FOH Cafe Manger

The Hungry Pelican; Hervey Bay; On-site; AUD 55,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Consistent hours

Autonomy

Friendly team environment

Room to grow

Close-knit family business

Job summary

The Hungry Pelican, a small family-owned cafe in Hervey Bay, is seeking an experienced Front of House Manager. You will lead the FOH team, drive daily operations and work with the owners to improve service in this busy cafe.

This hands-on role means leading from the floor, setting service standards, managing rosters, training staff, handling bookings and customer inquiries, and coordinating with the kitchen for smooth service.

Qualifications

• Minimum 2 years' experience in a senior café or hospitality role such as FOH Manager, Café Manager, Restaurant Manager or experienced Supervisor
• Proven experience leading a team in a busy hospitality environment
• Strong understanding of café and FOH operations
• Good coffee/barista skills and confidence working on the coffee machine when required
• Excellent customer service and communication skills
• Strong leadership and people-management skills
• Ability to manage staff performance and maintain accountability
• Excellent organisational and time-management skills
• Calm under pressure and decisive decision-making
• Proactive attitude and team-first mindset

Responsibilities

• Leading, supervising and motivating the FOH team during service
• Taking ownership of the day-to-day FOH operation
• Running busy services and maintaining floor organisation
• Training, coaching and supporting team members
• Coordinating FOH and communicating with the kitchen
• Opening and closing the café
• Managing bookings, customer enquiries and table flow
• Handling customer feedback calmly and professionally
• Maintaining cleanliness, presentation and organisation
• Ensuring stock control and daily operational procedures

Skills

Leadership

Team Management

Customer Service

Coffee Skills

Organisation

Communication

Tools

POS Systems

Cash Handling

Stock Management

Job description

Join our small, family-owned café and become part of a team where people genuinely enjoy coming to work!

The Hungry Pelican is looking for an experienced, energetic and reliable Front of House Manager to lead our FOH team and help drive the day-to-day operation of our busy café.

We’re a small family business, and that’s something we’re really proud of. We’ve created a supportive, friendly and positive workplace where everyone knows each other, helps each other out and takes pride in what we do.

About the Role

This is a hands-on leadership position responsible for overseeing our front-of-house operation and ensuring each day runs smoothly.

You’ll lead from the floor, setting the standard for customer service, pace, presentation and teamwork while working closely with the owners and kitchen team.

This is not an office-based management role. We’re looking for someone who enjoys being involved in service and is happy to jump in wherever needed, whether that's making coffee, serving customers, running food, clearing tables or helping the team through a busy rush.

You’ll take ownership of FOH operations and be trusted to confidently run the café when the owners are not on site.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Leading, supervising and motivating the FOH team during service
• Taking ownership of the day-to-day FOH operation
• Running busy services and keeping the floor organised and efficient
• Maintaining exceptional customer service and hospitality standards
• Leading by example and creating a positive, accountable team culture
• Coordinating FOH and communicating effectively with the kitchen
• Preparing and managing staff rosters and shift changes
• Managing FOH labour and daily productivity
• Opening and closing the café
• Training, coaching and supporting team members
• Monitoring staff performance and maintaining high standards
• Making coffee and working across all areas of FOH when required
• Managing bookings, customer enquiries and table flow
• Handling customer feedback and resolving issues professionally
• Maintaining high standards of cleanliness, presentation and organisation
• Assisting with stock control, ordering and wastage
• Managing POS, cash handling and daily operational procedures
• Ensuring food safety, WHS and company procedures are followed
• Identifying opportunities to improve service, sales and café operations
• Working closely with the owners to continually improve the business

About You

We’re looking for someone who is confident, organised, energetic and genuinely enjoys leading people.

You’re the type of manager who leads from the floor rather than standing back and giving instructions.

You can give clear direction, delegate effectively and hold people accountable, while still creating a workplace where the team feels supported and enjoys coming to work.

When service gets busy, you stay calm, prioritise what needs to happen and help your team get through it.

Ideally, you will have:

• Minimum 2 years' experience in a senior café or hospitality role such as FOH Manager, Café Manager, Restaurant Manager, Assistant Manager or experienced Supervisor
• Proven experience leading a team in a busy hospitality environment
• Strong understanding of café and FOH operations
• Good coffee/barista skills and confidence working on the coffee machine when required
• Excellent customer service and communication skills
• Strong leadership and people-management skills
• The confidence to manage staff performance and maintain accountability
• Excellent organisational and time-management skills
• The ability to remain calm and make decisions under pressure
• Confidence handling customer complaints and difficult situations professionally
• A proactive attitude, you notice what needs doing and take action without needing constant direction
• A team-first mindset and willingness to jump in wherever needed
• Reliability, maturity and a strong sense of responsibility
• Availability for early mornings, weekends and public holidays
• Most importantly, we’re looking for the right person and the right attitude.
• Experience matters, but so does personality. We want someone who brings good energy, communicates openly, supports their team and genuinely takes pride in creating a great café experience.

What We Offer

• 30–35 hours per week
• Consistent hours
• A genuine leadership role with responsibility and autonomy
• A friendly, supportive and positive work environment
• A small family business where you're known and valued
• A close-knit team that looks out for each other
• Owners who are actively involved in and supportive of the business
• The opportunity to contribute ideas and help shape how the café operates
• Room to grow as the business continues to develop
• Great coffee, good food and even better people