At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a dynamic café team and ensure exceptional service at the National Railway Museum.
- Company: Join Restaurant Associates, a premium hospitality provider in iconic UK venues.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, free meals, wellness classes, and exclusive travel discounts.
- Why this job: Be part of an evolving hospitality experience in a world-class attraction.
- Qualifications: Experience in café management and strong leadership skills required.
- Other info: Exciting career growth opportunities in a fast-paced, visitor-focused environment.
The predicted salary is between 26400 - 39600 £ per year.
Location: National Railway Museum, York
Salary: Up to £33,000 per year
Contract Type: Full-Time, Permanent, 5 over 7 days
Are you ready to lead a high-performing café team at one of the world’s most iconic visitor attractions? We’re looking for a motivated and proactive Café Manager to take charge of the day-to-day catering operations at the National Railway Museum in York. This is a hands-on role where you will not only manage and develop your team but also actively work alongside them to deliver exceptional service and product quality. As Café Manager, you will be at the heart of the operation, ensuring the café runs smoothly, meets financial targets, and provides an outstanding visitor experience.
Why Join Us?
At Restaurant Associates, we celebrate individuality and nurture talent. As Café Manager, you’ll be supported by an experienced leadership team, gain exposure across a dynamic visitor-led environment, and have the opportunity to develop your career within a world-class attraction.
We offer a competitive benefits package, including:
- 20 days annual leave plus bank holidays
- Free meals on duty
- Free on-site parking
- Exclusive travel discounts
- Access to wellness, mindfulness, and fitness classes
- Digital GP services for you and your family
- Up to 44% off cinema tickets
- Contributory pension scheme
- Career Pathways and MyLearning development programmes
In this role, you will actively manage and support all aspects of a busy café, including service, team leadership, and operational delivery. You will lead by example, working alongside your team during service periods, monitoring quality, managing costs, and ensuring compliance. The National Railway Museum is undergoing significant development, making this an exciting time to join and contribute to its evolving hospitality offer.
Your Key Responsibilities:
- Lead, coach, and work alongside your team, providing hands-on support during service to deliver excellent customer experiences.
- Deliver exceptional customer experiences, ensuring service and product quality exceed expectations.
- Manage all operational and financial aspects of the café, including P&L responsibility, budgeting, forecasting, and cost control.
- Drive sales growth through staff engagement, promotions and proactive marketing initiatives.
- Ensure compliance with health & safety, food safety, profit protection and company policies.
- Build strong relationships with the General Manager, clients and visitors to enhance satisfaction and retention.
- Monitor performance, identify areas for improvement and implement action plans.
- Maintain accurate operational records, including reporting, stock control and documentation.
Who We’re Looking For:
- Proven experience managing successful teams in a café, retail catering or public catering environment.
- Hands-on leadership style, comfortable working alongside your team during busy service periods.
- Strong operational experience and a clear understanding of P&L management and commercial awareness.
- Results-driven, with the ability to motivate and hold teams accountable.
- Confident and capable of challenging existing practices and introducing improvements.
- Flexible, adaptable and able to thrive in a fast-paced, visitor-focused environment.
- Proficient in IT and computer systems relevant to hospitality management.
- Desirable: Experience in contract catering or working closely with key stakeholders.
- Experience managing operations with fluctuating demand and high customer service expectations.
About Us:
Restaurant Associates is a leading premium hospitality provider with an ethos drawn from our history of fine and high-quality dining in London and New York. Within our venues team, we provide catering and hospitality services to some of the most iconic visitor attractions and destinations in the UK including the Imperial War Museum London, Glyndebourne Opera House, Knebworth House, Design Museum, Whipsnade Zoo and many more. Within these amazing venues we operate a host of bespoke cafés and restaurants, as well as delivering private events ranging from small meetings to large-scale ground events of up to 1000 people.
Cafe Manager NEW RA Venues Posted today £33,000 per year York Operations employer: Chartwells Independent
Contact Detail:
Chartwells Independent Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Cafe Manager NEW RA Venues Posted today £33,000 per year York Operations
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the hospitality industry, especially those who have worked at similar venues. A friendly chat can lead to insider info about job openings or even a referral.
✨Tip Number 2
Show up in person! If you’re eyeing a café manager role, pop into the café and introduce yourself. A face-to-face interaction can leave a lasting impression and show your genuine interest in the position.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for the interview by researching the café’s current offerings and any recent changes. Bring fresh ideas to the table that could enhance their service or menu – it shows you’re proactive and ready to contribute!
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we love seeing candidates who take the initiative to engage with us directly.
We think you need these skills to ace Cafe Manager NEW RA Venues Posted today £33,000 per year York Operations
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion: When writing your application, let your enthusiasm for the café and hospitality industry shine through. We want to see how excited you are about leading a team and creating memorable experiences for visitors!
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights relevant experience in café management or similar roles. We love seeing how your skills align with our needs, so don’t be shy about showcasing your achievements and leadership style!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to tell us why you’re the perfect fit for the Café Manager role. Share specific examples of how you've successfully managed teams and improved customer experiences in the past.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website for the best chance of getting noticed. It’s super easy, and we can’t wait to read your application and hopefully welcome you to our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Chartwells Independent
✨Know Your Café Inside Out
Before the interview, make sure you research the National Railway Museum café thoroughly. Understand their menu, customer service style, and any recent changes or developments. This will show your genuine interest in the role and help you discuss how you can contribute to their success.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Style
Prepare examples of how you've successfully led teams in previous roles. Highlight your hands-on approach and how you motivate staff during busy periods. Be ready to discuss specific situations where you improved team performance or customer satisfaction.
✨Understand Financial Management
Brush up on your knowledge of P&L management, budgeting, and cost control. Be prepared to discuss how you've managed these aspects in past roles. You might even want to bring a few ideas on how to drive sales growth through effective financial strategies.
✨Emphasise Customer Experience
Since delivering exceptional customer experiences is key for this role, think of examples where you've gone above and beyond for customers. Discuss how you would ensure that the café not only meets but exceeds visitor expectations, especially in a high-traffic environment like the National Railway Museum.