Bar Manager

Lore Group•Washington, DC

4d•$77,000 - $82,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Café Riggs Bar Manager is responsible for leading and inspiring the bar team to deliver exceptional hospitality and memorable guest experiences while maintaining the highest standards of service, beverage quality, and operational excellence. This role oversees all aspects of bar operations, including staffing, financial performance, inventory management, beverage programming, and team development. A successful Bar Manager is a hands-on leader, coach, and mentor who is passionate about developing talent, fostering a culture of accountability, and creating opportunities for career growth within the team.

Requirements

Exceptional hospitality and memorable guest experiences
Highest standards of service, beverage quality, and operational excellence
Staffing, financial performance, inventory management, beverage programming, and team development
Hands-on leader, coach, and mentor
Passionate about developing talent
Fostering a culture of accountability
Creating opportunities for career growth
Service standards and culture
Confidence in service standards, product knowledge, and operational procedures
Individual growth and career progression
Skill advancement and internal promotion
Spirits, wine, beer, cocktail techniques, seasonal offerings, responsible alcohol service, and hospitality standards
Knowledge and performance
Additional responsibilities
Accountability, communication, teamwork, and mutual respect
Timely coaching and clear expectations
Consistency, efficiency, cleanliness, organization, and adherence to brand standards
Standard operating procedures for bar service, opening and closing duties, inventory management, cash handling, and sanitation
Health, safety, sanitation, and alcohol service regulations
Preventative maintenance
Service flow and overall operational success
Warm, genuine hospitality and personalized guest service
Anticipate needs, resolve concerns professionally, and create memorable experiences
Service techniques, hospitality standards, and guest engagement
Service quality and operational execution
Support staff and ensure exceptional guest experiences
Bar budget, labor costs, beverage cost, and operating expenses
Sales trends, labor performance, and inventory reports
Increase revenue through menu engineering, promotions, upselling, and premium beverage offerings
Product waste, shrinkage, and inventory variances
Cost controls
Financial goals
Creative, diverse, and high-quality beverage program
Culinary vision and guest preferences
Seasonal cocktail menus and beverage pairings
Consistency in recipes, presentation, execution, and quality
Recipe adherence
Accurate inventory levels, ordering schedules, and vendor relationships
Beverage industry trends, emerging products, and innovative techniques
Structured monthly and quarterly training initiatives
Educational materials, training guides, recipe manuals, and operational resources
Product knowledge sessions with distributors, wineries, breweries, and spirit partners
Training effectiveness through observations, guest feedback, performance metrics, and practical assessments
Professional certifications and continuing education in hospitality and beverage programs
Cross-training opportunities with restaurant and culinary teams
Succession plan by identifying high-potential employees
Ongoing self-development and staying current with hospitality, leadership, and beverage industry best practices

Nice To Haves

Playful nod to the building’s legacy
Internationally acclaimed Ryan Chetiyawardana, also known as Mr Lyan
Subterranean bar

Responsibilities

Recruit, hire, onboard, train, and develop a high-performing bar team that embodies Café Riggs' service standards and culture.
Create comprehensive onboarding and training programs for new team members, ensuring confidence in service standards, product knowledge, and operational procedures.
Conduct regular one-on-one coaching sessions, performance evaluations, and development conversations to support individual growth and career progression.
Build individualized development plans for bartenders and bar support staff, identifying opportunities for skill advancement and internal promotion.
Lead ongoing beverage education, including spirits, wine, beer, cocktail techniques, seasonal offerings, responsible alcohol service, and hospitality standards.
Organize regular team trainings, menu tastings, service refreshers, and pre-shift education to continuously elevate knowledge and performance.
Mentor emerging leaders by providing opportunities to lead shifts, train new hires, and take on additional responsibilities.
Foster a positive, collaborative, and inclusive workplace culture built on accountability, communication, teamwork, and mutual respect.
Recognize outstanding performance and celebrate team achievements while addressing performance concerns with timely coaching and clear expectations.
Oversee all daily bar operations, ensuring consistency, efficiency, cleanliness, organization, and adherence to brand standards.
Develop, maintain, and continually improve standard operating procedures for bar service, opening and closing duties, inventory management, cash handling, and sanitation.
Ensure compliance with all health, safety, sanitation, and alcohol service regulations.
Maintain equipment and coordinate preventative maintenance to ensure uninterrupted operations.
Collaborate with restaurant leadership to optimize service flow and support overall operational success.
Lead by example in providing warm, genuine hospitality and personalized guest service.
Build relationships with guests, anticipate needs, resolve concerns professionally, and create memorable experiences.
Coach the team on service techniques, hospitality standards, and guest engagement.
Monitor guest feedback and identify opportunities to improve service quality and operational execution.
Maintain a visible presence on the floor during service to support staff and ensure exceptional guest experiences.
Develop and manage the bar budget while monitoring labor costs, beverage cost, and operating expenses.
Analyze sales trends, labor performance, and inventory reports to maximize profitability.
Implement strategies to increase revenue through menu engineering, promotions, upselling, and premium beverage offerings.
Monitor product waste, shrinkage, and inventory variances while maintaining cost controls.
Partner with leadership to establish and achieve financial goals.
Curate and maintain a creative, diverse, and high-quality beverage program that reflects Café Riggs' culinary vision and guest preferences.
Collaborate with the culinary team to develop seasonal cocktail menus and beverage pairings.
Ensure consistency in recipes, presentation, execution, and quality through ongoing training and recipe adherence.
Maintain accurate inventory levels, ordering schedules, and vendor relationships.
Stay informed on beverage industry trends, emerging products, and innovative techniques to continuously enhance the guest experience.
Champion a culture of continuous learning by creating structured monthly and quarterly training initiatives.
Develop educational materials, training guides, recipe manuals, and operational resources for the team.
Schedule regular product knowledge sessions with distributors, wineries, breweries, and spirit partners.
Evaluate training effectiveness through observations, guest feedback, performance metrics, and practical assessments.
Encourage professional certifications and continuing education in hospitality and beverage programs.
Promote cross-training opportunities with restaurant and culinary teams to strengthen collaboration and operational knowledge.
Build a succession plan by identifying high-potential employees and preparing them for future leadership opportunities.
Lead by example through ongoing self-development and staying current with hospitality, leadership, and beverage industry best practices.

Benefits

Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance (for full-time employees)
6 complimentary nights a year at any Lore Group hotel
Lore Group Employee & Immediate Family Rates
Lore Group Friend and Family Rates
50% Employee discount and 25% Friends and Family discount at over 800 partner hotels via Lore Discovery
50% discount in Lore Group restaurants and bars
10 Days Vacation - Plus every year an extra day
Company Paid Life Insurance 1.5X annual salary
Employee Assistance Program
Referral Incentive
401K with 5% Match
Training and Development Programs
Additional perks via United Healthcare
Complimentary Employee Meals
Employee Recognition programs