Reception & Café Assistant

Freedom Leisure; Ashford; On-site; GBP 10,000 - 15,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Company pension

Cycle-to-work

Discounted staff membership

Employee Assistance Programme

Financial advice

Incremental annual leave

Staff Shop discounts

Training and development

Insurance schemes

Job summary

Freedom Leisure is seeking a friendly Reception & Café Assistant to join our front-of-house team at our Ashford centre. You will welcome visitors, handle enquiries, bookings and memberships, and ensure a smooth operation of the reception and café areas.

You will serve drinks and light snacks, follow food hygiene standards, and keep the café tidy. Training is provided; barista experience is desirable. 20 hours per week on a rota basis, including weekends.

Qualifications

• Customer-facing role experience in leisure, fitness, or community settings preferred.
• Comfortable handling cash and card payments with accuracy.
• Training provided; willingness to learn barista skills.
• Ability to multitask in a busy reception and café environment.

Responsibilities

• Greet visitors warmly at reception and manage enquiries face-to-face, online and by phone.
• Process bookings and memberships; operate booking, till and membership systems.
• Provide up-to-date information on centre facilities, classes and promotions.
• Prepare and serve hot/cold drinks and snacks; maintain café cleanliness.

Skills

Customer service

Reception

Cash handling

Barista experience

Tools

Booking system

Membership system

Till system

Job description

We are looking for an enthusiastic, approachable, and customer-focused Reception & Café Assistant to join our front-of-house team. In this dual role, you’ll be the first point of contact for our customers - providing a warm welcome at Reception and delivering excellent service in our Café. If you enjoy working with people and thrive in a fast-paced environment, we’d love to hear from you., Customer Service & Reception

• Welcome all visitors with a smile in a friendly and professional manner.
• Handle enquiries, bookings and memberships face-to-face, online and by phone.
• Accurately operate booking, till and membership systems.
• Provide up-to-date information on centre facilities, classes and promotions.
• Maintain a tidy, inviting reception area and ensure high standards of presentation.

Café & Retail Service

• Prepare and serve hot and cold drinks, including barista-style coffee.
• Offer a range of light snacks and pre-packaged food items.
• Always ensure compliance with food hygiene and health & safety standards.
• Replenish café stock and vending machines as required.
• Keep café spaces clean, well-organised and customer friendly.

Teamwork & Operational Support

• Work as part of a collaborative, multi-skilled team.
• Support the delivery of events and activities within the centre.
• Follow Freedom Leisure's policies on safeguarding, health & safety and customer care.
• Participate in relevant training and ongoing professional development.

Please note: If a high volume of suitable applications is received, we may close this vacancy earlier than advertised. Early applications are encouraged.

Hours: 20 hours per week, Monday - Sunday (Rota basis)

We’re looking for someone who is:

• Passionate about delivering outstanding customer service.
• Comfortable using till systems and handling cash/card payments.
• Barista experience is desirable but training can be provided.
• Able to multitask and remain calm in a busy environment.
• A proactive, flexible and reliable team player.

Desirable Skills & Experience

• Previous experience in a customer-facing role in leisure, fitness or community service settings.
• Hospitality or Retail experience delivering customer excellence.

Join the Energy at Freedom Leisure - Do Good Feel Good!

At Freedom Leisure, we’re all about positive vibes, great people and making a real impact. Yes, we run leisure and cultural facilities, gyms, and swimming pools - but at the heart of it all, it’s our people who make the difference. As one of the UK’s leading charitable leisure trusts, we’re proud of our mission of Improving Lives Through Leisure. We’re here to help communities live healthier, happier lives by making our centres welcoming, inclusive and accessible to everyone - because everyone deserves to feel good. We’re all about delivering amazing customer service with a smile - every single day. We create spaces where people feel at home, supported and inspired. If you’re passionate about helping others and love creating great experiences, you’ll feel right at home with us. You don’t need to be an expert to get started - we’ll give you all the training and support you need. With over 130 centres across England and Wales, there’s loads of room to grow. Many of our team have built amazing careers doing what they love, helping customers day-to-day and making people feel good. We’re proud to be a workplace where everyone is welcome, valued and supported to thrive - because when our team reflects the communities we serve, we all grow stronger together.

At Freedom Leisure, we believe a diverse workforce strengthens our organisation and enhances the services we provide. We welcome applications from suitably qualified candidates regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.

We want you to love coming to work, feeling healthy, happy and valued. That’s why we’ve developed a benefits package with you in mind, so what can we offer you?

• Company pension
• Cycle-to-work and car leasing tax-efficient schemes
• Discounted staff membership (including family members)
• Employee Assistance Programme: 24/7 confidential, independent and professional counselling
• Financial advice
• Incremental annual leave entitlement
• My Staff Shop employee benefits scheme, offering discounts on cinema tickets, travel, high street e-vouchers, gift cards, days out, leisure activities and everyday spending
• Fully funded training and development, with career progression opportunities
• Various insurance and savings schemes