Wellness Café Manager (St. James Site)
As Café Manager, you are the driving force of the Heliix St. James café: overseeing day‑to‑day operations, leading and developing the team, ensuring exceptional service standards, and championing our wellness‑focused mission. This is an active, site‑based leadership role; you’ll be on the floor, not behind a desk. You will be responsible for operational and financial performance, maintaining exceptional food and beverage quality, supporting nutrition‑led initiatives, and ensuring the smooth running of the café inside Equinox St. James. You will report directly to the Operations Manager and act as a brand ambassador for Heliix.
Key Responsibilities
- Team Leadership & Culture: lead and inspire Café Assistants and Supervisors; train the team on nutrition basics, allergens and wellness service; build efficient rotas for peak periods; conduct 1‑to‑1s, probation reviews and development conversations; foster a positive, motivated, health‑focused team culture.
- Financial & Commercial Management: manage café P&L, wage control and budgets; analyse daily/weekly/monthly performance; implement upsell strategies for premium wellness products; deliver monthly P&L reports to Head Office.
- Operational Excellence: oversee daily café operations including smoothies, meals and specialty coffee; maintain food safety, hygiene and H&S compliance; ensure strict allergen procedures and nutritional accuracy; oversee equipment maintenance and café cleanliness; complete weekly operational KPIs (Food Alert); manage stock, ordering and waste control; lead deep cleans every six weeks.
- Customer Experience & Wellness Advocacy: provide a premium, educational wellness experience; offer basic nutritional and product guidance; resolve member concerns within 24 hours; build strong relationships with Equinox members; promote seasonal menus and functional ingredients.
- Brand Representation & Community Engagement: act as a Heliix brand ambassador; support content creation for social media; champion sustainability and waste reduction initiatives.
Requirements
- 2+ years of management experience in premium hospitality (high‑end coffee shops, wellness cafés, boutique restaurants, luxury hotels or equivalent).
- Strong passion for fitness and wellness.
- Level 2 Food Safety (minimum).
- Excellent leadership and communication skills.
- Proficiency with POS and stock systems.
- Ability to work early mornings, evenings and weekends.
- Entrepreneurial, proactive, solutions‑focused mindset; calm under pressure and highly detail‑oriented.
Benefits
- £30,000‑£35,000 salary.
- Fixed‑term maternity cover (length confirmed at offer stage).
- Complimentary meals during shifts; full access to Equinox Gyms.
- Private GP & counselling services; private medical insurance.
- Cycle‑to‑work scheme (including e‑bikes); expert training programme, including nutrition fundamentals.
- 28 days annual leave (prorated); flexible pension plan.
- High‑energy, wellness‑focused working environment; opportunities to represent Heliix at wellness events & activations.