Bar & Operations Manager

About Us:

16 On Center Chicago owns and operates several live music venues, third-party production, restaurants, bars, and food halls across Chicago and New York. Join the team of one of the country's leading independent promoters.

Our most effective service to our community comes from a team with a diverse mix of minds, backgrounds, and experiences. 16 On Center actively seeks a diverse applicant pool and encourages candidates of all backgrounds to apply. We provide equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment, without regard to race, religion, color, age, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, neurodiversity, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Position Summary

As the Bar & Operations Manager at Three Top Lounge inside The Salt Shed , you will take on a leadership role in maintaining the integrity, identity, and overall experience of the space. This position requires initiative, ownership, and strong communication, with a focus on supporting the bar team while overseeing the day to day operation of the lounge. You will collaborate closely with marketing, beverage, socials, and operations to ensure Three Top’s core identity is upheld across all touchpoints. You will also lend a hand both behind the bar and on the floor when coverage or additional support is needed. By providing clear and transparent expectations while remaining flexible to the needs of the room, you will help create an environment where the team feels confident, supported, and set up for success.

Additional responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Manage a team of leads, bartenders, servers, and barbacks.
• Create and post schedules with at least two weeks’ notice.
• Oversee and develop sidework, training materials, and policy documents.
• Ensure the space remains organized, clean, and aligned with design and style standards.
• Lead and attend departmental meetings outside of service hours, sharing updates as needed, including compiling and sharing event updates.
• Maintain and update operational calendars, including Google, physical postings, and Instagram.
• Create special menu items and collaborate on programming. Program, update, print, upload, and distribute menus regularly for food, cocktails, beer, wine, and spirits.
• Oversee shifts, events, and activations, remaining present and available during service.
• Engage with guests and show-goers, ensuring staff uses confident and accurate language about the space and positively represents its identity.
• Oversee and execute independent activations and sponsorship-related bookings.
• Lead the weekly TTL meeting and distribute meeting notes.
• Manage weekly ordering for alcohol, produce, and bar supplies, including Good Ambler guest treats.
• Support the care and upkeep of plants, furniture, and the overall environment of the lounge.
• Track and manage performance metrics for leads and staff.
• Oversee daily opening and closing procedures for the bar.

About You:

• Minimum of 2 to 4 years of hospitality experience, with at least 1 year in a leadership or shift-lead role in a cocktail-focused bar, lounge, or similar venue.
• Professional appearance, demeanor, and communication style
• Strong working knowledge of cocktail builds, variations, and bar operations, with the ability to train and mentor others
• Approachable, guest-focused, and able to resolve issues with professionalism and tact
• Clear, effective communicator with the ability to guide teammates and collaborate across departments
• Dependable and organized, with strong follow-through on responsibilities and closing procedures
• Able to balance the demands of fast-paced service with the oversight of staff performance and guest satisfaction
• Physically able to stand and walk for 8–10 hours, lift and carry up to 25 lbs., and perform frequent tasks such as cutting fruit, carrying ice buckets and bar mats, and stocking liquor bottles
• Comfortable working in warm and cool environments, both indoors and outdoors, and able to tolerate high levels of noise from music and guest traffic

Position Details

• Job Type: Full-time
• Compensation: $60k - $85k
• Benefits: Health insurance with employer contribution; voluntary dental, vision, short-term disability, accident, and hospital coverage; employer-paid life insurance; voluntary life insurance; 401(k) retirement plan with company match; PTO