Assistant General Manager & Wedding Operations Coordinator
Location:
Kingdom Café, Penshurst, Kent
Reports To:
General Manager
Job Type:
Full-Time
Role Overview
Kingdom Café is a woodland café, hospitality, and events venue set in a unique countryside location in Penshurst, Kent. The site combines a relaxed café environment with private events and weddings, offering guests fresh food, outdoor space, and a nature-led experience in a woodland setting.
We are seeking an experienced and highly organised Assistant General Manager & Wedding Operations Coordinator to support the day-to-day running of the café while overseeing the coordination and delivery of weddings and private events.
A key part of this role is hands-on responsibility for setting up and transforming the site for weddings and events, ensuring the venue is prepared, presented, and operated to a high standard for every occasion.
This is a varied, practical role combining café operations, venue management support, event coordination on the day, and physical setup of the site in a fast-paced hospitality environment.
About Kingdom Café
Kingdom Café is a destination café located in a woodland setting, known for its relaxed atmosphere and connection to nature. The café offers breakfast, brunch, lunch, coffee, cakes, and seasonal dishes, with a focus on fresh, simple food and friendly service.
Key features include:
- Woodland café setting with indoor and outdoor seating
- Breakfast, brunch, and lunch service
- Coffee, cakes, and light refreshments
- Family-friendly and dog-friendly outdoor spaces
- Relaxed, informal dining environment
- Venue hire for weddings, private events, and celebrations
The café operates as both a daytime hospitality venue and a growing events destination.
Key Responsibilities
Venue Operations & Café Management Support
- Support the General Manager in the day-to-day running of Kingdom Café and venue operations
- Act as Duty Manager when required, overseeing café service and site operations
- Supervise and support front-of-house and operational teams
- Maintain high standards of cleanliness, presentation, and guest experience across the café and site
- Assist with staffing, rotas, onboarding, and training
- Ensure compliance with health & safety, food hygiene, and licensing regulations
- Handle guest enquiries, feedback, and complaints professionally
- Support smooth coordination between café service and event operations
Wedding & Event Coordination (On-the-Day Delivery)
- Oversee weddings and events on the day to ensure smooth execution
- Ensure all event requirements are delivered as planned on site
- Coordinate timing, service flow, and communication between teams and suppliers
- Resolve any issues quickly and professionally during events
Site Setup & Event Preparation (Key Responsibility)
- Take responsibility for setting up and dressing the venue for weddings and events
- Transform indoor and outdoor spaces according to event floor plans and requirements
- Set up ceremony areas, dining layouts, furniture, décor, signage, and styling elements
- Coordinate lighting, table settings, and spatial arrangements to specification
- Ensure all equipment, furniture, and décor are correctly placed, safe, and presentable
- Prepare outdoor woodland and garden areas when required for events
- Supervise setup and breakdown teams to ensure efficient turnaround
- Maintain and organise venue furniture, equipment, and storage areas
- Ensure the venue is reset to standard operating layout after each event
Skills & Experience Required
Essential
- Experience in hospitality, café operations, venue management, or event management
- Proven experience coordinating weddings or large-scale events
- Practical, hands-on experience setting up event spaces
- Strong organisational and multitasking skills
- Excellent communication and customer service abilities
- Ability to work calmly under pressure and solve problems quickly
- Comfortable with physical work (moving furniture, setting up spaces)
- Flexible availability including weekends, evenings, and bank holidays
Desirable
- Experience working in a café, wedding venue, or rural hospitality setting
- Supervisory or team leadership experience
- Knowledge of wedding suppliers and event logistics
Personal Attributes
- Practical, hands-on approach with strong attention to detail
- Calm, professional, and confident under pressure
- Highly organised and reliable
- Proactive and solutions-focused mindset
- Passionate about hospitality and guest experience
- Strong team coordination and leadership abilities
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
- Successful delivery of weddings and events
- Client satisfaction and feedback scores
- Operational efficiency and setup accuracy
- Quality and consistency of venue presentation
- Team performance and coordination effectiveness
Benefits
- Competitive salary (dependent on experience)
- Career progression opportunities within the business
- Staff meals/discounts
- Work in a unique woodland café and venue environment
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: £32,000.00-£36,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Employee discount
- Free parking
- On-site parking
Work Location: In person
