Food & Beverage Events Assistant

Chester Zoo; Chester; On-site; GBP 12,000 - 15,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Staff pass

Travel pass

Healthcare

Pension

Staff canteen

Discounts

Job summary

Chester Zoo in Chester is seeking Events Team Members to support weddings, parties, conferences and other events at The Square and The Oakfield pub. You'll work hands-on across events, with front-of-house duties in F&B as required, delivering a world-class guest experience.

We offer a permanent part-time contract (20 hours per week) with a schedule including weekends and evenings, 33 days pro‑rata leave, staff benefits, travel pass, healthcare, pension and staff discounts.

Qualifications

• Excellent customer service skills.
• Excellent communication skills and teamwork.
• A good level of numeracy and literacy.
• Cash handling experience.
• Ability to think on your feet and adapt to a multitude of different scenarios.
• A keen eye for detail and passion for high standards.
• Due to licensing requirements, you must be aged 18 or older.

Responsibilities

• Assisting with event setups and pack downs, ensuring spaces look their best.
• Welcoming and serving guests with a friendly, professional manner.
• Supporting food and beverage service, including serving meals, drinks, and clearing tables.
• Leading the delivery of small conferences, liaising with clients and ensuring their requirements are met.
• Building and maintaining strong client relationships to support repeat business and positive feedback.
• Supporting front‑of‑house Food & Beverage operations within the pub and other F&B outlets when required.
• Maintaining cleanliness and presentation across event spaces and F&B areas.
• Working with colleagues and managers to deliver seamless events from start to finish.

Skills

Customer service

Communication

Teamwork

Numeracy

Literacy

Cash handling

Adaptability

Attention to detail

Age 18+

Job description

We’re looking for Events Team Members to join our Food & Beverage team at the UK’s number 1 zoo!

The Role

As an Events Team Member, you’ll support the smooth running of weddings, parties, conferences, and other exciting events at the zoo, across our stunning events space, The Square, and our award-winning British gastro-pub, The Oakfield. With exciting plans for 2026 and beyond, there’s never been a better time to join us! Your role will be hands‑on, varied, and focused on ensuring every guest enjoys a world‑class experience. In addition to event delivery, you will also support Food & Beverage front‑of‑house duties within the pub and other F&B units as required. You will also take the lead on small conferences, building positive relationships with clients and acting as a key point of contact on the day.

Duties include:

• Assisting with event setups and pack downs, ensuring spaces look their best
• Welcoming and serving guests with a friendly, professional manner
• Supporting food and beverage service, including serving meals, drinks, and clearing tables
• Leading the delivery of small conferences, liaising with clients and ensuring their requirements are met
• Building and maintaining strong client relationships to support repeat business and positive feedback
• Supporting front‑of‑house Food & Beverage operations within the pub and other F&B outlets when required
• Maintaining cleanliness and presentation across event spaces and F&B areas
• Working with colleagues and managers to deliver seamless events from start to finish

The Package

You’ll be working a variety of shifts, including during our core zoo opening hours, as well as early morning or evening work for events such as weddings and corporate functions or late‑night opening.

• Permanent contract – 20 hours per week
• £13,218.50 per annum based on 20 hours per week
• Working hours vary based on contract, 5 out of 7 availability. Will include weekends, bank holidays and evenings. Additional hours potentially available during busy periods and overtime will be paid.
• 33 days pro‑rata annual leave plus the option to buy or sell up to 5 days
• Staff pass so you can visit the zoo during your time off, plus multiple complimentary tickets for your friends and family
• Free travel to and from work on the X1 bus service from Chester and Ellesmere Port
• Healthcare plan
• Discounted gym membership
• Discounts on cinema tickets, restaurants, high street shops and more via Perks
• Pension scheme
• Subsidised staff canteen
• Online Discount/Cashback scheme
• Free entry to affiliated zoo’s and collections through BIAZA including Blue Planet Aquarium

Our Requirements

• Excellent customer service skills, ideally gained in a similar environment such as an event space
• Excellent communication skills and teamwork
• A good level of numeracy and literacy, to help with taking orders, reading menus and processing payments
• Cash handling experience
• Ability to think on your feet and adapt to a multitude of different scenarios
• A keen eye for detail and passion for high standards
• Due to licensing requirements, you must be aged 18 or older

Desirable Requirements

• Bar and/or barista experience would be desirable

What makes Chester Zoo a great place to work?

We’re a huge team of conservationists, scientists, educators, animal welfare experts, marketeers, visitor experience professionals, environmental policy influencers; the list goes on. Each and every one of us is on a mission to make Chester Zoo the best in the world, and our planet a better place. As the UK’s biggest and best zoo, we have ambitious goals, exciting plans, and there’s always lots going on here. We’re an inclusive and diverse organisation, made up of over 600 permanent and up to 500 temporary team members, and we know how important it is to invest in our colleagues to help boost their career development. We have ambitious goals, and we want you to be with us for the long term on our exciting journey. Our working environment could not be more different from a typical place of work – where else can you see critically endangered orangutans, rare giraffes and tigers on your lunch break?