Bar Operations Manager

Seaport Entertainment Management, LLC; United States; On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Lawn Club in the Seaport seeks a Bar Operations Manager to own the beverage program, lead a high-volume bar team, and deliver a welcoming, memorable guest experience. You will manage setup, opening, closing, and daily operations, ensuring top-quality drinks and efficient service.

You will develop drink recipes, control costs, forecast beverage needs for events, and train staff to uphold standards while collaborating with senior leadership on menus and program evolution.

Qualifications

• Experience managing high-volume bars in a hospitality setting.
• Proven ability to lead and train bar staff.
• Strong focus on guest experience and service quality.

Responsibilities

• Own the beverage program, core cocktail menu, and event offerings.
• Lead a bar team to deliver fast, accurate, brand‑consistent service.
• Control beverage costs, ordering, inventory, and vendor relations.
• Plan beverage service for events and manage DOH compliance.
• Lead training, coaching, and daily lineups to uphold standards.

Skills

High-volume bar management

Staff leadership

Guest experience

Menu development

Cost control

Tools

Toast POS

Job description

ABOUT LAWN CLUB

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.

ABOUT THE ROLE

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.

THE IMPACT YOU'LL MAKE | ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• 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