Nairobi - Kenya : Restaurant Manager (Strong Knowledge of Bar)

Role Summary:

We are looking for a hands-on Bar Manager who can run the Restaurant & Bar independently, lead and train the bar team, and create strong cocktail and mocktail programmes.

You will be responsible for Restaurant &Bar sales, beverage cost, stock control, service standards and responsible alcohol service. When the Manager is off duty, you will manage the bar and floor.

Key Responsibilities

Restaurant & Bar Operations:

• Run daily restaurant & bar operations: opening, closing, set-up, mise en place and shift handover.
• Keep food & beverage service speed and drink quality consistent during peak hours.
• Supervise restaurant staffs & bar staffs, allocate duties and prepare duty rosters.
• Keep the restaurant cutlery, crockery & buffet-were, clean, organised and presentable at all times.
• Keep bar, glassware, equipment and back-bar clean, organised and presentable at all times.

Menu Preparation: Food, Cocktail & Mocktail Menus.

• Develop and update the restaurant food, and cocktail, mocktail Menus.
• Prepare standard recipe cards for Cocktails & Mocktails with measures, garnish, glassware and cost per drink.
• Create seasonal and promotional drinks for happy hours, festivals, corporate events and private functions.
• Maintain a strong non-alcoholic range for family guests and non-drinkers.

Team Training & Development

• Train new and existing restaurant & bar team.
• Training: Food service standards, and classic and modern cocktails, mocktails, mixing techniques, pour control and presentation.
• Train staff on product knowledge: Food, spirits, wines, beers and local brands.
• Run regular refresher sessions, taste tests and upselling training
• Coach staff on guest interaction, suggestive selling and handling complaints
• Assess staff performance and report training needs to management

Stock Control & Cost Management

• Take daily, weekly and monthly stock counts and reconcile them with POS sales
• Prepare requisitions and purchase orders, and check deliveries against invoices
• Control pour cost, wastage, breakages and spillage; investigate variances
• Maintain par levels and apply FIFO stock rotation
• Achieve beverage cost and bar revenue targets

Guest Experience & Sales

• Greet and engage guests, especially regulars and VIPs
• Drive bar revenue through upselling, promotions and events
• Handle guest feedback and resolve complaints promptly

• At least 10 years of bar experience in a hotel, restaurant, lounge or club, with a minimum of 1 year in a supervisory role
• Strong practical knowledge of classic and contemporary cocktails and mocktails
• Proven ability to train and lead a team
• Good knowledge of stock control, beverage costing and POS systems

Skills & Attributes

• Confident and presentable, with excellent guest-handling skills
• Fluent in English and Kiswahili
• Good with numbers and honest in handling cash and stock
• Calm and organised under pressure
• Creative, with flair for drink presentation
• Willing to work flexible hours

Advantages:

• Flair bartending
• Barista skills
• Mixology competition experience
• Event bar experienceRole & responsibilities

Preferred candidate profile

We are looking for an experienced, hands-on food & bevrage professional who can run a busy multi-cuisine restaurant bar from the counter to the cost sheet.

The ideal candidate combines strong food & beverage skills with the leadership to train a restaurant & bar team and the discipline to deliver consistent service across restaurant, buffet, and event operations.

The right person will bring:

• 510 years of progressive bar experience, with a proven track record at Restaurant & Bar Supervisor / Assistant F&B Manager level in a reputed hotel, premium lounge, club, or high-volume restaurant.
• Sound product knowledge across spirits, wines, beers, and liqueurs; wine knowledge (WSET) and barista skills are a plus.
• Demonstrated ability to train and develop bar staff in mixing techniques, pour control, presentation, product knowledge, and upselling, supported by recipe cards and standard specifications.
• Experience running high-volume bar service for restaurant, buffet, corporate functions, weddings, and outdoor events without dropping consistency.
• Strong commercial sense covering beverage costing, pour cost control, par levels, stock reconciliation, variance control, and FIFO discipline, with comfort on POS systems and Excel.
• Working knowledge of responsible alcohol service, hygiene, and bar safety standards.
• Proven leadership in managing a bar team and handling the floor when the manager is off duty; calm and guest-focused under pressure.
• A Diploma / Certificate in Hotel Management, F&B Service, or Bartending, or equivalent professional training.
• Willingness to relocate to Nairobi, Kenya. Prior East Africa, Middle East, or overseas experience is strongly preferred; flair bartending or mixology competition experience is a strong advantage.

Candidates should be: well-groomed and confident with guests, fluent in English (Hindi an advantage), physically fit for long shifts, flexible on late-night, weekend, and holiday hours, stable in their career history (no frequent job-hopping), and available to join within a reasonable notice period.