efficiency and business sense through experience will help you stand out to employers. Many courses will include useful work placements.