Restaurant & Bar Manager - New Opening

Job Description

About the role We are building a new kind of hospitality space in Hackney. A curated kitchen and bar programme where chefs, bartenders and collaborators take over the space for short residencies, events and experiences. The concept is designed to constantly evolve, with a changing calendar of pop ups, dinners, tastings, private hires and social events. We are looking for a full-time Manager to help bring this space to life day to day. This is not a traditional restaurant management role. We need someone who is equally comfortable running service, managing a bar, coordinating events, hosting guests and helping shape a fast-moving programme. The right person will love hospitality, have strong operational instincts, and be excited by the idea of working in a venue where things are always changing. This role will be central to the identity of the space. Over time, we want guests to come back not only because of the residencies and events we programme, but because of the team, the atmosphere and the experience we create every week. About the space The venue is an intimate, industrial kitchen and bar in Mare Street, with a large open kitchen and counter seating at its heart. It is designed as a platform for rotating chefs, drinks-led experiences and social hospitality. The space is curated and operated by us. While the concepts may change, the guest experience, standards and overall feel of the venue remain consistent. The Manager will play a key role in protecting that consistency while helping the programme feel fresh, exciting and well executed. What you’ll be responsible for Programming and coordination • Manage the operational logistics of each residency, event or takeover from set-up to breakdown, • Coordinate arrivals, check-ins, handovers and transitions between guest chefs or collaborators, • Support the execution of the venue calendar and ensure each event is properly prepared, • Work closely with founders and collaborators to make sure concepts are launch-ready, • Help spot operational risks early and solve problems before they affect service Venue and bar operations • Oversee the day-to-day running of the venue and ensure the space is consistently set up to a high standard, • Develop, manage and continuously improve the drinks offering of the space, • Oversee bar operations, stock ordering, supplier coordination and inventory management, • Lead service during event and residency nights, setting the tone for the floor and ensuring strong execution throughout, • Take ownership of team leadership on shift, creating clear communication, strong standards and a positive service culture, • Help build and shape a small but high-performing team around the space as it grows, • Create a strong team culture centred around hospitality, accountability and adaptability, • Maintain high standards of cleanliness, readiness and compliance across the venue Guest experience and commercial delivery • Manage reservations and set up events in booking systems, • Handle private hire enquiries and support conversion where relevant, • Act as host on the floor, helping create a warm, confident and memorable guest experience, • Ensure consistency in service and atmosphere across very different concepts and residencies, • Support post-event reviews by helping assess performance, guest feedback and operational learnings Sales and cost performance • Take ownership of the venue’s day-to-day commercial performance, • Help drive sales during events through strong floor leadership, upselling and service flow, • Manage labour deployment in line with expected demand and venue targets, • Monitor stock usage, wastage and ordering to maintain tight cost control, • Track performance across sales, labour and gross margin, and flag opportunities for improvement, • Support post-event reviews with a clear view on what performed well commercially and operationally Marketing and content coordination • Coordinate photoshoots and content capture around key events and launches, • Support social media, newsletters and website updates, either directly or in coordination with external support, • Help bring ideas for events, collaborations and guest engagement, • Contribute creatively to how the space is presented and experienced What we’re looking for We are looking for someone with a mix of bar, service and events experience, who is excited by the idea of helping build something new. You likely have: • Experience managing services in a hospitality venue, • Experience managing or running a bar, • Experience coordinating or delivering events, private hires, pop ups or activations, • Confidence leading a team and running a floor, • Strong organisational skills and attention to detail, • Good commercial instincts and an understanding of how service quality drives repeat business, • A calm, solutions-focused approach in a fast-paced environment We think you’ll thrive if you are: • Energised by a constantly evolving environment, • Comfortable switching betwee