Bar Manager

Aqua Restaurant Group; New York (NY); On-site; USD 55,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Aqua Restaurant Group seeks a Bar Manager to lead our bar team and operations, ensuring a clean, efficient, and welcoming environment for guests. You will oversee scheduling, inventory control, staff training, and customer service excellence, while maintaining budgets and regulatory compliance.

Join a fast-paced hospitality group where leadership, hands-on bartending knowledge, and strong vendor relations help drive memorable guest experiences and sustainable bar performance.

Qualifications

• Proven mixology expertise and beverage knowledge.
• Strong multitasking and leadership abilities.
• Excellent customer service and communication skills.
• Experience managing budgets, inventory, and vendor relations.
• Familiarity with POS systems and safety/compliance requirements.
• Ability to schedule staff and plan events.

Responsibilities

• Managing liquor licenses, supplier contracts, inventory, budgets, and goals.
• Recruit, interview, hire and train bar staff.
• Handle customer complaints and resolve issues.
• Advertise promotions and manage daily/weekly/monthly marketing efforts.
• Ensure staff follow food safety regulations and procedures.
• Create employee schedules and bar menus; plan events and specials.

Skills

Mixology

Multitasking

Leadership

Customer service

Budgeting

Inventory

Staff scheduling

Vendor relations

Safety compliance

POS knowledge

De-escalation

Event planning

Marketing input

Job description

A Bar Manager oversees the staff and operations of a bar by making sure it’s clean, functioning efficiently and inviting for customers to relax in. Their main duties include scheduling employees and building their shift calendars, managing and resolving customer complaints and ensuring the bar’s inventory is well-stocked.

A Bar Manager uses skills in project management and leadership to ensure customers have a great experience. Bar managers keep their bars running smoothly by handling day-to-day operations, managing resources, and employees, and creating a safe, fun environment for staff and patrons.

Bar Manager Job Duties

• Managing the business aspects of the bar, such as keeping a current liquor license, negotiating supplier contracts, taking/maintaining inventory and reordering supplies, managing budgets, and setting goals
• Recruit, interview, hire and train new bar staff employees
• Handle customer complaints
• Advertise the daily, weekly and monthly promotions of the bar
• Ensure staff is following all food control and safety regulations
• Create employee schedules based on expected customer numbers
• Creates drink and food menus
• Determines employees’ schedules
• Ensures bar is well-stocked and clean
• Tracks customer behavior and sales
• Maintains budget and monitors costsMaintains drink recipe documentation
• Oversees planning for special events
• Appropriately delegates tasks to staff
• Selects and purchases liquor and other supplies
• Oversees staff, including bartenders and barbacks, and, in some cases, bouncers, wait staff, and/or kitchen staff as well
• Hires, trains, promotes, and, when necessary, disciplines or fires staff
• Selects music, books bands, and provides input on décor and marketing, including social media and other forms of publicity
• Initiates and maintains vendor relationships
• Uses point-of-sale tracking technology and bar and restaurant management platform
• Diffusing tense situations between patrons or staff members to prevent possible safety or legal issues, ejecting unruly persons, if needed
• Maintaining a fun, safe atmosphere for patrons

Bar Manager Qualifications/Skills

• Accomplished mixologist
• Excellent multitasking ability
• Problem-solving skills
• Interpersonal relationship skills
• Attention to detail
• Strong leadership ability
• Organizational and customer service skills
• Knowledge of food, beverage, and hospitality industries
• Calm under pressure
• Able to maintain restraint in stressful situations
• Ability to deescalate tense interactions
• Judgment and creativity
• Math / financial skills
• Comfortable with hospitality and sales technology platforms
• Enthusiastic and energetic