Cafe Manager

Job Description

As Café Manager you’ll lead the day‑to‑day operation of Milestone’s on‑site café, tea tent and historic pub, as well as the seasonal café at Basing House, ensuring a consistently high‑quality offer that enhances every visitor’s experience. You’ll set and maintain exceptional standards of customer service and presentation, manage and develop a dedicated kitchen and front of house team, and play a key role in driving commercial performance.

About You

You’ll bring solid experience managing a high‑performing food and beverage team within a busy, customer‑focused environment. You’ll have a strong understanding of commercial café operations, from stock management and food safety to cost control and delivering against targets, and you’re confident working with budgets and KPIs.

A natural people leader, you’re visible on the floor, supportive, and skilled at motivating staff through coaching, clear communication, and a collaborative, inclusive approach. You thrive in fast‑paced settings, stay calm under pressure, and take pride in creating a welcoming, safe, and efficient operation. You’ll also bring strong IT skills, excellent organisational ability, and the drive to continuously review and improve the customer experience.

About [Employer hidden — sign up to reveal]

At [Employer hidden — sign up to reveal] we have a vision to create inspirational culture experiences that enrich and transform lives. We manage and support 19+ attractions across Hampshire and deliver county-wide outreach programmes that bring great culture to local communities. We also deliver a diverse range of wider social impact initiatives targeted at those who are most vulnerable or disadvantaged and who would not usually have access to arts and culture.

We are committed to promoting equity, inclusion and diversity and a culture that actively values difference. We recognise that people from different backgrounds and experiences can enhance the way we perform and work. We aim to be inclusive, valuing, and respectful of diversity, developing the ability to recruit and retain a diverse workforce that reflects the communities we serve and seeks to engage.

Benefits

• 25 days annual leave + bank holidays (pro-rated for part time working)
• 7.5% Employer pension contributions
• Generous occupational maternity, adoption and paternity pay
• Enhanced occupational sick pay
• Emergency leave scheme
• Life assurance scheme (x3 annual salary)
• Industry leading Employee Assistance Programme
• Interest-free Season ticket loans and travel loans from first day of employment
• Charity Worker Discounts Scheme (savings on retail, leisure, groceries, travel etc.)
• Access to same day GP appointments for employees and their immediate family
• Access to free eye tests and vouchers towards glasses for VDU use
• Free flu vaccination vouchers
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Health Cash Plan (cashback on dental, optical, medical for monthly subscription cost)
• Opportunities to learn, develop and progress
• Free tea and coffee in all our venues
• Team Card - Free access to our fee paying venues and discounts across café and retail.

How to Apply

To apply please fill in the application form with an up-to-date CV. We do not require covering letters for this position however would be grateful to receive context to your application.

We may review applications and invite candidates to interview before the closing date, although this is not guaranteed, so we encourage you to submit your application as early as possible.

If you have any questions, please contact us at [Employer hidden — sign up to reveal] or call [contact hidden].

Life at [Employer hidden — sign up to reveal]

[Employer hidden — sign up to reveal] is all about changing lives through culture and it is only through our staff and volunteers that we make that happen. We are selective on those who join us as we expect all of our teams and colleagues to uphold [Employer hidden — sign up to reveal]’s values of being confident and creative in all circumstances. To strive for excellence with everything we do whilst taking responsibility and ownership for all aspects of our work as a trust in order to deliver amazing things through teamwork. All of this is underpinned by our keen strives to respect everyone’s individuality and uniqueness.