Bar Manager in Melbourne

A great pub deserves a great bar. We're looking for someone to lead ours. Mount Erica Hotel is looking for an experienced, creative and hands-on Bar Manager to take ownership of our three working bars and help shape the next chapter of our beverage offering. Trading seven days a week for lunch and dinner, Mount Erica is a busy, much-loved neighbourhood pub with a strong food and beverage identity, a loyal local following and a team that genuinely cares about hospitality.

We're looking for someone who understands what makes a great pub tick. Someone who can pour a perfect pint, make a brilliant Martini, develop an interesting cocktail list and, just as importantly, lead a team through a busy Saturday night. This is a senior leadership position within the venue, working closely with our Venue Manager, Assistant Venue Manager and wider management team. You'll have the opportunity to bring your own personality, creativity and industry knowledge to our bars while maintaining the standards, consistency and commercial discipline that a busy operation demands.

With three working bars operating across the venue, you'll be responsible for creating a consistent beverage experience while recognising the different demands, pace and character of each space.

What you'll be doing:

• Take ownership of the day-to-day operation of three busy working bars, ensuring consistency, quality and exceptional service across the venue.
• Lead, mentor and develop our bar team and head bartenders, creating a culture of genuine hospitality, product knowledge and professional pride.
• Oversee the development and execution of seasonal cocktail menus, balancing creativity, quality, efficiency and commercial viability.
• Help shape our beer offering, from rotating taps and interesting independent breweries to supplier relationships and beer-focused events.
• Maintain excellent standards in cocktail preparation, batching, presentation and beverage service.
• Oversee beverage ordering, stock control, stocktakes, cellar management and inventory systems.
• Manage beverage costs, wastage and margins while identifying opportunities to improve performance.
• Build meaningful relationships with breweries, distilleries, suppliers and industry partners.
• Deliver regular training and tastings, developing the team's confidence and enthusiasm for beer, spirits and cocktails.
• Work collaboratively with the wider management team to ensure seamless service across the bars, restaurant and functions.
• Maintain high standards of presentation, cleanliness, equipment maintenance and responsible service.
• Be present on the floor, leading from the front and creating the kind of atmosphere that keeps people coming back.

About you, our new Bar Manager:

We're looking for someone who is as comfortable behind a busy bar, working side by side with their team, as they are managing the bigger picture. You’ll ideally bring:

• At least three years' experience in a senior bar leadership position, preferably within a busy, quality-focused pub, cocktail bar or hospitality venue.
• Strong cocktail knowledge, including classics, contemporary techniques, menu development and efficient high-volume execution.
• A genuine interest in beer, from traditional styles and independent breweries to draught systems, cellar management and emerging trends.
• Experience managing multiple bars or beverage service areas within a high-volume operation.
• Sound commercial understanding of beverage margins, ordering, stock management and cost control.
• A proven ability to train, inspire and develop a team.
• Excellent communication, organisation and leadership skills.
• A warm, personable approach to hospitality and an appreciation for the role a great pub plays in its community.
• Confidence making decisions, taking ownership and maintaining standards during busy service periods.
• Current Victorian RSA certification and full Australian working rights.
• WSET Level 2 a bonus.
• Availability to work evening and weekend shifts as part of our seven-day operation.

What we offer:

• A full-time position with a regular 38-hour working week, consistent roster and regular days off.
• Employment under our Publican.Co Enterprise Agreement, offering some of Melbourne's leading hospitality employment conditions.
• 50% off food and drink across our venues for you and a guest.
• Delicious staff meals while on shift.
• Enhanced parental leave entitlements to support you as your family grows.
• Guaranteed annual salary increases in accordance with our Enterprise Agreement.
• A genuine opportunity to influence and develop the beverage direction of an established Melbourne pub.
• Three distinct bar operations, providing variety, creativity and scope for professional development.
• A supportive, hands-on senior management team.
• Opportunities for industry engagement, supplier collaborations, tastings and ongoing professional development.
• A workplace that values individuality, teamwork, quality and a genuine love of hospitality.
• Competitive salary based on experience.

About Mount Erica Hotel:

Mount Erica Hotel is a neighbourhood institution in the heart of Prahran, bringing together the best of what we love about Melbourne pubs: good food, considered drinks, warm service and a genuine sense of community. We believe in creating venues with their own character and identity. Places where people feel welcome, where the food and drinks are thoughtfully considered, and where hospitality remains at the centre of everything we do. We value good people, strong teams and a culture that encourages curiosity, creativity and pride in the craft.

If you're an experienced Bar Manager looking for a venue where you can make a meaningful contribution, develop a team and put your own stamp on the drinks offering, we'd love to hear from you. Mount Erica is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and life experiences.