The posting
About Kayu Cafe
Kayu Cafe is one of the most renowned cafes on Gili Trawangan, recognized for its artisan bakery, specialty coffee, and warm, laid-back atmosphere. While exceptional food and hospitality remain at the heart of what we do, we believe that sustainable growth comes from making smart commercial decisions, continuously improving profitability, and building systems that support long-term success.
We're looking for a Restaurant Commercial Manager with hands-on experience in the boutique restaurant industry who is passionate about using data to drive business performance. Rather than managing day-to-day operations, you'll focus on understanding what the numbers are telling us, identifying opportunities to increase profitability, and turning those insights into actionable strategies. We value someone who stays informed about restaurant and hospitality trends but knows how to distinguish lasting opportunities from passing fads, making recommendations based on data, customer insights, and commercial impact—not hype.
If you enjoy analyzing restaurant performance, asking "How can we make this business better?", and working alongside operational leaders to achieve measurable results, we'd love to hear from you!
About the Restaurant Commercial Manager Role
This role is designed for someone who loves the business side of hospitality. We are open to both full-time or part-time arrangements for the right candidate. Due to the collaborative nature of the role, candidates should already be based in Bali or Gili Trawangan.
You will not be responsible for running daily restaurant operations, managing shifts, or leading the guest experience team. Instead, your primary responsibility is to own the restaurant's commercial performance by understanding the numbers behind the business and turning those insights into profitable decisions.
Working closely with our Operations Manager and Guest Experience Manager, you'll analyze sales, costs, labor, guest behavior, menu performance, and operational data to identify opportunities for growth. Together, you'll develop strategies that improve profitability while preserving the quality, brand identity, and guest experience that Kayu Cafe is known for.
Reporting directly to the restaurant owner, you'll take ownership of the restaurant's Profit & Loss (P&L) and play a key role in shaping the commercial direction of the business.
We're looking for someone who is already comfortable reading business data, interpreting financial performance, and translating insights into practical recommendations. You should enjoy keeping up with restaurant and hospitality trends while remaining objective enough to validate ideas through data, customer behavior, and commercial performance before recommending change. This is not an entry-level role—we're looking for someone with restaurant industry experience who understands the commercial realities of running an independent restaurant.
For hospitality professionals who dream of opening their own restaurant, café, or hospitality business one day, this role offers rare hands-on exposure to the commercial side of running a successful independent restaurant—from P&L ownership and profitability strategy to real business decision-making alongside the owner.
Responsibilities
Commercial Strategy & Business Growth
- Develop and execute strategies to improve the restaurant's profitability.
- Identify new revenue opportunities and commercial initiatives.
- Evaluate business performance and recommend improvements based on data, market trends, and customer insights.
- Monitor restaurant and hospitality trends, assessing new ideas based on commercial viability rather than popularity.
- Balance revenue growth with long-term sustainability, operational feasibility, and the restaurant's brand identity.
- Support strategic decision-making that contributes to the overall success of the business.
Financial Performance & P&L Management
- Take ownership of the restaurant's Profit & Loss (P&L).
- Monitor key financial metrics including revenue, gross profit, labor cost, food cost, operating expenses, and margins.
- Analyze financial performance and identify opportunities to improve profitability.
- Work with management to develop budgets, forecasts, and financial targets.
- Recommend initiatives that improve profitability without compromising product quality or guest experience.
Performance Analysis & Reporting
- Analyze sales trends, customer behavior, menu performance, and business data.
- Monitor KPIs and identify opportunities to improve commercial performance.
- Prepare regular business performance reports for the restaurant owner.
- Present recommendations supported by financial and operational data.
- Measure the effectiveness of commercial initiatives and adjust strategies when needed.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Work closely with the Operations Manager to ensure commercial strategies are practical and achievable.
- Collaborate with the Guest Experience Manager to identify opportunities that improve both customer satisfaction and business performance.
- Support department leaders by providing commercial insights and recommendations.
- Align commercial initiatives across different areas of the business to achieve shared goals.
Continuous Business Improvement
- Identify inefficiencies, unnecessary costs, and opportunities to improve operational profitability.
- Recommend process improvements that contribute to stronger financial performance.
- Stay informed about industry developments, pricing strategies, consumer behavior, and competitor activity.
- Continuously seek innovative ways to strengthen the restaurant's long-term commercial success.
Requirements
- Minimum 3 years of experience in the restaurant or hospitality industry.
- Strong commercial mindset with a genuine interest in improving business performance.
- Comfortable reading and interpreting restaurant data, financial reports, and KPIs.
- Good understanding of restaurant profitability, including revenue, food cost, labor cost, operating expenses, and margins.
- Proven ability to identify opportunities, develop commercial strategies, and drive profit.
- Keeps up with restaurant and hospitality trends while making objective, data-driven decisions that prioritize long-term business value over short-term fads.
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
- Able to work independently while influencing operational decisions through data and commercial insights.
- Leadership experience is not required; however, experience collaborating cross-functionally with restaurant teams is highly valued.
- Must be based in Bali or Gili Trawangan, or be willing to relocate.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience in revenue management, business development, finance, consulting, or commercial strategy within hospitality.
- Experience driving P&L in independent restaurants, boutique cafés, or boutique hospitality businesses.
Personality We Value
- Commercially curious and always looking for opportunities to improve the business.
- Analytical and data-driven while remaining practical.
- Curious about industry trends but grounded enough to evaluate ideas objectively through business performance and customer insights.
- Proactive and comfortable taking initiative.
- Strong sense of ownership and accountability.
- Strategic thinker with attention to detail.
- Collaborative and able to work across different departments.
- Comfortable challenging ideas and providing constructive recommendations.
- Motivated by creating measurable business impact.
This Role Is NOT For Someone Who...
- Is new to the restaurant or hospitality industry.
- Is only experienced in restaurant operations or front-of-house management.
- Is only skilled in guest service but has little interest in the commercial side.
- Is uncomfortable working with numbers, financial reports, or business metrics.
- Makes decisions based primarily on instinct/FOMO rather than data.
- Tends to chase industry trends without evaluating whether they make commercial sense for the business.
- Prefers executing tasks rather than identifying opportunities for improvement.
- Is looking for a traditional Restaurant Manager or Operations Manager role.
- Is uncomfortable taking ownership of business performance and profitability.
What You'll Get
- BPJS Kesehatan & BPJS Ketenagakerjaan (for full-time employment).
- Daily staff meal allowance.
- Service charge (if applicable).
- The opportunity to work directly with the restaurant owner on strategic business decisions.
- A unique role focused on shaping the commercial success of one of Gili Trawangan's most established boutique cafés.
- The opportunity to make a measurable impact on business growth and profitability.
- A collaborative environment that values innovation, continuous improvement, and entrepreneurial thinking.
- An excellent stepping stone for hospitality professionals who aspire to open, own, or manage their own independent restaurant, café, or hospitality business, with hands-on exposure to real business strategy, P&L ownership, profitability, and commercial decision-making.
