Prologue is a new independent bookshop coming to South Manchester, complete with a bar, speciality coffee shop and dedicated event space. A new concept for the North, in a huge, dedicated unit, Prologue is going to be the go-to destination for book lovers, coffee drinkers and culture seekers across the region.
We are now searching for our founding team to help shape what Prologue becomes and be a key part of its success.
Our Founding Bar Manager will play a central role in building the drinks offering and hospitality experience from the ground up. The bar will be a major part of Prologue’s identity serving wines, cocktails, and drinks throughout the day and evening, while supporting a busy programme of author talks, live events, and community gatherings.
This role is about more than running a bar. It’s about helping create the atmosphere, culture, and experience that will make Prologue somewhere people want to return to again and again.
If you love hospitality, take pride in great service, and want the opportunity to build something special from day one, we would love to hear from you.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead and take full ownership of the bar operation at Prologue
- Design and develop our drinks programme, including wine, cocktails, beers, and non-alcoholic offerings
- Create a distinctive drinks menu that fits the atmosphere and identity of Prologue
- Lead bar service during busy evenings and events, maintaining an excellent customer experience at all times
- Recruit, train, and develop members of the bar team as the business grows
- Establish systems and standards that ensure consistent quality of service
- Manage stock, ordering, supplier relationships, and inventory for the bar
- Monitor margins and pricing to ensure the bar operates sustainably and profitably
- Ensure the bar operates fully in line with licensing regulations and responsible alcohol service
- Maintain high standards of cleanliness, safety, and organisation across the bar area
- Work closely with the wider team to create a seamless experience between the café, bookshop, and bar
- Play a key role in our events programme, helping run bar service for author talks, book clubs, live music nights, and other events
- Develop creative drinks menus or special offerings linked to events and seasons
- Contribute ideas that shape the wider hospitality experience at Prologue
- Support the owners with planning, operational improvements, and new initiatives as the business grows
Person Description
We hire a little differently. For us, the right person outweighs qualifications and experience every time, so we generally don't have typical person descriptions for our roles or minimum experience requirements and the like- though experience will definitely help for this role.
Instead, we have core traits and behaviours that are a good indicator of being a fit for our team across all roles:
- You love hospitality and take pride in creating great customer experiences
- You’re also partial to a good book
- You're a great communicator who can connect easily with people from all walks of life
- You're ambitious and motivated to help build something successful
- You're kind, friendly, and enjoy creating welcoming environments
- You're a self-starter who takes ownership and initiative
- You're a natural team leader but also work well alongside others
- You have excellent attention to detail
- You bring creativity and ideas to the table
- You're comfortable giving and receiving feedback
- You're a quick learner who enjoys developing new skills
- You're happy to roll up your sleeves and help wherever needed
- You're professional and dependable
- You stay calm and focused under pressure
- You're comfortable using technology and modern systems
With that said, someone with a strong bar/hospitality background and the knowledge to take this area of the business my the horns will have a strong advantage.
For this role we are looking for someone to join us 0.8-full-time. As the bar will form a major part of our evening offering, regular evening and weekend work will be required.
Benefits
- 28 days annual leave
- 40% off everything in the shop — including books!
- Free hot and soft drinks from our café
- 24/7 employee wellbeing helpline, including counselling and financial advice
- Company pension contributions (for eligible team members)
- Access to early proof copies, exclusive content, and more
- Opportunity to attend industry events
- Team socials
