About Us
The Waiting Room is a cosy independent boutique café bar situated in the heart of Sandwich and housed in the former East Kent Road Car Company ticket office. It was lovingly restored and re-opened to the public in 2022 as The Waiting Room, serving food and drinks morning, noon and night.
We pride ourselves on creating a welcoming atmosphere where our local community and visitors to the town can receive a wonderful experience in our unique venue, enjoying great coffee, carefully selected drinks, and a selection of delicious food.
We're looking for a hands-on, experienced General Manager to lead our small team and help the business continue to grow as a much-loved spot in the community. For the right candidate the role offers potential to grow as we plan to open another, larger, venue in the town in the near future.
Role Overview
As General Manager, you will be responsible for the day-to-day running of The Waiting Room, ensuring smooth operations, excellent customer service, and consistently high quality. You will have a keen eye for detail and be devoted to providing all of our customers a warm welcome and superb service. You'll lead and motivate the team, oversee stock and financial management, and work closely with the owners to shape the café bar's future and align with their vision for this unique venue. The General Manager's role is offered with local accommodation at a subsidised rate.
Key Responsibilities
● You will be a key member of the serving team, leading a small team of serving staff by example
● Ensuring a consistently high quality food and beverage output at every turn
● Ensuring that the venue is appropriately staffed, bearing in mind peak times and profitability
● Driving sales and profitability, ideating and rolling out seasonal menus and successful events
● Maintaining appropriate stock levels and effective buying strategies
● Creating a welcoming environment for customers that commands repeat custom
● Ensuring the venue and stock room is maintained to a high standard so it remains clean and tidy
● Dealing with customer feedback and providing adequate solutions to customer concerns
● Creating a positive work environment for staff and encouraging their development
● Being an advocate for the company and its culture
● Ensuring the business remains compliant with all necessary regulations and staff are appropriately trained on each
● Ensure Standard Operating Procedures and Company Policies are followed and upheld by all team members
Skills & Experience
● Previous management experience in a café, bar, or hospitality setting (essential)
● Strong leadership and communication skills
● Skilled barista and mixologist
● Excellent customer service and people management abilities
● Good understanding of stock management and cost control
● Financial awareness, with the ability to read sales reports and manage budgets
● Organised, proactive, and able to work under pressure in a hands-on role
● A creative flair and a passion for food, drinks and presentation
● Flexibility to work evenings and weekends, and be on call as required
What We Offer
● Competitive salary based on experience
● Opportunity to shape and grow a much-loved independent business
● Opportunity to grow the role and accountabilities with a planned business expansion
● A supportive, friendly team environment and a lovely customer base
● A unique venue situated in a picturesque town complimented by a strong community
● Subsidised accommodate located within close proximity of the venue
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: £27,000.00-£37,000.00 per year
Benefits:
* Company pension
* Employee discount
* Housing allowance
Work Location: In person