How should I start writing a Sommelier job description?

Date modified: 29th September 2025 | This FAQ page has been written by Pilla Founder, Liam Jones, click to email Liam directly, he reads every email.

Sommelier Job Description Template

This job description template provides a full working exmaple using our six step approach. Open the template in the Pilla app and customise each section to make it specific to your role and business.

We operate an award-winning restaurant with an extensive wine program featuring 300+ carefully curated wines from established and emerging regions worldwide. Our sommelier leads wine service excellence, educating guests and staff while managing our comprehensive wine collection. The role combines guest interaction with wine program management, including inventory control, supplier relationships, and staff education. You'll work in an elegant dining environment serving wine enthusiasts, special occasion diners, and corporate guests seeking exceptional wine experiences. This position offers excellent opportunities for professional development, including wine travel, supplier visits, and involvement in wine events and tastings that enhance our restaurant's reputation as a wine destination.
• Provide expert wine recommendations and pairings, enhancing guest dining experiences through knowledgeable service • Maintain comprehensive wine inventory including purchasing, storage, and rotation to optimize quality and profitability • Develop and update wine lists, including seasonal selections and special wine program features • Conduct staff training on wine knowledge, service techniques, and upselling strategies • Manage wine cellar operations including temperature control, storage systems, and inventory tracking • Build relationships with wine suppliers, distributors, and producers to source exceptional wines • Organize wine events, tastings, and educational dinners to promote wine program and drive revenue • Ensure proper wine service standards including decanting, temperature control, and glassware selection • Handle wine complaints and quality issues with professionalism and expertise • Collaborate with kitchen team on food and wine pairing development • Monitor wine program profitability including cost control and pricing strategies • Maintain wine service equipment and ensure compliance with licensing requirements
Essential Skills: Comprehensive wine knowledge across major wine regions, varietals, and production methods; expert tasting abilities with skill in identifying wine characteristics and quality; outstanding guest service abilities with confidence in wine presentation and education; strong organizational skills for inventory management and cellar operations; effective communication skills for staff training and guest interaction; ability to work collaboratively with kitchen and service teams. Preferred Qualifications: Formal sommelier certification (Court of Master Sommeliers, WSET Level 3+); 2+ years wine service experience in fine dining environments; additional language skills for international wine knowledge; spirits and cocktail knowledge for complete beverage program management; experience with wine inventory software and POS systems; knowledge of wine law, importing, and distribution.
We're looking for passionate wine professionals with solid foundation knowledge and genuine enthusiasm for sharing wine expertise with others. You should have at least 18+ months wine service experience and be working toward or have achieved sommelier certification. While advanced certifications are great to have, we care more about your passion for wine, ability to connect with guests, and commitment to continuous learning. We provide ongoing education support including wine courses, supplier tastings, and travel opportunities to wine regions. Career advancement opportunities include head sommelier positions, beverage program management, and involvement in wine program development across our restaurant group. We support professional development through certification programs and industry networking.
We're looking for someone who combines deep wine knowledge with approachable personality, making wine accessible and enjoyable for all guests regardless of their wine experience level. You should be naturally curious about wine, eager to continue learning, and skilled at sharing knowledge without intimidation. The ideal candidate will have excellent memory for wine details, palate development for quality assessment, and patience for educating both guests and staff. You should be detail-oriented in cellar management, reliable in inventory control, and creative in wine program development. We value professionalism, continuous education, and collaborative approach to beverage program success within our restaurant's overall hospitality experience.
Competitive salary of £28,000-£35,000 annually based on certification level and experience, plus wine sales commission structure and quarterly performance bonuses. Comprehensive benefits package includes: wine education allowance for courses and certifications; wine tasting budget for menu development and supplier evaluations; 26 days paid annual leave plus bank holidays and professional development time. Professional development opportunities including wine region travel, supplier visits, and industry event attendance. Health and wellness benefits, staff meal programs, and wine industry networking opportunities through our established supplier relationships.

Start with an engaging introduction that prominently highlights your venue's established wine programme reputation and guiding philosophy, clearly articulate the specific sommelier position level and exceptional advancement opportunities available, describe distinctive aspects of your wine offering and sophisticated guest experience, emphasise comprehensive professional development and meaningful career advancement potential, and create genuine excitement about joining your dedicated wine team and contributing to programme excellence.

Common misunderstanding: Job description introductions should be brief and generic rather than specific and engaging.

Compelling introductions capture attention, communicate opportunity quality, and attract better candidates by highlighting unique programme features and development potential. Generic openings often fail to differentiate positions and miss opportunities to engage quality applicants.

Common misunderstanding: Professional tone requires formal language rather than passionate communication about wine programme excellence.

Professional wine communication balances expertise with genuine enthusiasm for programme quality and career development. Passionate yet professional language often resonates better with wine professionals than formal corporate tone alone.

What should I include in the opening paragraph of a Sommelier job description?

Include your venue's distinguished name and established reputation within the wine industry, concise yet compelling description of your wine programme's impressive scope and guiding philosophy, specific sommelier position title clearly indicating level and advancement trajectory, distinctive selling points that meaningfully differentiate your opportunity from competitors, and powerful statement communicating the exceptional career growth and comprehensive learning potential available to successful candidates.

Common misunderstanding: Opening paragraphs should focus on venue description rather than opportunity appeal.

Effective openings balance venue credibility with opportunity attractiveness, emphasising what candidates gain rather than just venue characteristics. Opportunity-focused introductions often generate better application quality than facility-focused descriptions.

Common misunderstanding: Position titles should be generic rather than specific to attract broader candidate pools.

Specific position titles with clear level indicators attract more appropriate candidates and set proper expectations. Generic titles often result in mismatched applications and unclear advancement potential that reduces quality candidate interest.

How can I make my Sommelier job description introduction stand out?

Emphasise distinctive wine programme features including rare wine allocations and exclusive producer relationships, highlight comprehensive educational opportunities and generous certification support programmes, mention prestigious industry recognition or programme awards demonstrating excellence, describe the sophisticated calibre of guests and their genuine wine appreciation, showcase collaborative team culture and supportive learning environment, and communicate authentic passion for wine excellence and commitment to meaningful professional development that differentiates your programme.

Common misunderstanding: Standing out requires exaggeration rather than authentic programme highlights.

Authentic programme excellence, genuine development opportunities, and real industry recognition attract quality candidates better than exaggerated claims. Honest highlighting of actual strengths builds credibility and attracts candidates seeking legitimate career advancement.

Common misunderstanding: Programme features matter more than culture and development opportunities for candidate attraction.

Quality candidates evaluate total opportunity including culture, learning potential, team environment, and career development alongside programme features. Comprehensive opportunity communication often determines application quality more than programme statistics alone.