Bar Manager

The Bar Manager for NewBo Beer & Wine is a proactive, hands-on leader who thrives in an evolving nonprofit environment. This role requires a balance between strategic business management (inventory, cost controls, and compliance) and day-to-day hospitality execution. The Bar Manager will promote and grow the beverage business, lead and schedule a dedicated bartending team, maintain exceptional service standards, and directly support NewBo City Market’s diverse programming. 

• Reports To: Director of Events and Hospitality 
• Compensation: $15.00/hour tips
• Position Expectations: While typical market hours are Wednesday through Sunday, additional days, evenings, holidays, and weekend work will be required based on the event schedule.

• Floor Leadership: Lead by example on the floor, working active bartending shifts during peak times, large annual events, and specialized programming.
• Atmosphere & Safety: Maintain a fun, vibrant, safe, and clean atmosphere for all patrons. Diffuse tense situations professionally and handle any customer or staff conflicts efficiently. 
• Compliance: Help ensure the Market stays strictly in line with local, state, and federal laws, including ensuring all staff are trained in safe alcohol service and food handling.
• Market & Event Collaboration: Coordinate event logistics, staffing, and day-of setup/tear-down with Office Directors 

• Local Product Sourcing: Manage product purchasing to align with the Market's Iowa-produced business focus, fostering relationships with local breweries, wineries, and distributors. 
• Inventory Management: Oversee all liquor, beer, wine, non-alcoholic beverages, and bar supplies. Conduct regular inventory counts, maintain minimum margins of 70%. Maintain adequate volume of sponsored inventory. 
• Asset & Capital Optimization: Actively prevent over-purchasing and the accumulation of excess dead stock.
• Cost Efficiency: Monitor and manage pour costs, minimize product waste, maintain a detailed waste log, and implement security measures against theft or product loss.

• Menu Innovation: Collaborate closely with the Director of Events to develop and update beverage menus, featuring creative weekly, seasonal, and special event cocktails.
• Quality Standards: Train staff to ensure the highest level of drink quality, presentation, and consistency across all shifts. 
• Facilities & Equipment: Help ensure Market equipment stays clean, organized, and operating correctly. Initiate maintenance requests with the Facilities team as needed. 

• Team Management: Hire, train, and supervise a team of event staff. Clearly communicate and enforce staff rules, steps of service, and operational expectations.
• Staff Scheduling: Create weekly staff schedules that take weekly events and higher traffic days into account. 
• Attendance & Call-Out Management: Establish and enforce a clear, strict protocol for staff absences and last-minute call-outs. In the event of a sudden vacancy, the Bar Manager is responsible for actively coordinating emergency coverage, utilizing on-call staff, or stepping in to cover the shift personally to ensure the bar remains safely and adequately staffed. 
• Shift Swap Accountability: Oversee the approval and documentation of all schedule changes. Ensure staff understand that they are responsible for communicating any requested shift swaps through official channels, and that no schedule modification is official until the Bar Manager has reviewed, approved, and updated the master schedule 
• Daily Communication: Implement shift notes or a communication log for smooth change overs and shift reviews.