Bar Manager

Dakota Manchester Airport; Manchester; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Meals on duty

Uniforming

Employee discounts

Discounts on stays and dining

Job summary

Dakota Manchester Airport is seeking a Bar Manager to lead our bar team and ensure the highest standards of service and guest experience. You will manage day-to-day bar operations, train staff, and curate cocktail programs to delight guests.

The ideal candidate has at least 3 years in a full-service bar/restaurant with strong leadership and knowledge of classic cocktails and wine pairings. A hands-on host who drives standards is essential.

Qualifications

• Proven leadership experience in high-end hospitality.
• Experience overseeing bar operations and service standards.
• Strong knowledge of cocktails, wines, and spirits.

Responsibilities

• Direct and mentor bartenders, floor team, and hosts to deliver exceptional service.
• Manage daily bar operations and guest interactions with a hands-on approach.
• Design and deliver on-the-job training to elevate service levels.

Skills

Leadership

Bar operations

Cocktails

Training

Revenue growth

Job description

We are seeking a hospitality professional with strong leadership skills and a passion for beverage and cocktails to join our team for the role of Bar Manager.

PRIMARY ROLE RESPONSIBILITIES

• Drive the highest levels of service delivered within our bar, and providing direction to our bartenders, bar floor team and hosts.
• Run services within the bar throughout the day, offering the highest levels of service to all guests. Have a hands-on approach to service and hosting, driving standards at all times.
• Implement training plans and deliver on-the-job training to drive the smoothest, most polished levels of service.
• Carry out knowledge and cocktail & drinks training and work to continuously improve the teams’ knowledge to better enhance the guest experience.
• Support the commercial running of the bar operation including approving rota hours and placing orders.
• Have a hands-on approach to service and hosting, driving standards at all times.
• To have a comprehensive knowledge of food and beverage menu options to be able to offer guests recommendations, including understanding the allergens present.

APPLICANT REQUIREMENTS

The successful applicant will have/be::

• At least 3 years’ experience working in a full-service, high-end restaurant and/or bar.
• At least 1 years’ experience training others in a Bar or Restaurant environment.
• Experienced in overseeing bar operations, team, and customer service
• Strong knowledge of classic cocktails, wines and spirits is essential.
• Strong commercial awareness with the ability to strategically drive revenue
• Experience in running services and carrying out cash up.
• Strong knowledge of wines and wine pairings with dishes is essential.
• An enthusiastic individual who will promote our culture of positivity.
• Be task oriented with a great pride for the work they do and attention to detail.
• Flexible with shift patterns and available around the needs of our business.
• Successful candidates must demonstrate having researched our brand and a genuine desire to be part of our team.

HOW TO GET HERE

Dakota Manchester Airport is at 7 Enterprise Way, Manchester, M90 4AD

• Train: About a 10 minute walk from Manchester Airport station, with frequent direct services from Manchester Piccadilly and across the North West.
• Tram: Metrolink Blue Line runs from Victoria via Central Manchester to the airport main station (approximately 10 minute walk away)
• Bus: Bee Network routes (43, 103, 130, 199, 248, 288, 313, 368) serve the airport; some stop a few minutes from the hotel, others at the main station (approximately 10 minutes walk away)
• Car: For those whose journeys cannot reasonably be completed using public transport, a pre-registered team parking scheme is available at £5 per day, billed monthly by our Finance Team. The car park is located a short 5-10 minute walk from the hotel. Spaces are allocated on a first come, first served basis upon each entry, and parking is not guaranteed. The same parking process and payment arrangement applies to all team members, regardless of role.
• Cycling: Good local routes; secure bike storage available at the team entrance.

WHAT WE OFFER

In addition to being part of a culture infused with positivity and opportunity for ongoing development, tangible benefits you could enjoy when you join our team include:

FINANCIAL

• Special discounts on stays and dining at any Dakota
• Bonuses to recommend a friend to join our team and every time you are mentioned on Trip Advisor
• Additional holiday day on the first anniversary of your employment
• Meals on duty and uniforming

WELLBEING

• Access to our Employee Assistance Program which includes free private mental health support and counselling sessions, video GP consultations and private prescription services, as well as access to daily rewards to be cashed out for shopping vouchers
• Support from our inhouse Mental Health Champions
• Family-friendly flexible working options
• Participation in meaningful initiatives such as Macmillan Cancer Support Coffee Morning and the Walk for Wellbeing, Supporting causes that matter while connecting with colleagues

CAREER DEVELOPMENT

• Accredited, certified compliance training given on employment
• Access to a suite of external, certified resources via our Learning Management System
• Supportive continuous professional development culture with an annual appraisal and objectives, or a Personal Development Plan
• Opportunities to undertake both internal and external training courses, including potential for in-house Apprenticeships

Full terms on our benefits can be found in our Handbook.

ABOUT DAKOTA HOTELS

Dakota is a growing UK-based lifestyle brand, known for our stylish hotels, bustling brasserieGrillsand upscale cocktail Bars. Dakota’s story started with two boutique hotels on the outskirts of Edinburgh, in South Queensferry, and Glasgow, in Eurocentral. We have now expanded into prime city centre locations in Glasgow, Leeds, Manchester, andNewcastlewith morein our pipeline.

Dakota is synonymous for delivering attentive and genuine guest service. We attract hard-working individuals who are passionate about working to the highest standards and have been voted within The Caterer’s Top 15 Best Employers in Hospitality for the last five years in a row. We were also featured within the Top 10 employers in the 2024 Sunday Times Best Places to Work in the UK, as well as being awarded the Spotlight Award for Best Places to Work for LGBTQIA+ employees.

As recent winners of The Cateys ‘People Team of the Year’,we have award-winning internal training programmes within Dakota Academy fostering continuous development and ongoing training. As a result, over 75% of our leaders have been promoted internally and, for four consecutive years, a member of our team has won a prestigious Acorn Award awarded byThe Caterer to the ‘Top 30 under 30’ in the industry,demonstratingour success in developing talent.