Bar Operations Manager
1 day ago
New York City
Lawn Club is an exciting competitive socializing destination in the Seaport, positioning itself as "New York's Leisure Headquarters." The massive 25,000 square foot venue features indoor and outdoor rentable gaming lawns, amazing cocktails, and a streamlined menu of tasty bites. Each rentable lawn includes popular lawn games, big-screen TVs, courtside F&B service, and dedicated "Lawncierges." Lawn Club caters to a variety of audiences, from twenty-somethings to corporate event planners. The Bar Operations Manager is a key part of bringing the Lawn Club vision to life and plays a pivotal role in ensuring the smooth and efficient operation of the establishment. With a primary focus on delivering a welcoming, fun and memorable experience for guests and fostering a positive environment for staff, this role will oversee day-to-day operations, set-up, opening, and closing procedures for Lawn Club's bars. The Bar Operations Manager owns the beverage program, from drink development through flawless execution at high volume. Speed, consistency, and tasty drinks are the standard. This role leads the bar team in delivering on those standards and manages beverage costs, ordering and inventory. They also plan and execute beverage service against BEO requirements for an event-driven business. This role will operate primarily as the Manager on Duty, responsible for the guest experience on the floor, holding the team to Lawn Club standards, coaching in real time, and ensuring every guest leaves happy. The ideal candidate has experience in competitive socializing businesses, has managed a high-volume, event-focused bar program, and has a passion for enhancing the guest experience. They lead by example, keep the bar service-ready at all times, and develop a positive, high-performing team culture. Beverage Program & Drink Development • Own the beverage program, including the core cocktail menu, seasonal and limited-time offerings, beer, wine, and non-alcoholic options, and event and package menus, • Develop, test, and cost all drink recipes, with a target margin for each drink, • Design drinks for volume: batchable, fast to build, consistent across bartenders, • Maintain accuracy of all drink recipes, modifiers, and bar menus in Toast and inventory software, • Partner with senior leadership on menu updates, programming opportunities, and prep changes Speed, Consistency & Quality • Lead a bar team that delivers fast, accurate, and brand-consistent beverage service across all areas of the venue; speed and consistency are core expectations of this role, • Ensure every cocktail, beer, and non-alcoholic drink is executed to spec from build to garnish, • Monitor adherence and consistency of all drinks to recipe and brand standard, • Conduct daily quality control checks for batches, syrups, and garnish mise en place, • Maintain bar prep, cleanliness, and daily readiness across all service periods, • Oversee bar opening and closing duties, daily cleaning checklists, and sidework execution, • Lead weekly deep cleans and ensure DOH compliance at all times Cost Control: COGS, Ordering & Inventory • Manage weekly ordering, inventory, and vendor communications for the bar program, including product and equipment, • Own beverage cost performance, including usage, waste, and COGS tracking, weekly counts, par levels, and variance follow-up, • Review comps, voids, and waste, and address root causes, • Manage vendor pricing and distributor relationships, • Receive and organize deliveries; ensure stock is rotated and labeled properly, • Forecast, order, and manage beverage spend against beverage targets and BEO requirements Event Beverage Operations • Review BEOs and build the beverage plan for each event, including consumption forecasts, product quantities, and bar and station setup, • Coordinate with the Events team on private and group function beverage planning, • Advise leadership on bar staffing needs and station deployment based on event size and type, • Manage pre-event logistics, including ice, glassware, batches, and portable bars, • Run beverage service across multiple simultaneous events with overlapping demand, • Manage beverage packages, open bars, tabs, and bar minimums, • Attend and contribute to weekly BEO, ops, and leadership meetings Team Leadership & Training • Train bartenders and barbacks to anticipate guest needs before requests are made, including offering water, refills, second rounds, and menu guidance without prompting, • Coach bartenders to make personalized recommendations based on guest cues, table context, and occasion, • Foster a bar culture where eye contact, greetings, and genuine engagement are the norm, • Build and maintain the bar training program, including onboarding and readiness verification, • Lead daily lineups and bar team pre-shifts; provide real-time coaching during service, • Hold the team accountable to standards, providing ongoing feedback, performance coaching, and documentation in partnership with leadership, • Participate in hiring and onboarding of bartenders and barbacks, • Execute against the schedule and labor budget set by leadership, and provide input on staffing needs, • Conduct staff checkouts and ensure accurate shift-end reporting, • Maintain bar SOPs, training materials, and up-to-date product guides, • Ensure team members communicate clearly and courteously with one another to avoid confusion, duplication, or delay, • Ensure barbacks are replenishing ice, glassware, and stock without disrupting the guest experience, • Enforce systems for keeping bar tops, garnish stations, tools, and guest-facing areas pristine throughout service Manager on Duty & Guest Experience • Serve as Manager on Duty for the majority of scheduled shifts, including nights, weekends, and peak season, • Own the quality of the guest experience across the bar, lawns, dining areas, and front desk, • Hold the team to Lawn Club service and hospitality standards in real time, coaching and correcting as needed, • Oversee guest flow and bar pacing, ensuring timely and friendly service at all times, • Respond to guest concerns with urgency, care, and professionalism, including guest recovery, • Assist with creating and updating floor plans, daily deployment rosters, and shift notes, • Handle MOD duties including opening and closing, cash handling, and incident reporting, • Support a culture of high performance, professionalism, and hospitality Compliance & Company Standards • Ensure compliance with all company policies and training expectations as well as New York State and New York City law, • Follow all company policies, SOPs, and guidelines, • Operate ethically to protect the assets and image of the company, • Perform other duties and responsibilities as needed ABOUT YOU! | KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS Qualifications & Skills • Minimum of 3 years of experience in a high-volume bar or restaurant environment, • Minimum 1 year of management or supervisory experience, • Extensive knowledge of bar lifecycles and setup, spirits, cocktail ingredients, and garnishes, • Familiarity with alcohol service and food safety standards, including DOH protocols, • Experience developing and costing cocktail menus and large-scale batching, • Proven cost control skills, including inventory management, variance analysis, and ordering, • Strong communication and leadership skills, • Ability to multitask and work effectively under pressure, • Strong attention to detail and organizational skills, • High standards for cleanliness of workspace and service areas, • Professional demeanor, polished appearance with the ability to exceed guest's expectations, • Ability to work in an ever-changing environment, • Ability to work both independently and in a team environment, • Strong work ethic and customer-focused approach, • Ability to work a flexible schedule including days, nights, weekends, and holidays, • Must be passionate, entrepreneurial, and dedicated to success PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS • Ability to lift and carry up to 25 lbs., • Comfortable standing and walking for prolonged periods., • Regularly required to bend, reach, climb stairs, and move throughout the venue.
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