At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a café team, ensuring top-notch customer service and food safety.
- Company: Join Suffolk Wildlife Trust at Carlton Marshes, a vibrant nature reserve.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, generous leave, pension contributions, and wellness perks.
- Other info: Be part of a passionate team dedicated to creating memorable visitor experiences.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a beautiful setting while supporting wildlife conservation.
- Qualifications: Experience in café or hospitality, strong leadership, and communication skills.
The predicted salary is between 21200 - 21200 £ per year.
Salary: The starting salary will be £21,200 per annum (FTE £26,500).
Contract type: Permanent / Working hours: Part time
Location: Carlton Marshes Nature Reserve & Visitor Centre, Carlton Marshes Burnt Hill Lane, Lowestoft, Suffolk, NR33 8HU
Suffolk Wildlife Trust is looking for a suitably qualified and experienced Café Supervisor to lead and support a team of staff and volunteers, ensuring excellent customer service and high standards of food safety, hygiene and café operations at Carlton Marshes. As Café Supervisor, you will play a key role in creating a welcoming and memorable experience for visitors to Carlton Marshes.
Working alongside the other Café Supervisor, you will be responsible for the day-to-day running of the café and line manage staff and volunteers to deliver excellent customer service while maintaining high standards of food quality, hygiene and presentation. You will help create a positive and inclusive environment that reflects Suffolk Wildlife Trust's values and workplace culture.
You will be responsible for overseeing daily operations, including work coordination, rotas, stock control, food safety compliance, cash handling and event catering. As a visible leader within the visitor centre, you will provide operational support across the site, helping to ensure smooth visitor experiences while identifying opportunities to improve efficiency, sustainability, income generation and the overall café offer.
To succeed in this role, it is essential that you have experience working in a café, hospitality or food service environment, with the confidence to supervise others and coordinate a busy operation. You will be highly organised, customer focused and committed to maintaining excellent food hygiene and safety standards. Strong communication skills, a positive and flexible approach, and a genuine commitment to Suffolk Wildlife Trust's mission and values are essential.
Nestled on the Suffolk Broads near Lowestoft, Carlton Marshes is Suffolk’s largest nature reserve and a destination for wildlife enthusiasts throughout the year. Managed by us at Suffolk Wildlife Trust, the reserve features an expansive landscape of grazing marshes, pools, reedbeds and wet grasslands, creating rich and diverse habitats. The visitor centre provides a warm and welcoming base for exploring the reserve. Staff and our wonderful volunteers are on hand to share their knowledge, help identify wildlife and offer insight into the Trust’s conservation work. The visitor centre also features a café and retail shop, offering a relaxing space to enjoy views across the marshes while enjoying barista coffee, cakes and light refreshments.
This is an opportunity to lead a busy and thriving café at one of Suffolk Wildlife Trust's flagship nature reserves. You'll work with a passionate team of staff and volunteers to deliver excellent customer service, maintain high standards and support the Trust's mission to bring nature back to Suffolk.
This is a permanent, full-time position working 30 hours per week over four days (Wednesday to Saturday each week). The base of work will be Carlton Marshes Visitor Centre near Lowestoft.
Leave entitlement increasing with service up to 38 days annually plus an extra day off for your birthday, a 9% employer pension contribution with no employee contribution required, salary sacrifice benefits, an Employee Assistance Programme, flu vaccinations, life assurance and access to a GP and wellness services, discounts at high street retailers, and discounts in our visitor centre. If you’re in a public-facing role, you’ll get logo clothing.
Suffolk Wildlife Trust is committed to an inclusive and diverse workplace where everyone is welcome. As a conservation charity, we recognise the importance of diversity in both nature and our workforce of staff and volunteers. We strive to ensure that everyone feels valued and empowered to contribute to our vision of “A Wilder Suffolk where nature is thriving and abundant because everyone is doing more to help”.
Café Supervisor at Carlton Marshes employer: Suffolk Wildlife Trust
Suffolk Wildlife Trust is an exceptional employer, offering a supportive and inclusive work culture at the beautiful Carlton Marshes. As a Café Supervisor, you will enjoy competitive benefits including generous leave entitlements, a strong pension contribution, and opportunities for personal growth while working alongside passionate staff and volunteers dedicated to conservation. Join us in creating memorable experiences for visitors while contributing to our mission of restoring nature in Suffolk.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Café Supervisor at Carlton Marshes
✨Get Involved in Local Events
Check out foodie festivals, farmers' markets, and local fairs in your area. These are perfect opportunities to meet restaurant owners and managers face-to-face, and they often look for part-time help during busy seasons.
✨Join Hospitality Groups
Connect with local hospitality groups on social media platforms like Facebook or Instagram. These communities frequently post about part-time job openings that aren’t advertised elsewhere, plus it’s a great way to engage with the food scene in your area!
✨Show Up in Person
For part-time roles in the hospitality sector, don't underestimate the power of a walk-in. Grab your best smile and pop into local cafés or restaurants with your CV in hand. It shows initiative and can really make you stand out!
✨Apply Through Our Website!
Don’t forget to check out the openings at Suffolk Wildlife Trust and apply directly through our website! We love seeing friendly faces and you’ll be surprised how many part-time roles pop up that may not be listed on job boards.
We think you need these skills to ace Café Supervisor at Carlton Marshes
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Service Skills:In the hospitality and food service industry, showcasing your customer service experience is key. Be sure to highlight relevant roles in your CV or cover letter where you’ve directly engaged with customers—this could be from previous waitressing, barista jobs, or any roles that involved teamwork and communication. You want to convince us at Suffolk Wildlife Trust that you can keep it cool under pressure!
Certifications Matter:If you’ve got any hospitality-related certifications—like food safety or first aid—definitely mention those! Including these credentials can set you apart from other applicants. It shows us that you're serious about the health and safety standards we maintain here at Suffolk Wildlife Trust.
Flexibility is Your Friend:Since this is a part-time role, we’re looking for someone who can work various shifts. In your application, it’s useful to outline your availability clearly. Make it easy for us to see when you can jump in and help out—this shows that you’re committed and ready to adapt!
Let Your Personality Shine:In hospitality, personality plays a vital role. Use your cover letter to share why you’re passionate about food service and what brings you joy in helping customers. A personal touch can make your application memorable and help us at Suffolk Wildlife Trust get a sense of who you are beyond your experience!
How to prepare for a job interview at Suffolk Wildlife Trust
✨Show Off Your People Skills
In hospitality, your ability to work with customers and team members is crucial. Be prepared to share stories that highlight your experience in handling customer service situations, especially any tricky ones. We want to hear how you turned a potentially negative experience into a positive one!
✨Know the Menu Inside Out
You might get quizzed on the menu items or asked about your favourite dishes. Brush up on any special offerings at Suffolk Wildlife Trust and demonstrate genuine enthusiasm for their food. This shows you’re not just looking for any job, but you’re genuinely excited about working with their team.
✨Flexibility is Key
As you're going for a part-time role, emphasise your availability and willingness to work various shifts. Mention any instances where you've gone above and beyond for scheduling or helped out during busy times. This flexibility can make you stand out from the crowd!
✨Role-Play Scenarios
Be ready for role-play scenarios during your interview! Employers love to see how you handle on-the-spot situations, like dealing with a dissatisfied customer or managing a specific request from a patron. Practising these scenarios with friends can help boost your confidence.