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- Tasks: Lead a vibrant café, serving delicious food and drinks while creating a welcoming atmosphere.
- Company: Join Modern Art Oxford, a top contemporary art space with a creative vibe.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, pension scheme, staff discounts, and employee support programmes.
- Other info: Flexible hours, opportunities for creativity, and a chance to engage with art lovers.
- Why this job: Be part of an artistic community and make a difference in a dynamic café environment.
- Qualifications: Experience in café management, a passion for food, and excellent customer service skills.
The predicted salary is between 24000 - 30000 ÂŁ per year.
Salary: ÂŁ28,000 to ÂŁ30,000 per annum
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Full-time, Tuesday-Saturday 9am-5pm (negotiable)
Location: Pembroke Street, Oxford OX1 1BP
About Us
Modern Art Oxford is one of the UK’s leading contemporary art spaces with an international reputation for innovation and ambition. The gallery presents a programme of changing exhibitions of modern and contemporary art each year, coupled with an extensive programme of education, events and performance projects involving several thousand people of all ages and backgrounds.
About You and The Role
Our café is an important part of the gallery, and our Café Manager is responsible for providing a welcoming, friendly environment, serving a high quality menu with excellent customer service. This is an operational and hands-on role where the large majority of time is spent planning and preparing the café food and drinks and interacting with the general public. The Café Manager is also responsible for the supervision and the rota management of our café staff, and will collaborate closely with our Head of Commercial to maximise profits and further develop the Café in line with the Gallery’s aims and objectives.
Main Duties
- Customer Service
- Provide and promote excellent customer service to a wide variety of customers.
- Resolve and record complaints in a calm professional manner.
- Train new staff, recommending and arranging staff training as required.
- Ensure that all Café staff are briefed weekly about events.
- Food & Drink
- Plan and update menus.
- Create high quality seasonal dishes in design and taste.
- Ensure that food and drink is prepared and presented in accordance with the standards, recipes and procedures agreed upon with the Head of Commercial.
- Ensure that Café displays are attractive, and communicate any menu changes to the Communications Department.
- Take pride in maintaining our hygiene rating.
- Work with the Head of Commercial on menu development.
- Ensure that all alcohol is sold according to the Licensing Act 2003.
- Develop good relationships with existing suppliers and explore new options with the Head of Commercial.
- Maintain stock levels, place orders and regularly evaluate pricing and procurement options.
- Enthusiasm to develop and engage with wider management to grow the business.
- Event management
- Assist in the organisation of in-house events, including hire events and supervising staffing and attending the event.
- Ensure best practice during event delivery and co-ordination of staff so that they are fully briefed and professional when representing the gallery.
- Health & Safety and Daily Operations
- Carry out daily opening and closing checks, ensuring our Safer Food Better Business Diary is completed daily.
- Adhere to Hygiene Policies and ensure the kitchen meets all regulations.
- Ensure high levels of hygiene are maintained in the kitchen and café areas according to procedures set out in the Safer Food Better Business Manual.
- Regularly review food hygiene procedures.
- Ensure that all health and safety requirements are met in the kitchen and café area and carry out risk assessments for all activities.
- Manage maintenance of all equipment in the kitchen and oversee and carry out cleaning schedules.
- Act as main contact for scheduled and unscheduled visits by Local Authority officers concerning food hygiene and standards.
- Complete all other training assigned by the Gallery.
- Work with the Head of Commercial to ensure all waste and procurement activities of the café comply with the Environmental objectives in accordance with the Gallery’s Environmental and Sustainability Strategy and Targets.
- Staff
- Carry out induction training for all new café staff.
- Work with the Head of Commercial to create Sequence of Service documents and schedules for all areas of the café operations and carry out the training of staff to follow these procedures.
- Ensure all Café Staff are regularly trained on coffee making, food hygiene and that training is recorded in Safer Food Better Business Diary.
- Assist the Head of Commercial with the recruitment of new café staff.
- Manage all café staff, including drawing up rotas, arrange cover for staff who are ill/absent.
- Monitor and manage any issues with Café Staff and escalate them to the Head of Commercial when necessary, always following the Gallery Policies.
- Attend regular gallery staff meetings.
- Commercial Activities
- To meet income targets set by the Head of Commercial and discuss ideas to increase revenue.
- Ensure strict control on stock to minimise wastage and maintain budgeted margins.
- Process all orders and authorise invoices for approval.
- Assist the Head of Commercial with planning and implementing change in the Café regularly.
Person Specification
Essential Skills & Experience
- Team Leadership in a café or restaurant environment.
- A passion for preparing good quality fresh food with the drive to create new recipes and experiment with new ideas that respond to the Gallery’s programme.
- Menu development experience, with the ability to change and adapt depending on visitors feedback.
- Excellent eye for detail and food presentation, a passion for artful food creation.
- A flexible, innovative and proactive approach to sales strategies and solutions.
- Experience of working in a similar café environment including exposure to the duties outlined above (specifically food preparation, cooking, stock ordering and management, cash handling and till usage).
- Level 2 or over NVQ Qualification or equivalent.
- Qualifications in Level 2 Hygiene, Food Allergens Awareness and Working in Licensed Premises.
- Willingness to train to Level 3.
- Barista experience, making a range of coffees and hot drinks.
- Understanding of Allergens and dietary requirements.
- Experience of negotiating prices with new suppliers.
- A high regard for customer service and satisfaction.
- Self-motivated and able to work on own initiative and without supervision.
- Staff management experience.
- You need to be enthusiastic, approachable and above all an absolute team player.
Desirable Skills & Experience
- Rota management experience.
- Flexibility to work some weekends & evenings.
- An interest in contemporary art.
Benefits
- An auto-enrolment pension scheme is in place with Legal & General.
- Under pension auto enrolment legislation, the employee will pay 5% (before tax relief) and the employer will pay 3% of qualifying earnings to the Legal and General plan.
- A salary sacrifice scheme is available after 3 months employment.
- Employees are entitled to a staff discount in the Modern Art Oxford Shop and Café.
- There is an Employee Assistance Programme through Gemelli, and a series of discounts and salary sacrifice schemes through BHN Extras.
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, with interviews planned accordingly.
Modern Art Oxford is committed to creating equality of opportunity for all and we value diversity in our team. As part of our Anti-racism Action Plan, we welcome applications from people from the Global Majority who are under-represented in the workforce in our sector.
No agencies please.
Cafe Manager in Banbury employer: Modern Art Oxford
Contact Detail:
Modern Art Oxford Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Cafe Manager in Banbury
✨Tip Number 1
Get to know the café scene in Oxford! Visit local cafés, chat with managers, and understand what makes them tick. This will not only give you insights but also help you network with potential future colleagues.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your passion for food and customer service during interviews. Bring along a portfolio of your best menu ideas or even photos of dishes you've created. It’s all about making a memorable impression!
✨Tip Number 3
Don’t just apply; engage! Follow Modern Art Oxford on social media, comment on their posts, and show your enthusiasm for their events. This can set you apart from other candidates who are just sending in applications.
✨Tip Number 4
Be proactive after applying! Reach out to the hiring manager via LinkedIn or email to express your excitement about the role. A little initiative can go a long way in showing you’re the right fit for the team.
We think you need these skills to ace Cafe Manager in Banbury
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion: When writing your application, let your enthusiasm for the café and contemporary art shine through. We want to see your love for good food and customer service, so share any relevant experiences that highlight this!
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the Café Manager role. Highlight your team leadership experience, menu development skills, and any relevant qualifications. We’re looking for someone who can bring fresh ideas to our café!
Be Clear and Concise: Keep your application clear and to the point. Use bullet points where possible to make it easy for us to read. Remember, we want to know about your skills and experiences without wading through too much text!
Apply Through Our Website: Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it’s super easy to do!
How to prepare for a job interview at Modern Art Oxford
✨Know Your Menu Inside Out
Before the interview, make sure you’re familiar with the café's menu and any seasonal dishes they might be offering. Being able to discuss your ideas for menu development or how you would enhance customer experience will show your passion and initiative.
✨Showcase Your Customer Service Skills
Prepare examples of how you've provided excellent customer service in the past. Think about specific situations where you resolved complaints or trained staff. This will demonstrate your ability to create a welcoming environment, which is crucial for the Café Manager role.
✨Demonstrate Team Leadership Experience
Be ready to talk about your experience in managing a team. Highlight how you’ve handled rota management, staff training, and any challenges you faced. This will reassure them that you can lead the café staff effectively and maintain high standards.
✨Passion for Food and Art
Express your enthusiasm for preparing quality food and your interest in contemporary art. Share any creative ideas you have for integrating art into the café experience, as this aligns with the gallery's mission and will set you apart from other candidates.