Cafe Manager

WH Smith; Gold Coast City; On-site; AUD 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Wellbeing support via EAP

Career growth opportunities

Employee discounts via Beny app

Job summary

WHSmith Australia is seeking a capable Café Manager to lead our Food by WHSmith cafes located in hospitals across the region. You will oversee daily operations, manage staff, ensure food safety standards and deliver outstanding customer service in a fast-paced environment.

The role requires 3–5 years of multi-site management experience, a Food Safety Supervisor certification and strong leadership skills. You’ll drive performance, control costs, and uphold HACCP compliance while fostering a

Qualifications

• Minimum 3–5 years of experience in a similar role.
• Food Safety Supervisor certification is required.
• First Aid certification is preferred.
• Ability to prioritise and handle multiple tasks in a high catering environment.
• Experience managing food compliance alongside HACCP guidelines.
• Experience managing stock and distribution.
• Experience in managing labour costs across a multi-site business unit.
• Effective staff management and coaching skills.

Responsibilities

• Oversee daily café operations including staff management, stock control, catering and customer service.
• Open and close the café, following company process.
• Manage cash handling procedures, including secure counting and reconciliation.
• Lead, manage and motivate the store team to achieve targets and deliver exceptional customer service.
• Recruit, onboard and train new team members.
• Ensure a clean, safe, and welcoming café environment reflecting brand values.
• Oversee rostering and administrative tasks to ensure efficient store operations.
• Regularly report store performance and issues to the Area Manager.
• Communicate effectively with team members to align with store goals and expectations.
• Maintain equipment cleanliness per HACCP standards.
• Adhere to workplace health and safety guidelines.

Skills

Staff management

Stock control

Customer service

Cash handling

Leadership

Team coaching

Education

Food Safety Supervisor certification

First Aid certification

Tools

POS systems

Job description

What being a Café Manager is all about:

• Oversee all aspects of daily café operations, including staff management, stock control, catering and customer service.
• Open and close the café as required, following company process.
• Manage cash handling procedures, including secure counting and reconciliation during opening and closing shifts.
• Lead, manage, and motivate the store team to achieve performance targets and deliver exceptional customer service.
• Recruit, onboard, and train new team members, ensuring they are well‑versed in store processes and procedures.
• Ensure a clean, safe, and welcoming café environment that reflects our brand values.
• Oversee administrative tasks, including rostering, to ensure efficient store operations.
• Regularly report store performance, operational issues, and feedback to the Area Manager.
• Communicate effectively with team members to ensure alignment with store goals and expectations.
• Maintain equipment cleanliness in accordance with internal procedures and HACCP standards.
• Adhere to workplace health and safety guidelines, promoting best practices across the team.

What our Stores would love to see:

• Minimum 3–5 years of experience in a similar role, preferably in multi‑site management
• Food Safety Supervisor certification (required).
• First Aid certification (preferred).
• Ability to prioritise and handle multiple tasks effectively, in a high catering environment.
• Experience managing food compliance alongside HACCP guidelines
• Experience managing stock and distribution
• Experience in managing labour costs across a multi‑site business unit
• Effective staff management and coaching skills
• Flexibility with work hours and locations

How we reward our Teams:

• Fun, inclusive, and supportive team culture.
• Access to 24/7 wellbeing support through our confidential Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
• Opportunities to grow and develop within the company!
• Generous employee discounts across a range of our products and retail partners through the Beny app
• Be part of a local cafe that values quality and community.

We’re not just here for our customers’ journeys - we want to make every career journey better too!

About Food by WHSmith Australia

Our Food by WHSmith cafes are located in some of Australia’s largest hospitals, offering a fast‑paced and vibrant work environment for team members who thrive in a collaborative setting. We are driven by our core values: Value our People, Drive for Results, Customer Focus & Accountability.

We believe in making a positive impact not only within our teams but also in our local communities by delivering exceptional service in hospitality. We’re looking for team players who are eager to contribute to a positive and supportive workplace, so if these values align with yours and you share our passion for delivering exceptional customer service, we would love to hear from you!

Our Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

WHSmith is an equal opportunity employer and considers all applicants for employment. We recognise the importance of equity in all that we do, as well as promoting a culture of inclusion through our policies, procedures and working practices. If you have any support requirements, we encourage you to advise us at the time of your application, so we can assist you appropriately during the recruitment process.