1. Salary: £35,145 to £39,765 per annum – Solent Mind Band E
2. Hours: 37 hours per week (flexibly across Mayfield opening days/times, may require some weekend working and out of business hours)
3. Location: Mayfield Garden Centre Southampton
4. Interview Date: Tour and Meet the team 13 January 2026 and interviews 14 January 2026
5. Closing Date: Monday 5 January 2026 (11.59pm)
(Ref REQ00561)
Role Details:
About the role
The Centre Manager - Retail and Café Operations will drive commercial performance, manage staff and volunteers, ensuring profits contribute to and support our mental health and wellbeing initiatives.
You will be responsible for and oversee the Retail and Café operations at Mayfield Garden Centre and line management of the Horticulture, Retail, Gifting and Café Teams.
You will ensure both retail and café operations deliver excellent customer service and profitability, working closely with our Marketing Team to raise awareness, increase sales as well as encourage and convert new customers.
You will work closely with Mayfield’s wellbeing services to ensure alignment and that the Solent Mind ethos is at the forefront of all sales, events and activities.
You will be the lead for health and safety across the site.
About you
You will have extensive experience and insights in the garden centre industry, in retail management and horticulture as well as experience managing café or food service operations.
You will need a strong commercial record of meeting sales targets that can be evidenced.
You will need to have knowledge of buying, stock control, understanding health and safety and food safety regulations.
You will have excellent communication skills, ability to provide key and timely content for marketing and line management experience.
We are looking for someone who is passionate about plants, people and mental health
About us
Mayfield Garden Centre is a key part of Solent Mind’s commercial and wellbeing operations, situated within Mayfield Park, Weston. It provides a warm, friendly welcome to all visitors.
Solent Mind is the largest mental health charity in Hampshire. It is part of a network of 125 local Minds in England and Wales, which are independent charities affiliated to Mind, the national mental health charity. Solent Mind has its own board of trustees and raises its own funds to deliver its services, support and training tailored to the needs of people living in Hampshire, Southampton, Portsmouth, and the Isle of Wight. Solent Mind has a gold award for workplace wellbeing index 2022/2023 and has signed up to be a mindful employer.
For further details on this role please email:
6. Wendy Lee (Head of Service - Southampton & Portsmouth)
7. Solent Mind Talent Acquisition team careers@solentmind.org.uk or 023 8201 1718
Job description person specification
NOTE TO APPLICANTS - You will be asked about gaps in your employment and to provide proof of your right to work in the UK at interview. Unfortunately, we cannot sponsor this role as we do not hold a sponsorship licence. Any offer for this role will be subject to a Enhanced child barred Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and receiving your references.
We welcome people from all the communities we work in to apply for a role within Solent Mind, especially those with experience of mental health problems. Offers are made based on merit.
Please submit your application as early as possible, as we may close this advert before the advertised closing date.
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