Most catering manager roles ask for everything and give very little back… This one is different!
This is a rare chance to step into a catering role that doesn’t demand burnout to succeed.
If you’re ready to bring your experience into a setting where you can lead properly, work to your best and enjoy your surroundings, we’d love to hear from you.
Set within a beautiful, high-end garden centre, our café offers a calm, inspiring environment, surrounded by greenery, natural light and a loyal customer base that genuinely enjoys being here. This isn’t high-street chaos or late-night service. It’s quality, consistency and pride in what you deliver.
We’re looking for a Catering Manager who is very organised, takes ownership of performance and leads from the front – someone who is just as comfortable working with numbers on a spreadsheet as they are leading and mentoring a team member serving customers.
Why This Role Stands Out
- Predictable, sociable hours – no late nights, more time for life outside work
- A calm, premium environment – say goodbye to stressful, high-pressure service
- Work-life balance that actually exists
- A stable, established operation with room to shape, improve and grow
- A great team that you can develop, not just manage.
The Role
You’ll take full ownership of the café operation, ensuring it runs smoothly, profitably and consistently to a high standard. This is a role for someone who is highly organised and loves getting things in order, works to a process and strives to make things simple and clear, but who also understands that great hospitality is built through people delivering quality food.
You will:
- Oversee daily operations, ensuring a seamless customer experience
- Manage menus with a commercial mindset – balancing quality, cost and efficiency
- Take control of the numbers, margins, stock and reporting
- Implement and refine processes that drive clarity, consistency and performance
- Lead, support and develop a great team of people – working alongside them, not “above” them
- Build a positive, accountable culture where standards are understood and upheld
About You
You’re not just experienced, you’re focussed in the way you work.
- Have at least 2 years’ proven experience in a catering or café management role
- Commercially aware – confident with profit margins, cost control and admin
- A hands-on leader who builds trust, develops and inspires people
- Calm, measured and solutions-focused
- Someone who values quality of life as much as quality of service
Benefits
- Pleasant, people-centred work environment in great location
- Our employees own a big part of the business through an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT)
- Opportunity to develop your skills and grow within the company
- 28 days holiday with 2 days’ additional holiday after 3 years’ service
- Birthdays off after first complete year of service
- Generous staff discount, company pension and free on-site parking
- Uniform is provided
Location : Blueberry Café, Coolings Lifestyle, Main Road, Knockholt, Kent TN14 7LJ
Days / Hours : Permanent, Full Time – 40 hours per week including alternate weekends (Some flex up in peak periods)
Salary : From £30,000 per year, depending on experience
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Pay: From £30,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company pension
- Employee discount
- Free parking
- On-site parking
- Store discount
Experience:
- Catering: 2 years (preferred)
Work Location: In person
