At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead our café operations, manage events, and create a welcoming atmosphere for customers.
- Company: Join House of Books & Friends, a vibrant community-focused café and bookshop.
- Benefits: Enjoy a £30k salary, holiday entitlement, staff discounts, and a health cash plan.
- Other info: Flexible hours with opportunities for creativity and team leadership.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in the community while sharing your love for books and coffee.
- Qualifications: 2+ years of café management experience and a passion for customer service.
The predicted salary is between 30000 - 30000 £ per year.
Location: House of Books & Friends, 81 King Street, Manchester M2 4AH
Hours: Full Time, Permanent
Salary: £30k
About House of Books & Friends
House of Books & Friends is more than a bookshop and café; we are a vibrant Community Interest Company in the heart of Manchester city centre. Our mission is to address loneliness and social isolation. We bring people together through books, conversation, great coffee, and memorable events. From carefully curated shelves and cosy reading corners to bustling Afternoon Teas and community gatherings, we create a welcoming and inclusive space.
The Role
As Café and Catering Manager, you will lead on the daily running of our busy café while working closely with our bookshop and events teams. This is a hands-on, shop-floor-based role where leadership, creativity, and commercial awareness are equally important.
Key Responsibilities
- Operations
- Oversee all café activities including food & beverage preparation, service, and cleanliness
- Manage stock levels, ordering, supplier sourcing, and negotiations
- Maintain and enforce health & safety standards and ensure compliance with legislation
- Keep all paperwork up to date and aligned with regulations
- Develop innovative, costed ideas to broaden services and product offerings
- Key holding duties (opening and closing)
- Support shop floor operations across both the bookshop and café, including serving and phone enquiries
- Events
- Organise and deliver our popular Afternoon Tea events, generating and implementing new ideas with minimal direction
- Collaborate with the events team to deliver high-quality room hire and catered events
- Create clear systems and procedures to enable smooth event delivery
- Further develop catering options from standardised to bespoke packages for a range of budgets
- Undertake hosting duties where required
- Customer Experience
- Create a warm, welcoming atmosphere with exceptional service
- Manage enquiries, feedback, and complaints professionally and efficiently
- Team Leadership
- Train, supervise, and motivate café staff, future line management responsibility
- Foster a positive, collaborative working environment
- Financial Management
- Manage budgets, revenue, expenses, and profitability
- Implement cost controls without compromising quality
- Analyse sales data, identify trends and key seasonal opportunities
- Develop strategies to increase revenue and meet targets
- Menu Development & Marketing
- Collaborate on menu updates ensuring consistent quality
- Adapt offerings based on seasonality, dietary needs, and customer preferences
- Support promotional campaigns and monitor competitor activity
- Create and implement creative and new revenue streams for the café
About You
- Proven experience (at least 2+ years) as a shop floor-based Café/Catering Manager (or similar hospitality leadership role)
- Strong knowledge of café operations, food safety, and customer service
- Experience training and managing a team
- Confident using POS systems and standard office software
- Flexible to work weekends and holidays as required
- A genuine interest in books and the literary world
What We Offer
- £30,000 salary
- Holiday entitlement
- Pension scheme
- Staff discount
- Health cash plan
- A book on your birthday
- One paid Reading Day per year to catch up on your reading
If you bring energy, enthusiasm, and a love of people and want to be part of a growing organisation that makes a real difference in the community, we would love to hear from you.
Café and Catering Manager in Bolton employer: House of Books & Friends
At House of Books & Friends, we pride ourselves on being a vibrant Community Interest Company that not only offers a unique café experience but also fosters a sense of community in the heart of Manchester. As a Café and Catering Manager, you will enjoy a supportive work culture that values creativity and collaboration, alongside competitive benefits such as a £30,000 salary, holiday entitlement, and opportunities for personal growth through training and events. Join us in making a meaningful impact while enjoying perks like a book on your birthday and a dedicated Reading Day each year.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Café and Catering Manager in Bolton
✨Tip Number 1
Get to know the café scene in Manchester! Visit local cafés, chat with staff, and understand what makes them tick. This will not only give you insights but also help you connect with potential employers like House of Books & Friends.
✨Tip Number 2
Network, network, network! Attend local events or workshops related to hospitality and catering. You never know who you might meet that could lead you to your dream job. Plus, it shows your commitment to the industry!
✨Tip Number 3
Show off your creativity! Think about innovative ideas you could bring to the café, like unique menu items or event concepts. When you get the chance to chat with potential employers, share these ideas to stand out from the crowd.
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in being part of our community-focused mission at House of Books & Friends.
We think you need these skills to ace Café and Catering Manager in Bolton
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion:When writing your application, let your love for books and community shine through. We want to see how your passion aligns with our mission at House of Books & Friends!
Tailor Your Experience:Make sure to highlight your relevant experience in café and catering management. We’re looking for someone who can lead our team, so share specific examples of your past successes in similar roles.
Be Creative:Don’t be afraid to showcase your creativity! Whether it’s ideas for events or menu development, we want to know how you can bring fresh concepts to our café and make it even more inviting.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you don’t miss any important updates from our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at House of Books & Friends
✨Know Your Café Operations
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of café operations, food safety, and customer service. Be ready to discuss your previous experiences in managing a café or catering environment, highlighting how you've ensured quality and compliance in your past roles.
✨Showcase Your Creativity
Since the role involves developing innovative ideas for services and events, come prepared with a few creative concepts. Think about how you could enhance the café experience or organise unique events that align with the mission of House of Books & Friends.
✨Demonstrate Team Leadership Skills
Be ready to talk about your experience in training and motivating staff. Share specific examples of how you've fostered a positive team environment and handled any challenges that arose, as this will show your potential to lead the café team effectively.
✨Engage with Their Mission
House of Books & Friends is all about community and connection. Show genuine interest in their mission to combat loneliness and social isolation. Discuss how you can contribute to creating a warm, welcoming atmosphere and how your passion for books aligns with their values.
