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 passion for books and coffee.
- Qualifications: 2+ years of experience in café management and a love 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.
Locations
Café and Catering Manager in Cheshire, Warrington 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 Cheshire, Warrington
✨Tip Number 1
Get to know the café and its vibe before your interview. Pop in for a coffee, chat with the staff, and soak up the atmosphere. This will help you tailor your approach and show that you're genuinely interested in being part of the team.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare some creative ideas for events or menu items that could enhance the café experience. Bring these along to your interview to demonstrate your passion and vision for the role. We love fresh ideas!
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your leadership skills by sharing examples of how you've motivated teams in the past. We want to see how you can inspire others and create a positive work environment, so be ready to share your success stories.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to follow up after your interview! A quick thank-you email can go a long way in showing your enthusiasm for the position. And remember, applying through our website is the best way to get noticed!
We think you need these skills to ace Café and Catering Manager in Cheshire, Warrington
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 hit the ground running, so showcase those skills that make you a perfect fit for this role.
Be Creative:Don’t be afraid to show off your creativity! Whether it’s ideas for events or menu development, we want to see how you can bring fresh concepts to our café. Let your imagination flow in your application!
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 us during the process.
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 working environment and handled any challenges with team dynamics in the past.
✨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. Prepare to discuss how you can contribute to creating a warm, welcoming atmosphere that aligns with their values.
