About Barkly Barkly is a newly opened premium grooming spa and retail boutique in East Brunswick, NJ. We groom dogs and cats using professional cosmetics, run on a modern booking system. We're a small, growing team — and we're looking for the person who will run the salon day to day and help it grow. This is not a "sit at the front desk and answer the phone" job. We need an owner-minded manager who takes responsibility for the whole salon: the client experience, the schedule, the store, the team, and the numbers. What you'll do Run the front of house Greet every client and pet, manage check-in/check-out, and make sure each visit feels premium from door to door Answer calls, texts, and online booking requests promptly; convert inquiries into booked appointments Quote services accurately by breed, size, and coat type and set clear expectations with clients Handle payments, waivers, and client records in our booking/POS system (Franpos) Own the schedule and grow bookings Keep groomers' schedules full and balanced; minimize gaps, no-shows, and late cancellations Follow up with clients to rebook their next appointment before they leave Run rebooking, win-back, and review campaigns; track results and improve them Promote and sell memberships and add-on spa services Promote the business, meet with partners Keep the salon in order Maintain a spotless, organized, well-stocked salon and retail floor every day Manage retail inventory, reorders, displays, and product knowledge Ensure sanitation, safety, and procedure standards are followed by everyone Open and close the salon; handle cash reconciliation and end-of-day reporting Lead the team Coordinate groomers and support staff; set the daily plan and make sure it gets done Train new front-desk staff on our standards, scripts, and systems Resolve client concerns calmly and professionally; escalate to the owner only when needed Report weekly to the owner on bookings, revenue, retention, and issues What we're looking for 2+ years of experience managing a salon, spa, veterinary clinic, grooming shop, boutique, or similar client-facing business A proven track record of taking ownership — you see what needs to be done and do it without being asked Strong sales and client-service instincts; comfortable recommending services and products Organized, detail-oriented, and comfortable with software (booking/POS, spreadsheets, messaging tools) Genuine love of dogs and cats and comfort handling them Availability for weekends (Saturday required); some evenings

Bonus:

grooming industry experience, social media/marketing experience, or bilingual (Spanish or Russian) Compensation & benefits Hourly base Monthly performance bonus tied to bookings, rebooking rate, membership sales, and retail sales Paid time off Free/discounted grooming for your own pets and employee pricing on retail products Real growth path: as Barkly expands, this role grows into General Manager Why this role You'll have direct access to the owner, real decision-making authority, and the chance to build something from the ground up in a premium niche with strong demand. If you've been a great front-desk person or assistant manager who was never given the room to actually run things — this is that room. Barkly Pet Grooming Spa & Store is an equal opportunity employer.

Pay:

$20.00 - $26.00 per hour Expected hours: 40.0 per week

Work Location:

In person