Community Cafe Manager

Community Cafe Manager

£31,900 (in probation) rising to £33,579

Westwood, Peterborough

Full-Time

Permanent

Full time Monday – Friday 07:30-3.30

Are you an experienced café, hospitality or catering professional looking for a role where you can combine commercial success with real social impact?

We are seeking an enthusiastic and entrepreneurial Community Café Manager to lead the WestRaven Community Café. This is an exciting opportunity to manage a thriving community enterprise that provides affordable, nutritious food while creating a welcoming space for local residents to connect, learn and thrive.

About the Role

As Community Café Manager, you will oversee the day-to-day operation of the café, ensuring it is a safe, welcoming and successful environment for customers, volunteers and colleagues. You will lead a small team, develop engaging community activities, manage budgets and stock, maintain excellent food standards, and help grow the café as a sustainable community business.

This role offers the chance to make a genuine difference by bringing people together, supporting community wellbeing, and creating opportunities linked to employability and education.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the daily operation of the Community Café, ensuring excellent customer service and a welcoming atmosphere.
• Manage and support café staff and volunteers through effective supervision, training and development.
• Develop attractive, affordable menus using fresh, seasonal produce.
• Maximise income while maintaining value for customers and careful control of costs and stock.
• Organise community events and activities that increase engagement and café attendance.
• Build relationships with community groups, local stakeholders, funders and business customers.
• Promote and market the café to attract new customers and visitors.
• Maintain the café's 5-star food hygiene standards and ensure compliance with HACCP processes.
• Manage budgets, cash handling, banking and financial reporting.
• Identify funding and grant opportunities to support the long-term success of the café.

About You

Essential

• Experience managing or establishing a café, restaurant or similar hospitality operation.
• Previous experience in a kitchen environment preparing meals for larger numbers of customers.
• Experience of menu planning and delivering quality, value and choice.
• Leadership experience with the ability to motivate, support and develop a team.
• Experience of budget management, stock control and cash handling.
• Experience working with and supporting volunteers.
• Excellent customer service, organisational and communication skills.
• Level 3 Food Hygiene Certificate.
• Minimum Level 2 qualification in Culinary Skills, Professional Cookery or equivalent.
• Full UK driving licence.
• Enhanced DBS required

Desirable

• Experience developing and delivering business plans.
• Experience managing a community café or community enterprise.
• Experience in marketing and promoting hospitality businesses.
• Coaching, training and development skills.

Why Join Us?

This is more than a café management role. It is an opportunity to lead a community hub that improves lives, supports local people and creates a lasting positive impact. If you are passionate about hospitality, community engagement and making a difference, we would love to hear from you.