Salon Assistant

Location: Mane Street Georgetown | Washington, DC
Position Type: Part-Time

Position Overview

Mane Street Georgetown is seeking a motivated Salon Assistant who is at the beginning of their career and eager to learn the salon industry from the ground up.

This is an ideal position for someone currently in or recently graduated from cosmetology school who wants exposure to a high-level, luxury salon environment while learning from experienced stylists and colorists.

We are looking for someone who is hardworking, curious, observant, professional, and genuinely excited to learn.

At Mane Street, we believe becoming an exceptional stylist starts long before building a full book behind the chair. It begins with understanding the guest experience, learning how successful stylists work, developing strong habits, becoming comfortable in a professional salon environment, and understanding that every detail contributes to the standard of the salon.

This is a hands-on support position. You will shampoo guests, assist stylists, learn about products and services, help prepare the salon for appointments, and play an important role in maintaining the clean, organized, polished environment our guests and team expect.

Learning From the Ground Up

We do not expect a Salon Assistant to walk in knowing everything.

We do expect them to want to learn.

You will have the opportunity to observe and learn from experienced professionals while developing an understanding of consultations, color services, cutting, styling, treatments, product knowledge, guest communication, timing, and the overall flow of a luxury salon.

You will learn not only the technical side of the industry, but also what it means to provide an elevated level of service.

That means learning how to anticipate needs, communicate professionally, pay attention to details, work efficiently, take direction, receive feedback, and understand that no responsibility is beneath any member of a successful salon team.

For the right person, this position can provide an invaluable foundation for a long-term career in the industry.

Guest & Stylist Support

A significant part of this position involves assisting our stylists and helping services move smoothly throughout the day.

Responsibilities include:

• Shampooing and conditioning guests
• Performing treatments at the shampoo bowl as trained and directed
• Preparing guests appropriately for services
• Assisting stylists during services when needed
• Preparing and resetting stations and service areas
• Keeping shampoo bowls clean, stocked, and ready for guests
• Preparing towels, capes, and other service necessities
• Helping stylists remain on schedule
• Anticipating what may be needed next rather than always waiting to be asked
• Learning proper use of professional products and salon supplies
• Supporting the overall guest experience throughout the salon

As your knowledge and abilities develop, additional responsibilities and learning opportunities may be introduced where appropriate.

Maintaining the Salon Environment

Working in a luxury environment means understanding that the condition of the salon is everyone's responsibility.

Our guests should walk into a space that feels clean, organized, intentional, and cared for throughout the entire day. Salon Assistants play an important role in maintaining that standard.

Daily responsibilities will therefore include helping with:

• Sweeping and maintaining salon floors throughout the day
• Cleaning and resetting shampoo bowls
• Keeping stylist stations and shared areas organized
• Laundry, including towels and capes
• Restocking salon supplies
• Maintaining clean and organized back-of-house areas
• Removing garbage
• Managing recycling
• Keeping bathrooms and common areas presentable
• Cleaning and resetting areas between guests
• Opening and/or closing support responsibilities as assigned
• General salon upkeep throughout the day

This is not exclusively a cleaning position, but cleaning and maintaining the salon are absolutely part of the role.

We want to be transparent about that expectation. Learning to work in a luxury salon also means learning that exceptional service is created through hundreds of details guests may never consciously notice. Everyone contributes to maintaining that environment.

Education & Development

We want someone who sees assisting as an opportunity to learn, observe, ask questions, and build a strong professional foundation.

You will be surrounded by stylists with different areas of expertise and will have opportunities to learn through observation, education, product knowledge, and hands-on experience appropriate to your level.

We encourage our team to ask thoughtful questions and take an active interest in understanding why services are performed a certain way—not simply how they are performed.

We are looking for someone who wants to understand:

• Hair color and formulation
• Consultations
• Hair health and treatments
• Cutting and styling
• Blow-dry and finishing techniques
• Product knowledge
• Guest communication
• Time management
• Salon professionalism
• Luxury service and hospitality
• How successful stylists build and maintain a career behind the chair

Growth comes with initiative. The more engaged, dependable, curious, and willing to learn you are, the more you can take from this opportunity.

Davines Education

Mane Street Georgetown is a Davines salon, and the Salon Assistant will begin developing knowledge of Davines professional and retail products from the start.

You will learn about the products we use at the shampoo bowl, treatments, home-care recommendations, and how professional products support the health and longevity of a guest's hair.

As your education progresses, you may also gain exposure to our professional color system and how our stylists approach formulation and color services.

Prior experience with Davines is not required. A willingness to learn is.

Professional Standards

You may be at the beginning of your career, but you are still entering a professional environment.

We expect our Salon Assistants to arrive polished, clean, professional, prepared, and ready to work.

You will interact directly with our guests and work alongside experienced professionals. Your appearance, communication, attitude, and work ethic all contribute to the experience Mane Street provides.

You should be comfortable taking direction, receiving constructive feedback, asking questions when you do not understand something, and taking responsibility when something needs to be done.

We value initiative. If towels need to be folded, a shampoo bowl needs to be reset, a stylist needs assistance, or an area needs attention, we want someone who learns to recognize that and act without always waiting to be told.

Schedule

This is a part-time position.

Scheduling will be determined based on salon needs and the candidate's availability. Because the purpose of this role includes learning through real salon experience, reliability and consistency in your agreed-upon schedule are extremely important.

Candidates should be prepared to work during active salon hours and understand that salon schedules may include evenings and weekends depending on business needs.

Who We're Looking For

• Current cosmetology student, recent cosmetology school graduate, or someone at the beginning of their professional salon career
• Strong interest in becoming an exceptional salon professional
• Genuine desire to learn from experienced stylists and colorists
• Willingness to shampoo and provide hands-on guest support
• Willingness to perform cleaning, laundry, garbage, recycling, restocking, and general salon-support responsibilities
• Professional and polished presentation
• Positive, collaborative attitude
• Strong work ethic
• Dependability and punctuality
• Ability to take direction and receive constructive feedback
• Attention to detail
• Ability to recognize what needs to be done and take initiative
• Willingness to learn Davines products and the salon's service standards
• Desire to continue developing technically and professionally

Who Will Thrive at Mane Street

You do not need years of experience for this position.

You need work ethic, curiosity, humility, initiative, and a genuine desire to learn.

We want someone who understands that becoming great at this industry does not happen overnight. It comes from watching, practicing, asking questions, helping, listening, making mistakes, accepting feedback, and showing up consistently ready to improve.

There will be glamorous parts of working in a luxury salon, and there will be days when you are shampooing, folding towels, sweeping hair, taking out recycling, and helping wherever the team needs you.

Both are part of learning the business.

If you are willing to start from the ground up, work hard, and grow with us, we would love to meet you.

Ready to apply? Submit your application here.