Café Lead / Shift Manager

United Baristas; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 23,000 - 25,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pre-opening training

On-site role

Weekend shifts

Competitive pay

Job summary

Hemma Social, a new neighbourhood café in East Village, London, seeks a trusted Café Lead / Shift Manager to run day-to-day shifts when the owner is away.

You will open and close, maintain coffee quality, move between espresso bar, till, floor and food assembly, and train junior colleagues while ensuring food safety and stock checks.

This senior role offers on-site hours with weekend shifts, paid pre-opening training, and a warm welcome for guests.

Qualifications

• Senior barista experience with shift leadership.
• Strong espresso skills including dial-in and quality checks.
• Clear communication under pressure.

Responsibilities

• Open and close shifts and manage the day-to-day operations.
• Run the floor, espresso bar, till and simple food assembly.
• Train junior colleagues and ensure cleaning and food safety standards.
• Flag shortages or issues to the owner promptly.

Skills

Espresso dial-in

People leadership

Under pressure communication

Training juniors

Job description

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Position Information

Hemma Social is a new neighbourhood café and family space at 14 Tandy Place, East Village, London E20 3AS. We aim to open around 16–18 November 2026. We are looking for a trusted, hands-on Café Lead / Shift Manager who can run the day-to-day shift when the owner is away.

This is a senior all-rounder role with responsibility for the shift. You will open and close, keep coffee quality consistent, run the floor and assign the team during service. You will move between espresso bar, till, floor and simple food assembly, working with the kitchen prep lead through busy breakfast and lunch periods. You will handle everyday customer issues, train junior colleagues, check basic stock levels and make sure cleaning, food safety and agreed routines are followed. When something is running low or going wrong, you will flag it clearly to the owner.

The owner handles suppliers, purchasing decisions and major orders, menu and product decisions, pricing, payroll, hiring, marketing and commercial decisions. Your focus is a well-run shift, a supported team and a warm welcome for our guests.

We are looking for experience leading shifts or training colleagues in a café or similar venue, confident commercial espresso skills including dial-in and quality checks, and clear communication under pressure. A senior barista or café supervisor ready to take responsibility for a shift could be a good fit. You should be happy helping wherever service needs you. Experience in a family-focused setting is welcome but not essential.

Pay is £17.50–£18.50 per hour base, depending on experience, for around 35–40 paid hours a week. This is a permanent, on-site role with weekend shifts and paid pre-opening training. Planned public hours are Monday–Friday 08:00–18:00, Saturday 08:30–18:00 and Sunday 08:30–16:00. The regular six-day rota and closed day are being finalised; the initial soft launch may be Wednesday–Sunday. Your actual shifts will be agreed in advance.

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Job Title

Senior Barista

Employment

• Full Time
• Part Time
• Temporary

Typical Hours

40 hours per week

Base Pay

£13.50 - 14.50 per hour

Nena Craft Bakery

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