Branch Bakery Café Manager
North London
Salary: £38,000 to £43,500 per year, depending on experience
Performance-related bonus linked to KPIs
Full-time, 45 hours per week, including weekend availability
We are looking for an experienced Branch Bakery Café Manager to take ownership of our bakery café in North London.
This is a Zone 3 neighbourhood bakery café, so we are looking for someone who understands warm, community-focused hospitality. Our customers should be recognised, welcomed and properly looked after, not just served.
The right person will already have experience managing a similar bakery, café, coffee shop, food retail or F&B site. This is not a first-time manager role. We need someone who has already worked as a Branch Manager, Bakery Manager, Café Manager, Store Manager or General Manager and understands how a good food-led operation should run.
This role would suit someone who enjoys leading from the floor and is confident improving standards, training a team and building regular customers.
About the role
You will be responsible for the day-to-day running of the branch, including the team, service, standards, rota, product presentation, stock, waste, customer experience and daily performance.
A key part of the role will be helping us bring our operating standards to life in the branch. We already have SOPs, KPIs, checklists and training modules in place. We are looking for someone who can use these tools to train the team, improve consistency and make sure standards are followed every day.
You will also help develop team members through our internal training structure, coaching them on the floor and helping them progress in their roles.
The manager will also support local promotions, app engagement, membership, events and community activity. You will not be expected to manage marketing alone, but you will play an important role in making sure promotions, launches and local activity are brought to life properly in the shop.
We are looking for someone practical, organised and comfortable working with daily figures, reports and KPIs. The role does not require an IT expert, but it does require someone who understands the importance of accurate information, clear communication and consistent follow-up.
Key responsibilities
Run the bakery café day to day and take ownership of the branch.
Lead the team during service and set the standard on the floor.
Raise customer service standards and create a warm, engaging service culture.
Build rapport with regular customers, neighbours and the local community.
Implement SOPs, checklists, training modules and daily routines.
Work with KPIs covering sales, labour, waste, stock, service, product availability and customer experience.
Train, coach and develop team members using our internal training material.
Support recruitment, onboarding, rota planning and staff performance.
Improve counter presentation, product display, cleanliness and branch standards.
Support ordering, stock control, waste reduction and product availability.
Help the team promote offers, app use, membership and customer loyalty activity.
Support local events, launches, seasonal activity and social media opportunities.
Maintain clear daily reporting and communicate branch performance, issues and actions.
What we are looking for
Experience managing a similar bakery café, café, coffee shop, food retail or F&B site.
Previous Branch Manager, Bakery Manager, Café Manager, Store Manager or General Manager experience.
A strong understanding of SOPs, KPIs, service standards and team training.
Someone who leads from the front and is confident setting standards on the floor.
A manager who can build a strong team, improve service and create regular customers.
Good commercial awareness around sales, labour, waste, stock and average spend.
Comfortable using systems, reports, daily figures and KPIs.
Confident with rotas, recruitment, training and day-to-day branch control.
Organised, reliable, positive and comfortable working in a busy service environment.
The ideal person
You will understand how a good bakery café should feel and operate. You will know how the counter should look, how customers should be greeted, how the team should behave and how standards should be followed through.
We are looking for someone who can take ownership, lead the team, improve what we already have and help the branch grow stronger week by week.
You will not be expected to do this alone. The right candidate will have support from the business, including marketing support, training material, systems, reporting, promotions and wider operational direction. We need someone who can take that support and help make it work well inside the branch.
For the right person, this role could also grow beyond branch management over time, with the opportunity to support wider operations as the business develops.
Salary and package
Salary: £38,000 to £43,500 per year, depending on experience.
The higher end of the salary range will be reserved for an exceptional candidate with strong relevant experience in a similar bakery café, café, premium food retail or F&B environment.
Performance-related bonus available, linked to KPIs.
Three-month performance review based on service standards, team training, SOP implementation, KPI delivery, promotional activity, system use, community engagement and overall branch performance.
Full-time role based on 45 hours per week.
Weekend availability required.
This is now softer and more balanced. It still says what you need, but it no longer feels like a long list of problems. It presents the role as a proper opportunity for an experienced manager who wants ownership and progression.
Pay: £38,000.00-£43,500.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company pension
- Discounted or free food
Work Location: In person
