Hospitality Team Member

Youth Hostels Association (England & Wales); Beddingham; On-site; GBP 14,000 - 19,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

10 nights free hostel stays per year

Staff discount and cash back portal

Free YHA Membership each year

Employee Assistance Program

Job summary

YHA South Downs at Itford Farm, Beddingham, Lewes, East Sussex, BN8 6JS, seeks a Hospitality Team Member for a fixed-term contract from September 2026 to April 2027. The role covers reception, cafe service, kitchen support, and potential housekeeping. Weekend work is expected. 68-bed hostel with a focus on welcoming walkers, families and groups.

You will join a friendly team, receive training, and contribute to memorable guest experiences while upholding YHA values and service standards.

Qualifications

• Experience delivering great customer service in hosting/hospitality
• Experience working front of house and in a team environment
• Able to work weekends and flexible shifts
• Good timekeeping and ability to manage busy periods
• Knowledge of YHA values and heritage (HEART) is desirable

Responsibilities

• Provide friendly customer service at reception and cafe
• Assist in check-ins/check-outs and guest inquiries
• Assist in food preparation and service in the hostel cafe
• Carry out housekeeping duties to keep areas clean and welcoming
• Support in delivering a memorable guest experience

Skills

Customer service

Reception duties

Team player

Time management

Hospitality knowledge

Tools

Cash handling

Food hygiene

Job description

Hospitality Team Member

YHA South Downs, Itford Farm, Beddingham, Lewes, East Sussex, BN8 6JS

Fixed term, flexible contract - September 2026 to April 2027

Minimum 12 hours per week

£12.71 per hour (applies to all, including those under the age of 21)

Are you looking for a fun and varied job in hospitality? YHA South Downs are looking for a Hospitality Team Member to join their team!

YHA South Downs, located between Lewes and Newhaven, are seeking to recruit a team member at our 68 bed hostel. You will be based in our cafe/reception, working both front of house and in the kitchen preparing meals. You may be also asked to help out on housekeeping where required. Our cafe also doubles up as reception, for checking in guests staying at the hostel and helping with enquiries. We are looking for someone to work weekends.

Built around a 15th century farmhouse, the hostel has 13 bedrooms, glamping options and a cafe open to the public. We host all types of guests, from walkers and cyclists on the South Downs Way to School Groups on Residentials. We are located right next to Southease Train Station - so it's easy to reach us from Brighton, Seaford, Lewes and Newhaven.

As a Hospitality Team Member, you'll play a key role in making our guests' experiences memorable. Your efforts will be at the core of our mission to provide exceptional hospitality.

Why work for YHA?

Join our team and enjoy a range of exclusive staff benefits that support your well-being and career growth:

• 10 nights free hostel stays per year for you and up to 3 friends or family

• Access to YHA’s staff discount and cash back portal

• Free YHA Membership each year

• Access to support via our Employee Assistance Program

There are many more benefits to working for YHA so please visit our YHA Jobs website for more information.

What will you be doing as a Hospitality Team Member?

We are a friendly team and will provide the training required for you to undertake the role. However, there is plenty for you to get stuck into from day one, including:

• Providing great customer service to all our customers, members and guests.

• Working on reception, offering insights about the hostel and the local area. Ensuring every guest feels informed and welcomed.

• Using our systems for efficient guest check-ins and check-outs, food and beverage sales and service.

• Carrying out housekeeping duties, ensuring a comfortable, clean environment for all visitors.

• Assisting in the preparation of food and serving food and drinks with genuine warmth, hospitality, and pride that will influence in more sales.

What Skills and Experience do you need to be a Hospitality Team Member?

Our Hospitality Team Members undertake a wide range of customer facing duties within the hostel, delivering an excellent service to all guests and visitors.

To provide this service to our guests we are looking for the following qualities in our Hospitality Team Members:

• Experience of working face to face with customers

• Experience of working in a team – can help others to achieve a common goal

• Excellent timekeeping, with flexibility to cover different shifts – punctual, can work to deadlines

• Ability to manage varying pressures, include peaks in workload demands – can prioritise, able to deal with conflicting duties

• Knowledge and understanding of the core purpose of YHA – what YHA does and how we do it

• Demonstration of our HEART values – they’re part of everything we do, and we look for people who bring them to life in their everyday work

For more information about the role and the skills and experience required, please refer to the job description.

At YHA, we understand the richness of life experiences, and we place just as much importance on lived experiences as we do on skills and knowledge. We provide a robust induction, ongoing training, and opportunities for personal growth. While certain roles may require specific skills, we welcome applicants from all backgrounds. For more information about how we are creating an inclusive workplace please visit our jobs website.

Who are YHA?

YHA is a social enterprise with a mission to enrich the lives of all, especially young people. YHA does this by providing brilliant hostel stays and experiences that improve physical health, mental wellbeing and life skills.

If you would like to find out more about YHA the charity, the culture, the heritage and so much more please visit our jobs website.

PLEASE NOTE

All relevant checks are in place to ensure safeguarding and legal requirements of safer recruitment are adhered to. We do reserve the right to close this advertisement early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.