Bar/Café manager

Contact Theatre; Manchester; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

Contact Theatre in Manchester is seeking a Bar/Cafe Manager to lead day-to-day hospitality operations, maximise commercial performance, and deliver an inclusive, high‑quality customer experience that reflects Contact’s mission. You will oversee bar/front-of-house activities across daily trade, events and private hires, combining operational management with budget control and team development.

Working closely with programming and commercial teams, you will plan hospitality for events, engage

Qualifications

• Proven experience managing bar or hospitality operations in a busy venue.
• Strong commercial awareness with experience of P&L ownership and margin improvement.
• Excellent people management skills with experience recruiting and leading small teams.
• Knowledge of licensing, food safety and health & safety requirements.
• Strong customer service focus with experience handling complaints and events.
• Competent with EPOS systems, stock control and basic financial reporting.
• Commitment to Contact’s youth-led mission and inclusive culture.

Responsibilities

• Oversee day-to-day bar and front-of-house operations across daily trade, events and private hires.
• Own P&L for the bar; drive revenue, control costs, and manage pricing and promotions to targets.
• Manage stock control, supplier relationships and inventory systems to minimise waste and maximise margins.
• Recruit, train, rota and develop bar staff; foster an inclusive, positive culture and high service standards.
• Deliver exceptional customer service and handle feedback and complaints professionally.
• Ensure licensing, food safety, health & safety, and cash-handling procedures are followed.
• Work with programming and venue hire teams to plan hospitality for events and rehearsals.
• Embed Contact’s youth-led approach into hospitality activity and opportunities for young people.

Skills

Bar operations management

P&L ownership

Team leadership

Licensing & compliance

Customer service

EPOS systems

Stock control

Tools

Spektrix

Job description

MAIN LOCATION: Contact but may be required to work at other venues as required

RESPONSIBLE TO:Director of Finance

RESPONSIBLE FOR: Casual bar/café staff

HOURS: Full Time. As we work to 100:80:100 full time equates to 28 hours per week. Some evening and weekend work may be required as part of this role.

STATUS: Permanent

CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS: Thursday 3rd September.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive a sufficient number of applications

OVERVIEW OF THE ROLE

Contact is a youth‑led arts and cultural venue. The Bar/Cafe Manager will run day‑to‑day hospitality operations, maximise commercial performance, and deliver an excellent, inclusive customer experience that reflects Contact’s mission. This role combines operational management, stock and cost control, team development, and close collaboration with programming and commercial teams to support events, venue hire and community activity.

MAIN TASKS

• Operational management— Manage all bar and front‑of‑house hospitality operations, ensuring smooth service across daily trade, ticketed events and private hires.
• Revenue and margin management — Own P&L for the bar; drive sales, control costs, manage pricing and promotions to meet monthly and annual targets.
• Stock and supplier management — Oversee purchasing, stock control, inventory systems, and supplier relationships to minimise waste and optimise margins.
• Team management — Recruit, train, rota and develop bar and casual staff; create a positive, inclusive culture and ensure high standards of service.
• Customer experience — Deliver consistently excellent customer service; handle customer feedback and complaints professionally and promptly.
• Compliance and safety — Ensure licensing, food safety, health & safety and cash handling procedures are followed; maintain accurate records and incident logs.
• Event delivery — Work closely with programming and venue hire teams to plan and deliver hospitality for events, rehearsals and private hires; adapt service models for different audiences.
• Youth engagement — Embed Contact’s youth‑led approach into hospitality activity, creating opportunities for young people to be involved in front‑of‑house roles, training and enterprise.
• Reporting and systems — Maintain sales, stock and cash reports; use EPOS and booking data to forecast demand and inform purchasing and staffing.
• Continuous improvement — Identify and implement operational efficiencies, menu and offer development, and sustainability initiatives.

GENERAL

• Represent Contact to external bodies, networks, organisations and individuals as required.
• Attend regular organisational meetings and team meetings as required
• To be familiar with the work being presented by Contact by attending workshops, read throughs, rehearsals and performances where appropriate.
• Take a role in the integration of young people into company activity, working directly with young people as decision-makers and partners.
• Keep up to date with and work within Contact’s policies, particularly those relating to the Safeguarding of Young People and the Equal Opportunities Policy.
• Engage actively in Contact’s development of good practice with regard to cultural diversity in the arts and to be a champion of diversity within the company and the wider field.
• Follow Contact’s Health & Safety policy, undertaking duties as required and ensure reasonable care is taken to maintain a healthy and safe place for public and staff.
• Actively commit to Contact’s Equal Opportunities policy and Contact’s Safeguarding of Young People policy.
• Actively commit to Contact’s anti‑racism working practices
• Undertake any other duties that may be reasonably required in connection with the position.
• To provide inspirational and supportive leadership for your direct reports & team, ensuring that they remain highly motivated and empowered to develop within their roles.
• Manage, control and report on all budgets relating to your team/area, delegating budgetary authority where appropriate.
• To advise and report regularly on activity as required by the Senior Leadership Team, Board and sub‑boards, supplying any data required to meet funder reporting requirements.
• To provide mentoring and support to young people and on occasions deliver training/workshops in areas relevant to your job role.
• In line with Contact’s governance model, pro‑actively engage young people in decision‑making through consultations, young people’s panels and other mechanisms relevant to your job role.
• To manage all personal data in line with the General Data Protection Regulations, using the Spektrix database as directed.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

ESSENTIAL

• Proven experience managing bar or hospitality operations in a busy venue, events or hospitality setting.
• Strong commercial awareness with experience of P&L ownership, cost control and margin improvement.
• Excellent people management skills; experience recruiting, training and leading small teams.
• Good knowledge of licensing, food safety and health & safety requirements.
• Strong customer service focus with experience handling complaints and complex event delivery.
• Competent with EPOS systems, stock control and basic financial reporting.
• Commitment to Contact’s mission and to creating inclusive, youth‑led opportunities.

DESIRABLE

• Experience working in arts, cultural or community venues.
• Experience of developing youth training or enterprise programmes.
• Knowledge of sustainable hospitality practices and local supplier networks.
• Basic barista or mixology qualifications.