Assistant Café Supervisor at Carlton Marshes Visitor Centre

Suffolk Wildlife Trust; Carlton Colville; On-site; GBP 17,000 - 25,000; Part time

Job summary

A conservation charity is seeking an enthusiastic Assistant Café Supervisor at the Carlton Marshes Visitor Centre. You will support daily operations, ensuring excellent visitor experiences and managing staff. Your role involves food preparation and maintaining cleanliness standards. Essential requirements include strong communication, customer service skills, and prior experience in a similar setting. This part-time position offers a starting salary of £17,675 per annum (FTE £24,375) with additional benefits including annual leave and employer pension contributions.

Benefits

33 days annual leave

9% employer pension contribution

Free life insurance

Employee Assistance Programme

10% discount in cafés

Qualifications

• Confidence in preparing and serving food while maintaining high cleanliness standards.
• Experience in a similar café or hospitality environment is essential.
• Ability to support and guide others in a busy setting.

Responsibilities

• Supporting the smooth operation of the café and ensuring exceptional visitor experiences.
• Leading the café team to deliver outstanding service and maintaining high presentation standards.
• Managing food preparation, stock management, and staff supervision.

Skills

Excellent communication

Customer service

Food preparation

Teamwork

Tools

EPOS till systems

Job description

Salary: The starting salary will be £17,675.00 per annum (FTE £24,375.00)

Assistant Café Supervisor at Carlton Marshes Visitor Centre

Closing date: Tuesday 16 December 2025

Salary: The starting salary will be £17,675.00 per annum (FTE £24,375.00)

Contract type: Permanent / Working hours: Part time

Location

Carlton Marshes Nature Reserve & Visitor Centre, Carlton Marshes Burnt Hill Lane Lowestoft Suffolk NR33 8HU

Apply Now

We’re looking for an enthusiastic and organised Assistant Café Supervisor to help deliver an outstanding visitor experience at our Visitor Centre at Carlton Marshes.

Carlton Marshes, located in the Waveney Valley at the southern tip of the Norfolk Broads near Lowestoft and part of the Suffolk Broads, is a mosaic of habitats including grazing marsh, fens, peat pools, meadows, dykes and scrub that have evolved over centuries to support specialised wildlife.

Strategically placed beside the watercourse, the visitor centre offers panoramic reserve views and a relaxing atmosphere to enjoy freshly baked goods, refreshments and a gift shop area. It also connects to an all-weather network of paths and viewpoints. The surrounding landscape features a play area and a picnic lawn with easy servery access.

As the Assistant Café Supervisor, you will play a key role in supporting the smooth, day-to-day running of the café and ensuring an exceptional experience for every visitor. Working closely with the Café Supervisor, you will help lead the café team to deliver outstanding service, maintain high standards of presentation and uphold the welcoming, nature-inspired atmosphere that defines the Carlton Marshes Visitor Centre.

You will have responsibility for key operational areas including food preparation, stock management, and staff supervision deputising for the Café Supervisor when needed. Through your leadership, attention to detail and enthusiasm for great service, you will help ensure the café’s success as a friendly, efficient and financially sustainable part of the visitor experience — while supporting Suffolk Wildlife Trust’s mission to connect people with nature and bring wildlife back.

The successful candidate will have excellent communication and customer service skills, with confidence in preparing and serving food, maintaining high standards of cleanliness and working well as part of a team. Experience in a similar environment is essential, along with the ability to support and guide others in a busy setting. Proficiency with EPOS till systems and barista skills are desirable, as is previous experience in a supervisory or leadership role.

This is a permanent position working four out of seven days each week, including bank holidays and at least one weekend day each week on a rota basis. The starting salary will be £17,675.00 per annum (FTE £24,375.00) and the working hours are:

April to October - 28 hours per week over four days
November to March - 26 hours per week over four days

To apply for this opportunity, please submit an online application via our website by 9:00am on Tuesday 16 November 2025. The application process will include uploading a CV and optional cover letter. The interviews are planned for Tuesday 23 December 2025 at Carlton Marshes Visitor Centre. Please indicate on the application your availability for interview.

Annual leave entitlement starts at 33 days per annum (including Bank Holidays), increasing annually to 38 days plus employees receive an extra day off for their birthday. We offer a 9% employer pension contribution with no employee contribution required, free 24-hour Employee Assistance Programme, free life insurance from day one of employment, free access to a private GP and discounts at high street retailers. Staff can also enjoy a 10% discount in our visitor centre cafes, including retail.

Commitment to Diversity

Suffolk Wildlife Trust is committed to an inclusive and diverse workplace where everyone is welcome. As a conservation charity, we recognise the importance of diversity in both nature and our workforce of staff and volunteers. We strive to ensure that everyone feels valued and empowered to contribute to our vision of “A Wilder Suffolk where nature is thriving and abundant because everyone is doing more to help”.