Bar & Restaurant Manager - Dakota Airport summer

Bar & Restaurant Manager

We’re preparing to open our largest hotel yet,
Dakota Manchester Airport
, launching in early summer 2026. This brand‑new property will feature our signature Bar & Grill and deliver the exceptional guest experience Dakota is known for.

The role carries a permanent contract of 45 hours per week, working fully flexible shifts on any 5 days out of 7, including weekends. It comes with a competitive salary, a target‑based bonus, and a planned start date of 1 May 2026.

• Serve as the custodian of our F&B operation, owning service delivery across all food and beverage areas and maintaining the highest levels of service to all guests.
• Work closely with the management team, especially the Head Chef, and with Reception to increase resident‑to‑diner ratios, ensuring the full Dakota experience.
• Drive the commercial running of F&B, including managing payroll, rota development, bookings diary, sequence of service, and a culture of sales through service.
• Maintain full understanding of supplier contracts, oversee accurate stock takes and effective orders.
• Act as direct line manager for the Assistant Restaurant Manager, Assistant Bar Manager and F&B seniors, developing their knowledge and enthusiasm for food and beverage.
• Collaborate with HR to support all F&B team members, including the interview process, ongoing training, appraisals, one‑to‑one meetings and training plan implementation.

• Special discounts on stays and dining at any Dakota.
• Access to our Employee Assistance Program, including free private mental health support and counselling, video GP consultations, prescription services, and daily rewards for shopping vouchers.
• Support from our in‑house Mental Health Champions.
• Additional holiday day on the first anniversary of your employment.
• Family‑friendly flexible working options.
• Meals on duty and uniforming.
• Bonuses for referring friends and every mention on Trip Advisor.
• Accredited, certified compliance training at employment.
• Access to a suite of external, certified resources via our Learning Management System.
• Supportive continuous professional development culture with an annual appraisal and objectives or a Personal Development Plan.
• Opportunities for internal and external training courses, including potential for in‑house apprenticeships.

Dakota is a growing UK‑based lifestyle brand, known for stylish hotels, bustling brasserie grills and upscale cocktail bars. Starting with two boutique hotels in Edinburgh and Glasgow, we have expanded into prime city‑centre locations in Glasgow, Leeds, Manchester and Newcastle, with Manchester Airport arriving soon and more in our pipeline.

Dakota is synonymous with delivering attentive and genuine guest service. We attract hard‑working individuals who are passionate about working to the highest standards. Our inclusive culture has earned us recognition as a Top 15 Best Employer in Hospitality for six consecutive years and placement in the Top 10 employers in the Sunday Times Best Places to Work in the UK for two years.

As recent winners of The Cateys “People Team of the Year”, we offer award‑winning internal training programmes within Dakota Academy, fostering continuous development. Over 75% of our leaders are promoted internally, and for five consecutive years a member of our team has won a prestigious Acorn Award.

• At least three years’ experience as a Restaurant Manager or above in a similar calibre of full‑service restaurant (required).
• At least one year’s experience in a leadership position overseeing beverage in a cocktail bar environment (required).
• Experience working in a hotel environment, including Duty Manager, preferable.
• Holding a valid personal licence, preferable.
• Fully flexible in working shifts, including evenings and weekends (required).
• Enthusiastic promotion of our culture of positivity.
• Task‑oriented with great pride for work and attention to detail.
• Demonstrated research of our brand and a genuine desire to be part of our team.

Please send us your up‑to‑date CV. For more information on our luxury hotel, visit our Careers page to learn about current opportunities and find your #Dream Roles At Dakota  – we’d love to hear from you!

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