General Manager – Leisure, Cocktail & Sports Bar
Location: Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire
Salary: £35,000–£40,000 per annum + Performance-Related Bonus
Job Type: Full-time

Lead an exciting venue. Drive sales. Build a winning team.

Are you a commercially minded hospitality manager who loves creating great guest experiences, developing people and driving sales?

We're looking for an ambitious General Manager to lead an exciting leisure, cocktail and sports bar venue in Burton upon Trent. This is a fantastic opportunity for an experienced hospitality leader to take ownership of a busy, activity-led venue, develop its commercial performance and help shape the future growth of an expanding pub and leisure business.

With support from an experienced Head Office team and a strong management structure on site, you'll have the opportunity to make your mark, bring new ideas to life and build a venue that customers want to return to time and time again.

The Opportunity

You'll take overall responsibility for the day-to-day operation and commercial success of a venue with a capacity of approximately 150–200 guests, leading a team of 15–20 employees alongside a Deputy Manager and Bar Manager.

This is a hands-on leadership role combining operational management with sales growth, team development, events and local business development.

You'll have the autonomy to identify new revenue opportunities, develop engaging promotions, build local partnerships and create memorable experiences that keep customers coming back.

You'll also benefit from direct support from an Operations Manager, Brand Manager and Director, with training and development opportunities to support your success and future career progression.

What You'll Be Responsible For

Driving sales and commercial performance

• Develop and deliver initiatives to increase footfall, customer spend and repeat visits

• Create engaging promotions, events and marketing activities that generate revenue

• Build relationships with local businesses and corporate clients to develop group bookings, private hire and event opportunities

• Monitor sales performance, budgets and KPIs, identifying opportunities to improve profitability

• Manage stock, purchasing, wastage and labour costs to maximise financial performance

Leading the venue

• Oversee daily operations across the bar and leisure activities, ensuring consistently high standards

• Ensure all entertainment attractions are operated safely and in accordance with company procedures

• Maintain compliance with licensing, health and safety, food hygiene and company policies

• Deliver an outstanding guest experience in a welcoming, energetic environment

• Handle customer feedback professionally and resolve issues effectively

Building a high-performing team

• Recruit, train, motivate and develop a team of 15–20 employees

• Lead and support your Deputy Manager and Bar Manager to deliver operational excellence

• Manage rotas and staffing levels to balance service quality with labour costs

• Coach team members, conduct performance reviews and create a positive working culture

• Lead by example, setting clear expectations and celebrating success

Growing the business

• Identify opportunities to improve the guest journey and enhance the entertainment offering

• Develop local partnerships and increase awareness of the venue within the community

• Take ownership of business performance and contribute ideas to support the company's wider growth plans

• Help establish successful practices that can support the opening and development of future venues

What We're Looking For

We're keen to hear from commercially driven hospitality managers who can demonstrate strong leadership, operational control and a genuine passion for delivering results.

You'll ideally have:

• Previous experience as a General Manager, Venue Manager, Deputy General Manager or Senior Hospitality Manager

• A proven ability to drive sales, improve performance and achieve commercial targets

• Experience leading and developing teams within a busy, high-volume hospitality environment

• A sound understanding of budgeting, forecasting, stock control and labour cost management

• Excellent communication, customer service and problem-solving skills

• The confidence to take ownership, make decisions and turn ideas into action

• Flexibility to work evenings, weekends and peak trading periods

Experience within competitive socialising, leisure, entertainment, cocktail bars or sports bars would be advantageous, as would experience in event planning, corporate bookings and holding a Personal Licence.

Most importantly, we're looking for someone with the commercial mindset, leadership ability and enthusiasm to make the venue a success.

What's On Offer?

• £35,000–£40,000 annual salary, depending on experience

• Performance-related bonus scheme

• 20% staff discount

• NEST pension scheme

• Full training and development support

• Live-in option available

• Autonomy to drive sales, develop events and influence venue performance

• Support from an experienced Head Office team, including an Operations Manager, Brand Manager and Director

• Career progression opportunities as the business expands into future locations

• The opportunity to lead an exciting venue where your ideas and results can make a genuine difference

Ready to Make Your Mark?

If you're an ambitious hospitality leader looking for your next challenge and the opportunity to combine operational leadership with commercial growth, we'd love to hear from you.

Apply today to find out more about this exciting opportunity.