At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a brand-new café, ensuring smooth operations and exceptional service.
- Company: Join Compass Group UK & Ireland, a leader in the food service industry.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, career growth opportunities, and exclusive discounts.
- Other info: Be part of a diverse team that values your unique talents and ideas.
- Why this job: Shape a new café culture and create a welcoming space for customers.
- Qualifications: Experience in café management or fast-paced food environments is essential.
The predicted salary is between 34000 - 34000 £ per year.
Location: Sainsburys Penzance
Contract: Full-time
Employer: Compass Group UK & Ireland
£34,000 per annum • 5 out of 7 days • 40 hours per week
A brand-new café. A blank canvas. An opportunity to build something special from day one. Simple moments, made special. Great coffee. Freshly baked pastries. Proper food done well. Taste Café is about creating the small, everyday moments people genuinely look forward to — a quick coffee that turns into a catch‑up, a bite to eat that hits the spot, and a space that feels easy, comfortable, and just right. This is a new café opening within a busy retail environment — fast‑paced, full of energy, and with huge potential. From day one, it’s a place designed to feel local, welcoming, and worth coming back to.
The Role
This is a start‑up opportunity within an established business. As Café Manager, you’ll play a key role in bringing a brand‑new site to life — setting standards, building a team, and shaping how the café looks, feels, and operates from the very beginning. If you’ve managed a café, retail unit, or fast‑paced food operation before, this is your chance to truly make it your own. You’ll lead from the front, set the tone, and turn a brand‑new café into a space people love — from the first morning coffee rush to the final close‑down of the day.
What You’ll Be Doing
- Leading the day‑to‑day running of a newly opened café, keeping everything smooth, organised and on point
- Recruiting, training and developing a strong team that delivers great service (and enjoys doing it)
- Setting and maintaining high standards across food, coffee and presentation
- Managing stock, performance and operational processes
- Creating a space that feels warm, relaxed and welcoming from day one
- Embedding consistency — because the little details matter
- Ensuring Health & Safety standards are always met and maintained
About You
If you’ve run a café, retail unit, or fast‑paced food environment, you’re well‑suited to this role — especially if you enjoy building teams and shaping operations. You’ll also be:
- A hands‑on leader who sets the pace and leads by example
- People‑focused — great with both your team and your customers
- Organised, proactive and calm under pressure
- Passionate about good food, great coffee and doing things properly
- Comfortable taking ownership and continuously improving performance
Why This Role?
This isn’t just another café management role. It’s a chance to open a new site, shape the culture, and create a destination — somewhere customers return to for the coffee, the food, and the atmosphere. You’ll have real ownership, support from a wider business, and the opportunity to build something that genuinely feels like yours from the ground up. We ensure you’re rewarded for all your hard work, which is why we offer a comprehensive benefits package which includes but is not limited to:
- Contributory pension scheme
- Grow your career with our Career Pathways and MyLearning programmes
- Quick access for you and your immediate family to a Digital GP, and wider healthcare benefits
- Exclusive travel discounts with TUI, Expedia, Booking.com and many more
- Save money on your food shop with discounts on Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons and many more
- Up to 44% off cinema tickets to enjoy your favourite blockbuster
- Receive cash rewards every time you spend and use them on a wide range of brands
- Unwind with us with free wellness, mindfulness and exercise classes
- You can share all discounts and offers with your friends and families
Compass Group UK&I is committed to fostering an environment where every individual can truly be themselves at work and has equal opportunities to advance in their careers. We strive to build a culture that respects and celebrates the unique talents, beliefs, backgrounds, and abilities of all our team members. We want our colleagues to feel valued, empowered to reach their full potential, and to thrive - because diversity is our strength!
Cafe Manager NEW One Retail Posted today £34,000 per year Penzance Operations employer: Chartwells Independent
Compass Group UK & Ireland offers an exciting opportunity for a Café Manager to lead the launch of a brand-new café in Penzance, where you can create a welcoming atmosphere and build a strong team from the ground up. With a focus on employee growth through comprehensive training programmes and a supportive work culture, you'll enjoy a range of benefits including discounts on groceries and travel, wellness classes, and a contributory pension scheme. Join us to shape a vibrant community hub that customers will love returning to.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Cafe Manager NEW One Retail Posted today £34,000 per year Penzance Operations
✨Tip Number 1
Get to know the café scene in Penzance! Visit local cafés, chat with managers, and understand what makes them tick. This will give you insights into customer preferences and help you stand out during interviews.
✨Tip Number 2
Network like a pro! Attend local events or join online groups related to café management. Building connections can lead to insider info about job openings and even recommendations that could land you an interview.
✨Tip Number 3
Show your passion for coffee and food! When you get the chance to chat with potential employers, share your ideas on creating a welcoming atmosphere and how you’d make their café a go-to spot for locals.
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive and eager to join our team at Compass Group UK & Ireland.
We think you need these skills to ace Cafe Manager NEW One Retail Posted today £34,000 per year Penzance Operations
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion:When writing your application, let your love for coffee and food shine through! We want to see how excited you are about creating a welcoming café atmosphere that people will love.
Tailor Your Experience:Make sure to highlight any previous café or retail management experience. We’re looking for hands-on leaders who can set the tone and build a great team, so share those relevant stories!
Be Personable:Remember, we’re all about creating connections! Use a friendly tone in your application to show us you’re great with both customers and your team. It’s all about those small moments that make a big difference.
Apply Through Our Website:Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets to us directly, and we can’t wait to see what you bring to the table.
How to prepare for a job interview at Chartwells Independent
✨Know Your Café Inside Out
Before the interview, make sure you research Compass Group and their new café concept. Understand their values, menu offerings, and what makes them unique. This will help you demonstrate your passion for the role and show that you're genuinely interested in contributing to their vision.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
As a Café Manager, you'll need to lead a team effectively. Prepare examples from your past experiences where you've successfully managed a team, resolved conflicts, or improved service standards. Highlight your hands-on approach and how you inspire others to deliver great customer experiences.
✨Emphasise Your Organisational Skills
In a fast-paced environment, being organised is key. Be ready to discuss how you manage stock, maintain health and safety standards, and keep operations running smoothly. Share specific strategies you've used in previous roles to ensure everything is on point, especially during busy periods.
✨Create a Vision for the Café
Think about how you would shape the culture and atmosphere of the new café. Be prepared to share your ideas on creating a welcoming space and how you would engage with customers to build loyalty. This shows that you're not just looking to fill a role, but are excited about building something special from the ground up.
