At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the café team, ensuring smooth operations and high-quality customer service.
- Company: Join a passionate team at London Wildlife Trust, dedicated to nature and community.
- Benefits: Enjoy 25 days annual leave, discounts, enhanced pay, and a supportive work environment.
- Other info: Dynamic role with opportunities for growth and a commitment to diversity.
- Why this job: Make a difference in your community while developing your leadership skills.
- Qualifications: Experience in hospitality, strong communication, and a passion for team development.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 38000 £ per year.
Salary: £17.43 per hour
We also offer:
- 25 days annual leave (plus bank holidays) and a discretionary Christmas closure
- Benefits platform with discounts on retail, dining and days out
- Salary sacrifice schemes for gym, bicycles and nursery/childcare
- Enhanced maternity and paternity pay
- Access to a free Employee Assistance Scheme for support inside and outside of work
Location: x1 position based at Grosvenor Square (W1K 2DA), x1 position based at Walthamstow Wetlands (N17 9NH) with travel to other sites as required.
Role & Responsibilities:
As our Café Manager, you'll oversee the day-to-day running of the café, leading and developing a team to deliver a smooth, efficient, and high-quality customer experience. You'll be responsible for operational performance, people management, stock and financial controls, and ensuring the café consistently meets the standards set by the Café Operations Manager. You'll also play a key role in supporting wider café operations, events delivery, and continuous improvements.
Responsibilities will include:
- Lead the day-to-day operation of the café, ensuring efficient service delivery and stepping into operational café duties when required.
- Line manage Café Assistants, Team Leaders and Supervisors, providing coaching, training, appraisals and performance management support.
- Create and manage fortnightly staff rotas, ensuring appropriate staffing levels and addressing absences, shortages and scheduling challenges.
- Support recruitment, induction and probation processes for café team members and supervisors.
- Oversee opening and closing procedures, ensuring all team members are fully trained and compliant with operational standards.
- Manage stock ordering, stock rotation and wastage controls, ensuring the café remains fully stocked while operating within budget.
- Complete and oversee financial administration, including weekly takings, stocktakes, petty cash reconciliation and reporting to Finance and the Café Operations Manager.
- Maintain food hygiene, health and safety and compliance records, acting as the main point of contact for inspections in the absence of the Café Operations Manager.
- Work closely with the Events Team and Duty Managers to deliver hospitality services and ensure seamless transitions between café and event operations.
- Take ownership of café facilities and equipment maintenance, coordinating contractors where required and promoting best practice across the team.
- Support wider café operations through auditing, reporting, stock monitoring and providing guidance to café leadership teams across sites.
- Help maintain high standards of customer service, identify opportunities to improve customer satisfaction, and support marketing activity and promotions.
- Deputise for the Café Operations Manager when required and support operations at other sites as business needs dictate.
- Act as a Site Key Holder and First Aider, supporting the opening and closing of the wider site when required.
Our ideal Café Manager:
- Proven experience in a café, catering or hospitality environment at Team Leader level or above.
- Passionate about developing people, with experience providing training, coaching and constructive feedback.
- Possess a strong understanding of food hygiene legislation, holding a Level 2 Food Hygiene qualification (or higher).
- Highly organised with the ability to manage multiple priorities, work independently, and collaborate effectively.
- Strong communication skills, and a commitment to delivering excellent customer service.
Closing Date: 9am 16th June 2026
Interviews: likely to take place week commencing 15th June, but interviews may be scheduled before the closing date for particularly strong candidates. This vacancy may close early as a result.
Does this sound like you? We'd love to hear from you!
Our vision is a London alive with nature, where everyone can experience and enjoy wildlife. In order to achieve our goal of engaging everyone in protecting London's wildlife for the future, we know that our staff team needs to better reflect and represent all of London's communities.
Read more about London Wildlife Trust's commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion on our website.
We are also committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of children, young people and adults at risk is at the heart of our engagement with people, read more about London Wildlife Trust's commitment to Safeguarding on our website.
Cafe Manager in Slough employer: London Wildlife Trust
As a Café Manager with us, you'll be part of a vibrant team dedicated to delivering exceptional customer experiences in beautiful locations like Grosvenor Square and Walthamstow Wetlands. We offer a supportive work culture with extensive benefits, including generous annual leave, enhanced parental pay, and opportunities for personal growth through training and development. Join us in our mission to connect people with nature while enjoying a fulfilling career that values your contributions and well-being.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Cafe Manager in Slough
✨Tip Number 1
Get to know the café scene! Visit local cafés, chat with managers, and understand what makes them tick. This will give you insights into what works and what doesn’t, plus it shows your passion for the industry.
✨Tip Number 2
Network like a pro! Attend hospitality events or workshops where you can meet other café managers and industry professionals. Building connections can lead to job opportunities that aren’t even advertised yet.
✨Tip Number 3
Show off your skills in interviews! Prepare examples of how you've led teams, managed stock, or improved customer service in past roles. Real-life stories make you memorable and demonstrate your capabilities.
✨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 are proactive about their job search!
We think you need these skills to ace Cafe Manager in Slough
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV is tailored to the Café Manager role. Highlight your experience in café or hospitality settings, and don’t forget to mention any leadership roles you've had. We want to see how you can bring your unique skills to our team!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to express your passion for developing people and delivering excellent customer service. Share specific examples of how you've led teams or improved operations in previous roles. We love a good story!
Showcase Your Organisational Skills:As a Café Manager, being organised is key. In your application, give us a glimpse of how you manage multiple priorities and keep everything running smoothly. Whether it’s staff rotas or stock management, let us know how you keep things on track!
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply through our website for the best chance of getting noticed. It’s super easy, and you’ll be able to find all the info you need about the role and our values. We can’t wait to hear from you!
How to prepare for a job interview at London Wildlife Trust
✨Know Your Café Inside Out
Before the interview, make sure you’re familiar with the café's menu, values, and any recent news or events. This shows your genuine interest and helps you answer questions more confidently.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Prepare examples of how you've successfully led a team in the past. Think about specific situations where you coached staff, managed conflicts, or improved service quality. This will highlight your ability to manage and develop a team effectively.
✨Understand Financial Management
Brush up on your knowledge of financial administration related to cafés. Be ready to discuss how you’ve handled stock management, budgeting, and financial reporting in previous roles. This is crucial for demonstrating your operational competence.
✨Emphasise Customer Service Excellence
Think of instances where you went above and beyond for customers. Be prepared to share these stories during the interview, as they’ll illustrate your commitment to delivering high-quality customer experiences, which is key for this role.