Studio Manager job description
A Studio Manager runs a salon, spa or wellness studio day to day. The role manages bookings, therapists and stylists, products and client experience so the studio runs smoothly and clients return.
Why the role exists
Salons, spas and wellness studios in Indian cities rely on appointments, skilled service staff and a calm, clean space. The Studio Manager runs the front desk, schedules the team, controls products and billing, and handles client concerns. The role reports to the owner or a regional operations head and leads stylists, therapists and reception.
What the person does
- Open the studio, check cleanliness, towels, tools and product stock, and prepare the day's appointment list.
- Manage bookings by phone, WhatsApp and app, keeping gaps and double bookings to a minimum.
- Assign stylists and therapists to appointments by skill, availability and client preference.
- Greet clients, recommend services and packages, and handle complaints or redo requests with tact.
- Control retail and back-bar products, order stock and track usage against services billed.
- Bill services and products, apply offers and membership packages correctly, and reconcile cash and UPI at close.
- Ensure sanitation steps, tool sterilisation and linen handling follow the studio's standard.
- Run team briefings, track attendance and leave, and coach staff on service quality and upselling.
Skills and tools
- Appointment scheduling in salon software such as Zenoti, Phorest or a booking app
- Client handling in a calm, courteous manner
- Knowledge of salon, spa or wellness services and their durations
- Inventory control of products and consumables
- Team scheduling and coaching of stylists and therapists
- Billing, package and membership handling
- Hygiene and sanitation routines for tools and treatment rooms
- Local social media and review handling for the studio
Education and experience
Preferred, never a bar: equivalent experience counts.
- Graduate or diploma in hospitality or beauty and wellness management preferred, or equivalent experience.
- Preferred experience of managing a salon, spa or wellness studio, or as a senior receptionist or lead stylist.
- Preferred familiarity with salon billing and booking software.
- Any licence or certification for services depends on the employer, the state and the facts, so confirm with your adviser.
How the work is judged
- Studio revenue against plan, split between services and retail products.
- Chair or room utilisation and the share of clients who rebook.
- Client feedback, review ratings and redo or complaint rates.
- Product usage against billed services and control of wastage.
- Staff attendance, retention and skill progress among stylists and therapists.
Where the role can lead
- Senior Studio Manager for a larger or flagship studio.
- Area Manager or Operations Manager over several salons or spas.
- Studio owner or franchise partner with business and finance skills.
Interview questions to ask
Ask every candidate the same questions in the same order and score them against written anchors, so the decision rests on the work and not the impression.
- Describe how you plan a Saturday schedule so stylists are busy but clients do not wait long.
- A client is unhappy with a haircut and wants a refund. How do you handle the conversation?
- A top stylist threatens to leave and take clients along. What do you do?
- How do you check that products used match services billed, and what did you find in the past?
- Tell us how you ensure sanitation steps are followed when the studio is fully booked.
- How have you grown package sales or memberships without pushing clients?
Hiring tips for this role
- Check whether the candidate has run a studio or only worked reception. Ask about their handling of product stock, staff conflict and cash at close.
- Ask about client relationships. A manager who depends on personal clients may leave and take them, so look for process-led, not person-led, habits.
- Test with a scenario of an overbooked afternoon and a late stylist. Look for calm decisions and honest communication with clients.
- Confirm shift timing. Studios run late evenings and weekends, and candidates should accept this before the offer, not after joining.
Questions about hiring a studio manager
The work is much the same. Studio is used for wellness, yoga, beauty and unisex salons, while salon is common for hair and beauty. Choose the title that clients and staff in your business understand.
In a small studio the manager may take a few clients. In a larger one the job is running the floor. Decide this up front, as billing hours leave less time for scheduling, stock and coaching.
Many studios use booking and billing software such as Zenoti or Phorest, or simpler apps and spreadsheets. Ask which system you use and whether training will be given, since the skill is easy to learn.
GullyHR agrees the job description with you, finds and screens candidates from salons, spas and wellness studios, and supports the offer. We hire for permanent roles, so you meet candidates suited to your clientele.
Hiring a studio manager?
GullyHR runs talent acquisition for permanent roles. We agree the job description with you, find and screen candidates against it, and support the offer through to joining. We recruit permanent employees. We do not supply contract or temporary staff.