Salon Operations Manager

Salon Operations Manager

Location: Rutherford, NJ

Employment Type: Full-Time, Permanent (Onsite)

Schedule: 37–40 hours/week (Saturdays and select evening shifts required)

Compensation: Competitive base pay + bonus, commissions, and tips

Benefits: Paid training, employee discounts, flexible scheduling options

About the Role

We are looking for a hands-on, high-energy Salon Operations Manager with direct experience in the beauty and wellness industry to run front-of-house operations, lead daily workflow, and elevate the client journey.

In this role, you will be the backbone of our salon floor—bridging high-touch guest relations, schedule optimization for our stylists, inventory tracking, and revenue growth. If you are an operationally minded leader who excels in fast-paced retail or salon environments and knows how to build lasting client loyalty, we want to hear from you.

Key Responsibilities

1. Daily Floor & Business Operations

• Direct front-of-house workflow, overseeing smooth check-in, checkout, and client intake processes.
• Open and close the salon according to standard operating procedures, ensuring security, cleanliness, and readiness for service.
• Manage POS transactions, handle payment reconciliations, process end-of-day register balancing, and compile daily operational summaries.
• Keep the reception lounge, retail display shelves, and front desk organized, sanitary, and aligned with luxury brand standards.

2. Client Experience & Guest Retention

• Serve as the salon’s primary brand ambassador, welcoming guests with warm, attentive hospitality.
• Manage high-volume inquiries via phone, email, and booking platforms with speed and professionalism.
• Address scheduling conflicts, service delays, or guest concerns promptly, turning friction into positive retention opportunities.
• Drive client retention initiatives by maintaining detailed guest preferences, service notes, and contact histories in the booking system.

3. Stylist Productivity & Schedule Management

• Actively manage the booking calendar to maximize chair occupancy, eliminate dead time, and balance stylist workloads.
• Coordinate shift coverage, monitor attendance, and adjust daily books in real time to accommodate walk-ins, add-on services, and cancellations.
• Cultivate a collaborative, respectful team culture that empowers stylists to focus on their craft while operations run seamlessly behind the scenes.
• Partner regularly with ownership to report on capacity bottlenecks, team morale, and facility needs.

4. Inventory, Merchandising & Revenue Growth

• Monitor front-of-house retail displays and backbar stock levels, coordinating replenishment orders to avoid product shortages.
• Partner with the styling team to drive rebooking rates, retail conversion, and promotional add-on services to hit monthly revenue targets.
• Support in-salon promotions, seasonal campaigns, and basic digital marketing/social media activations to attract new local clientele.

Candidate Qualifications

• Industry Experience: Minimum 1–2 years of managerial, supervisory, or senior front-desk leadership experience within a salon, day spa, medspa, or high-touch beauty retail environment (required).
• Technical Savvy: Hands-on experience with salon scheduling and POS platforms (e.g., Boulevard, Vagaro, Phorest, Zenoti, Mindbody, or Square), along with proficiency in Google Workspace or Microsoft Office.
• Customer-Centric Leadership: Demonstrated track record of resolving client escalations, elevating service standards, and driving retail sales.
• Organizational Agility: Proven capacity to manage phone lines, walk-ins, inventory, and stylist requests simultaneously without losing composure or attention to detail.
• Availability: Flexibility to work core salon operational hours, including Saturdays and closing evening shifts.