Bar & Beverage Manager

Job Description

Job Description

Who we are:  

We love what we do, and what we do is important! We believe that everyone should leave feeling better; this means not just our guests, but also our teammates. Everyone should go home feeling better because they learned something new or had fun working that day. Therefore, we hire unique individuals who work together to create amazing experiences for our guests. We recognize that every member of the team contributes to the success of the whole hotel. No one is more important than anyone else, and unless we are in it together, we can’t create that special experience for our guests.

Your mission:  

Should you choose to accept it…

Mix. Shake. Lead. Sell. Repeat.

The Bar & Beverage Manager leads the beverage program across Virgin Hotels New York City while serving as the primary operating leader for Riff Raff. This is a hands-on role for someone who combines creativity with strong business and operational discipline.

You will develop beverage programs, drive revenue, control costs and inventory, train and develop the team, and maintain exceptional standards across our F&B outlets. At Riff Raff, you will lead from the floor, creating an energetic guest experience while driving nightlife and beverage performance.

We are looking for someone who loves hospitality, understands the business behind the bar, and can turn a great beverage program into a profitable and memorable guest experience.

The Nitty-Gritty:  

What exactly you will be doing…

In helping you understand your role in working for a world class organization, the following is a list of your essential job responsibilities. Please keep in mind that this list is not all-inclusive and that you may be asked to perform other job tasks by your supervisors/managers not listed below in the constant quest to provide “out of this world” customer service experience for our guests:

Beverage Program Leadership

• Own and continuously improve the hotel’s beverage program across multiple F&B outlets. 
• Develop and maintain cocktail, wine, beer, spirits, zero-proof, seasonal, pool, banquet, and premium beverage offerings. 
• Partner with F&B leadership on beverage strategy, pricing, new concepts, and program development. 
• Stay current on beverage trends and guest preferences while maintaining each outlet’s unique identity. 

Riff Raff & Nightlife Operations

• Serve as the primary floor leader for Riff Raff, with a strong presence during nightly service. 
• Lead bartenders, servers, and support teams while overseeing service, guest experience, VIPs, bottle service, reservations, staffing, beverage quality, and closing procedures. 
• Identify opportunities to improve revenue, guest spend, and the overall nightlife experience. 

Revenue, Cost & Inventory

• Take ownership of beverage performance—not just the bar operation. 
• Partner with F&B leadership to achieve beverage revenue and profitability goals. 
• Monitor beverage sales, mix, COGS, inventory, waste, comps, breakage, and variances. 
• Manage beverage pars, inventory counts, product availability, and ordering needs. 
• Work with Purchasing and vendors on product selection, tastings, programming, and availability. 

Menu Development & Standards

• Lead cocktail and beverage development across all hotel F&B outlets
• Create beverages that are creative, commercially successful, and operationally realistic. 
• Maintain recipes, specifications, costing, preparation standards, and presentation guidelines. 
• Ensure consistency in recipes, pours, glassware, garnishes, and overall beverage quality across outlets. 

Training & Team Leadership

• Build and deliver ongoing beverage training for bartenders, servers, and managers. 
• Develop team knowledge around cocktails, spirits, wine, beer, zero-proof beverages, upselling, responsible alcohol service, and guest engagement. 
• Coach and develop bartenders into stronger beverage professionals and future leaders. 
• Lead with a strong floor presence, clear expectations, and accountability. 

Cross-Department Collaboration

• Work closely with F&B, Culinary, Banquets, Purchasing, Sales & Events, and Hotel leadership. 
• Support beverage execution for banquets, events, VIPs, promotions, and special programming. 
• Proactively communicate menu changes, product shortages, promotions, events, and operational needs. 

Compliance

• Ensure beverage operations comply with applicable liquor laws, responsible alcohol service requirements, and hotel safety, sanitation, security, and cash-handling standards. 
• Maintain required certifications, including TIPS or equivalent. 

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What We’re Looking For

You’re a strong fit if you have...

• 3–5+ years of progressive beverage, bar, lounge, nightlife, or restaurant management experience. 
• Strong cocktail, spirits, wine, and beer knowledge with a genuine passion for beverages. 
• Experience leading a high-volume bar, lounge, hotel, or nightlife operation. 
• Proven ability to drive revenue while maintaining exceptional guest experience. 
• Strong understanding of beverage COGS, inventory, purchasing, and cost controls. 
• Experience developing beverage menus and programs. 
• Strong training, coaching, and team-development skills. 
• The ability to balance creativity with speed, consistency, profitability, and operational execution. 
• Excellent communication, organization, and problem-solving skills. 
• A willingness to be hands-on and work evenings, late nights, weekends, holidays, and high-volume events. 
• Current TIPS or equivalent responsible alcohol service certification and Food Handler certification as required. 
• Legal authorization to work in the United States. Bachelor’s degree preferred but not required. 

The reality of the role…

This is a hands-on leadership position. The right person will be equally comfortable creating a cocktail, leading a packed Saturday night at Riff Raff, reviewing beverage revenue and costs, counting inventory, coaching a bartender, working with a vendor, and strategizing with F&B leadership.