The Oliver Hotel - Assistant General Manager Beverage & Bar Operations

OLIVER HOSPITALITY PAYROLL, LLC•Knoxville, TN

13d•$55,000 - $60,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Assistant General Manager – Beverage & Bar Operations is a hands-on hospitality leader responsible for the development, execution, and continued improvement of the beverage programs at Oliver Royale and Peter Kern Library while supporting the overall operation and leadership of both outlets. This is an active, service-facing management position. The AGM will spend the majority of the working week in operations, including regular bartending shifts and designated closing Manager on Duty shifts. Administrative responsibilities are limited to the work necessary to manage the beverage program and fulfill the role. The position works under the direction of the Food & Beverage Director and Hotel General Manager and collaborates with the broader management team on staffing, performance, operational, and strategic decisions. The goal is clear ownership of the beverage program by a leader directly connected to daily service.

Requirements

Hands-on hospitality leader
Responsible for development, execution, and improvement of beverage programs
Support overall operation and leadership of outlets
Active, service-facing management position
Spend majority of working week in operations, including regular bartending shifts and closing Manager on Duty shifts
Administrative responsibilities limited to managing beverage program
Works under direction of Food & Beverage Director and Hotel General Manager
Collaborates with management team on staffing, performance, operational, and strategic decisions
Clear ownership of beverage program
Maintain consistency in recipes, specifications, presentation, glassware, garnishes, and preparation
Develop reference materials and prep procedures
Evaluate new products
Maintain supplier relationships and product pars
Identify improvements in quality, profitability, efficiency, and guest engagement
Preserve distinct beverage identities of Oliver Royale and Peter Kern Library
Support special events and programming
Establish and enforce operational standards
Maintain bar organization, storage, and pars
Oversee quality, labeling, dating, storage, and rotation of beverage prep
Monitor equipment and address maintenance needs
Maintain controls for premium and allocated products
Work scheduled bartending shifts
Complete and reconcile monthly beverage inventory
Manage routine ordering and receiving
Monitor purchasing against sales volume and pars
Monitor beverage cost, usage, waste, breakage, comps, transfers, and unexplained variance
Assist with pricing and cost analysis
Document and control premium and allocated products
Meet with distributors and supplier representatives
Maintain professional vendor relationships
Communicate significant cost, purchasing, inventory, or availability concerns to F&B leadership
Train and develop bar staff
Educate broader FOH team
Set expectations for professionalism, preparation, cleanliness, product knowledge, hospitality, and execution
Coach during service, provide timely feedback, identify skill gaps, and develop employees
Participate in hiring, evaluations, coaching, corrective action, and separation
Model accountability
Consistently enforce company alcohol policies and professional boundaries
Regularly serve as a closing Manager on Duty
Lead service across outlets
Respond to volume and support FOH positions
Make real-time staffing and cut decisions
Address guest concerns and recovery
Resolve routine operating issues and escalate significant concerns
Coordinate communication with FOH, BOH, hotel, and leadership
Ensure closing procedures are completed
Maintain an active guest presence
Build relationships with regulars
Welcome first-time visitors
Personalize service
Address service failures promptly
Show composure and sound judgment under pressure
Support the service team
Protect the distinct atmosphere of each outlet
Maintain quality and consistency of PKL cocktails and service style
Ensure bartenders understand product knowledge, stories, techniques, and presentation
Maintain premium spirits standards
Collaborate on seasonal programming, activations, menu development, and concept evolution
Balance creativity with practicality, consistency, profitability, and speed
Reports to Food & Beverage Director and Hotel General Manager
Exercises independent judgment during routine service within established standards
Communicate with management
Bring informed recommendations on staffing, development, beverage strategy, purchasing, and operations to leadership
Attend weekly management meeting
Complete monthly beverage inventory, ordering, cost review, menu maintenance, training materials, manager reports, and follow-up communication
Participate in menu planning, employee meetings, and leadership projects
Lead calmly and consistently under pressure
Communicate clearly, respectfully, and directly
Address problems early
Follow standards expected of employees
Exercise sound judgment regarding alcohol, relationships, guests, and resources
Accept feedback and accountability
Collaborate with fellow managers
Support consistent leadership standards
Bring potential solutions
Balance creativity with discipline
Develop people
Recognize when decisions require collaboration or escalation

Nice To Haves

Experience with Oliver Royale and Peter Kern Library beverage programs
Experience with cocktail development
Experience with seasonal menu changes
Experience with supplier relationships
Experience with special dinners, activations, private events, tastings, and beverage programming
Experience with bar operations
Experience with inventory, purchasing, and vendor management
Experience with bar team leadership and development
Experience as Manager on Duty
Experience with guest experience and service leadership
Experience with Peter Kern Library stewardship
Experience with balancing creativity with practicality, consistency, profitability, and speed
Experience with administrative tasks such as inventory, menu changes, events, and training

Responsibilities

Maintain and improve cocktail, spirits, wine, beer, and non-alcoholic beverage programs.
Lead cocktail development and seasonal menu changes with F&B leadership and the bar team.
Maintain consistency in recipes, specifications, presentation, glassware, garnishes, and preparation; develop reference materials and prep procedures.
Ensure beverage menus and POS programming are accurate and communicated to the team.
Evaluate new products, maintain supplier relationships and product pars, and identify improvements in quality, profitability, efficiency, and guest engagement.
Preserve the distinct beverage identities of Oliver Royale and Peter Kern Library.
Support special dinners, activations, private events, tastings, and beverage programming.
Establish and enforce opening, service, closing, cleaning, and prep standards.
Maintain bar organization, storage, and pars for beverages, mixers, garnishes, juices, syrups, glassware, and supplies.
Oversee quality, labeling, dating, storage, and rotation of beverage prep.
Monitor equipment, refrigeration, glassware, smallwares, and maintenance needs; address problems before they affect service.
Maintain controls for premium and allocated products.
Work scheduled bartending shifts and use them to evaluate recipes, prep systems, equipment, staffing, and procedures.
Complete and reconcile monthly beverage inventory.
Manage routine ordering and receiving.
Monitor purchasing against sales volume and pars, as well as beverage cost, usage, waste, breakage, comps, transfers, and unexplained variance.
Assist with pricing and cost analysis; document and control premium and allocated products.
Meet with distributors and supplier representatives approximately one to three times per week to review samples, products, pricing, availability, and programming opportunities.
Maintain professional vendor relationships and communicate significant cost, purchasing, inventory, or availability concerns to F&B leadership.
Train and develop bartenders, barbacks, and employees responsible for beverage service; educate the broader FOH team as appropriate.
Set expectations for professionalism, preparation, cleanliness, product knowledge, hospitality, and execution.
Coach during service, provide timely feedback, identify skill gaps, and develop employees with leadership potential.
Participate with management in interviews, hiring, evaluations, coaching, corrective action, and separation.
Provide observations and recommendations; major personnel decisions are collaborative.
Model accountability and consistently enforce company alcohol policies and professional boundaries.
Regularly serve as a closing Manager on Duty, generally two to three shifts per week as business needs require.
Lead service across Oliver Royale and Peter Kern Library; respond to volume and support all FOH positions.
Make real-time staffing and cut decisions within established standards; address guest concerns and recovery.
Resolve routine operating issues and escalate significant concerns.
Coordinate communication with FOH, BOH, hotel, and leadership.
Ensure service, safety, security, cash handling, closing, reporting, and outlet security procedures are completed.
Maintain an active guest presence, build relationships with regulars, and welcome first-time visitors.
Personalize service, address failures promptly, and show composure and sound judgment under pressure.
Support the service team where leadership improves the guest experience and protect the distinct atmosphere of each outlet.
Maintain the quality and consistency of PKL cocktails and its intimate, elevated service style.
Ensure bartenders understand product knowledge, stories, techniques, and presentation.
Maintain premium spirits standards.
Collaborate on seasonal programming, activations, menu development, and the continued evolution of the concept.
Balance creativity with practicality, consistency, profitability, and speed.
Attend the weekly management meeting and meet with vendors approximately one to three times weekly.
Complete monthly beverage inventory, ordering, cost review, menu maintenance, training materials, manager reports, and follow-up communication.
Participate in menu planning, employee meetings, and leadership projects as needed.
Generally allocate approximately four to eight hours per week to administration outside active service; inventory, menu changes, events, and training may require more.
Lead calmly and consistently under pressure; communicate clearly, respectfully, and directly.
Address problems early; follow the standards expected of employees and exercise sound judgment regarding alcohol, relationships, guests, and resources.
Accept feedback and accountability, collaborate with fellow managers, and support consistent leadership standards.
Bring potential solutions, balance creativity with discipline, develop people, and recognize when decisions require collaboration or escalation.