Bars Manager – The House of KOKO - The House of KOKO

 

Title: Bars Manager

Division: The House of KOKO, Management

Reports to: Head of Beverage, General Manager, THOK

Job Summary

The Bars Manager at The House of KOKO will oversee the operations of eight distinctive bars across four vibrant floors, ensuring every aspect of service is seamless and consistently exceeds guest and member expectations. This role emphasise operational excellence, team leadership, and creating a culture where exceptional service is the standard.

We are seeking a dynamic, results-driven professional with a proven track record in managing high-performing bar teams and overseeing complex, late-night operations. The ideal candidate will possess exceptional leadership skills, a commitment to maintaining operational consistency, and a passion for curating extraordinary guest experiences.

Key responsibilities include leading and inspiring a diverse team to deliver smooth, efficient, and elevated service at all times. Working collaboratively with the Head of Beverage and General Manager, the Bars Manager will coordinate closely with operations, events, and membership teams to create experiences that consistently go above and beyond expectations.

KOKO – The story so far…

London’s iconic KOKO reopened in Spring 2022 after a three-year restoration and redevelopment – The new KOKO includes onsite broadcast facilities, recording studio, 12 performance venues including the fully restored 1,600 capacity theatre, first opened in 1900, now updated with an NFT art gallery and cabled up with streaming and fixed 4k cameras for content capture and live stream. Curated artist content will be broadcast and hosted across the KOKO app and platform.

KOKO was awarded UK Venue of the Year at the UK Live Awards in 2023, surpassing the Royal Albert Hall, Wembley Stadium and the OVO Hydro in Glasgow. KOKO artists in 2023 have a collective 44 Grammy ‘24 nominations, including some of the most important talent from the UK, Africa, Europe and the United States.

The House of KOKO is London’s new and dynamic members’ club connected throughout to the main theatre, and redefining entertainment experience in this space, with music, cultural and tech programmes. The House of KOKO features a cocktail bar in the famous copper Dome, a roof garden and terrace, penthouse studio, jazz bar, piano room, stage kitchen, vinyl listening rooms, multiple stages, bars and restaurants.

Described by Vogue as ‘A totally unique experience’, The BBC as ‘Changing the face of music’’ and The FT as ‘The arts space for the future’, this is a brilliant opportunity to join one of the most exciting companies on the globe.

Role & Responsibilities

• Oversee the daily operations of eight unique bars across multiple floors, ensuring seamless service and operational consistency.
• Support the General Manager and Head of Beverage in executing strategic directives, and build a strong relationship with the wider operation.
• Lead, motivate, and inspire a diverse team of bartenders, supervisors, and support staff to deliver exceptional guest and member experiences
• Be present, supportive and front-facing at peak service as the face of the business
• Leading incentives to support KPI’s and targets are achieved in line with the business goals
• Develop and implement service standards to ensure consistent quality across all bars.
• Monitor and optimise service flow, ensuring efficiency during peak hours and smooth transitions between shifts.
• Collaborate with the Head of Beverage to maintain an innovative and balanced drink offering while ensuring product consistency.
• Conduct regular audits to maintain consistency in product presentation, cleanliness, and service delivery.
• Manage beverage cost and targeted GP as per targets outlined, work closely with the stock controller on stock management processes and provide detailed reports
• Control and manage stock, orders, listings, par levels, wastages and comps
• Manage budgets and control costs while ensuring all financial targets are met, including revenue, profitability, and cost efficiency
• Use data from point-of-sale systems to analyse sales trends, identify opportunities for growth, and track bar performance against KPIs.
• Support the Head of Beverage and GM in providing performance driven reports and operational feedback
• Work closely with the Operational management and Events team to support large-scale events and bespoke member experiences
• Establish a rapport with guests and members, developing a good guest recognition to tailor service
• Constantly review guest and management feedback and implement corrective action if needed to ensure guest satisfaction
• Being an ambassador for the KOKO brand values, promote best practice and conduct leading by example at all times
• Ensure compliance with licensing laws, health and safety regulations, and internal policies.
• Reasonable request may be asked outside of your department for the needs of the businessTeam
• Manage scheduling, ensuring adequate staffing levels for peak and off-peak hours while controlling labour costs
• Monitor and evaluate team performance, providing ongoing coaching, recognition, and constructive feedback
• Manage recruitment with support from the People & Culture team to build a well-rounded, skilled team, ensuring positions are filled efficiently with the right talent.
• Organise regular team meetings to communicate goals, provide updates, and encourage open feedback
• Work closely with the management team in upskilling wider front of house teams, through topical team training and development

About you

We are seeking a dynamic, results-driven professional with a proven track record in managing high-performing bar teams and overseeing complex, late-night operations, with the following key attributes & experiences:

• Proven success in a similar role, with a deep understanding of both high-end hospitality and food & beverage led events
• Commercially sharp, with fluency in reporting and a balanced approach and integrity
• Dynamic and engaging personality with experience in delivering exceptional customer service in a luxury environment.
• Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail, from people to products.
• Displays genuine empathy & responsiveness at work, able to lead, inspire, motivate and control diverse teams.
• Calm and composed working in high energy and high expectation venues
• Comprehensive knowledge of the industry and cultural landscape of London.

Beyond this, we believe you will thrive with KOKO if you also have natural talent for creating relationships and connecting people, with keen interest in music, culture, art and hospitality.

Please note we can only consider applicants with the Right to Work in the UK