Café Shift Manager

About the Position

Earley Cafe is looking for a reliable, confident, and customer-focused Café Shift Manager to lead the café team during assigned shifts and ensure smooth day-to-day operations. The Café Shift Manager will coordinate staff duties, maintain excellent customer-service standards, monitor food and beverage quality, support stock control, and assist with opening and closing procedures. The ideal candidate should be an experienced hospitality professional who can make quick decisions, motivate team members, and maintain high standards during busy service periods.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and supervise café staff during assigned shifts.
• Allocate daily duties and ensure team members understand their responsibilities.
• Coordinate front-of-house, barista, and food-service activities throughout the shift.
• Ensure customers receive friendly, professional, and efficient service.
• Monitor coffee, beverage, and food quality, presentation, and consistency.
• Assist customers with menu questions, dietary requirements, and special requests.
• Handle customer feedback, complaints, and service issues professionally.
• Support the team during busy periods to maintain efficient service.
• Assist with coffee, beverage, and food preparation when required.
• Operate and monitor POS systems, cash handling, and payment procedures.
• Complete or supervise shift cashing-up and end-of-shift procedures.
• Monitor stock levels and report shortages or ordering requirements to management.
• Assist with receiving, checking, and storing café deliveries.
• Ensure proper stock rotation, food storage, and waste-control procedures.
• Maintain clean and organized counters, tables, service stations, kitchen areas, and equipment.
• Ensure food hygiene, sanitation, allergen-awareness, and workplace safety procedures are followed.
• Complete opening and closing checklists and ensure all shift procedures are carried out correctly.
• Train and support new team members in café procedures and customer-service standards.
• Provide guidance, coaching, and feedback to staff during shifts.
• Monitor staff attendance, punctuality, presentation, and performance.
• Report equipment problems, maintenance issues, stock concerns, and staffing matters to management.
• Support promotions, seasonal offers, special events, and customer-experience initiatives.
• Maintain a positive, professional, and cooperative team environment.
• Assist the Café Manager with daily operational tasks and performance goals.
• Ensure the café is secure, clean, and properly prepared at the end of each shift.

Qualifications

• Previous experience in a café, restaurant, coffee shop, or hospitality environment.
• Previous experience as a Shift Manager, Café Supervisor, Team Leader, or similar role is preferred.
• Strong leadership and staff-supervision skills.
• Excellent communication and customer-service abilities.
• Ability to motivate and support a team during busy shifts.
• Good understanding of café and food-service operations.
• Experience with POS systems and cash handling is beneficial.
• Knowledge of food hygiene, sanitation, allergen awareness, and safe food handling.
• Strong organizational and time-management skills.
• Good problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
• Ability to remain calm and professional under pressure.
• Reliable, punctual, responsible, and able to lead by example.
• Strong attention to detail and teamwork skills.
• Flexible availability, including mornings, evenings, weekends, and holidays when required.

Compensation & Benefits

• Competitive hourly pay based on experience and supervisory responsibilities.
• Flexible shift scheduling where available.
• Staff meals, café discounts, or other employee benefits where applicable.
• On-the-job leadership and management training.
• Supportive and team-oriented café environment.
• Opportunities to develop barista, customer-service, and operational-management skills.
• Potential progression to Assistant Café Manager, Café Manager, or Operations Manager.
• Performance-based incentives may be available according to company policy.

Pay: £23.00-£34.00 per hour

Expected hours: 44.0 per week

Benefits:

• Company events
• Employee discount
• Flexible schedule
• Referral programme

Work Location: In person