Assistant Manager Cafe/Bar

Our client, an well known Cafe/Bar & private function establishment based in Belfast city centre is seeking to recruit an asssitant manager to join the management team This role supports the daily café-bar operations, leading the team to deliver excellent guest experiences, efficient service, and strong financial results. This role acts as second-in-command to the Café Bar Manager, stepping up in their absence. Key Responsibilities Operations management: Oversee opening/closing, floor service, barista/bar operations, stock control, cash handling, and till reconciliation.

Maintain cleanliness, ambience, and service flow throughout shifts. Team leadership: Train, schedule, brief, and coach staff. Lead by example on the floor, manage breaks, and conduct performance feedback.

Support hiring and onboarding. Customer experience: Ensure warm, efficient service; handle complaints and special requests professionally; uphold service standards and brand tone. Product quality: Monitor drink and food preparation standards, presentation, and portion control; conduct tastings and recipe adherence; manage allergens and labeling compliance.

Compliance and safety: Enforce health and safety, food hygiene, licensing laws, and age verification. Keep accurate records (HACCP, temperature logs, cleaning schedules, incident reports). Inventory and suppliers: Manage ordering, deliveries, stock rotation, waste control, and variance checks; liaise with suppliers and service contractors.

Sales and profitability: Support menu engineering, promotions, upselling, and events; track KPIs (ATV, covers, labour %, waste, mystery guest scores) and suggest improvements. Administration: Prepare rotas within labour budgets; manage daily reports, bookings, and events coordination; support payroll inputs and training records. Maintenance: Report and follow up on equipment issues; ensure barista equipment calibration and basic troubleshooting.

Community and brand: Maintain café appearance and merchandising; support social media content and local partnerships where relevant. Requirements Experience: 12 years in a supervisory role in a café/bar/restaurant; barista and basic bar skills essential. Skills: Strong people leadership, guest service, cash management, multitasking, and problem-solving.

Confident with POS systems and basic Excel/Sheets. Knowledge: Food safety Level 2+ (or willingness to obtain), allergen management, licensing/Challenge 25 (or local equivalent). Attributes: Calm under pressure, hands-on, organised, commercially aware, and a team-first mindset.

Flexible for early mornings, evenings, weekends, and holidays. Preferred Food Safety Level 3 Experience with specialty coffee, latte art, cocktails, and small events. First aid at work; familiarity with HACCP and digital checklists.

KPIs Guest satisfaction and reviews Average transaction value and sales growth Labour cost percentage and scheduling accuracy Waste and stock variance Compliance audit scores and training completion Hours of work - 5 out of 7 days - 10.00am - 8.00pm Salary - £27k -£28k + Additional benefits If you feel you would be a suitable candidate for this management position please forward CV in strictest confidence via link below Skills: Management Supervision barista food beverages Benefits: Paid Holidays Meal Allowance / Canteen Internet Allowance WHJS1_NI