Vocational Cafe Manager

GREENACRE SCHOOL; Barnsley; On-site; GBP 37,000 - 39,000; Full time

Job summary

Greenacre School in Barnsley is seeking a Vocational Café Manager to lead a brand new, commercially sustainable student cafe. You will balance everyday café operations with a transformative vocational training programme for pupils, delivering real world skills in a supportive environment.

Role offers flexibility with term-time or full-year contracts and occasional weekend work; you will recruit and manage staff, oversee menus and stock, and ensure high standards of food quality, safety and

Qualifications

• Significant management experience in hospitality or catering.
• Experience training and motivating a diverse team.
• Experience working with children or adults with SEN is advantageous.
• Understanding of safeguarding principles in educational settings.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily café operations with high standards for food quality and service.
• Develop menus and presentation to create an inclusive café experience.
• Deliver hands-on vocational training across café functions (food prep, service, cleaning).
• Manage café finances, stock control, pricing, inventory and cashless systems per Trust rules.
• Recruit, build and manage a reliable café team.

Skills

Management experience

Team leadership

Staff training

SEN awareness

Education

City & Guilds/NVQ Level 3+ in Hospitality/Catering or Business Management

Job description

Vocational Café Manager

£36581- £39481 Full Time / £31745 - £34262 Term Time

A newly created exciting opportunity is available for someone looking for a career in education or a fresh challenge in an inspiring learning environment.

If you are passionate about mentoring young people with complex needs and bringing high quality catering service to our school community, we would love to hear from you!

We are looking for an inspiring Vocational Café Manager to lead a brand new vibrant, commercially sustainable business at the heart of our school community. In this unique dual role, you will balance operational excellence with educational purpose, creating a welcoming environment for customers while delivering a structured, safe and transformative vocational training programme that empowers our pupils with real world skills.

Greenacre School is one of the UK’s largest special schools, educating over 300 children and young people with severe and complex learning disabilities. Our aim is to provide the best possible care and education for children and young people aged 3 - 19 with severe and complex needs.

This role requires a flexible approach to hours including occasional weekend work. We are open to discussing different contract types—such as term-time only or full-year (52-week) agreements with the successful candidate during the interview stage

What you will cook up!

• Lead daily café operations, ensuring high standards in food quality, service, menu development and presentation.
• Create a welcoming and inclusive café experience for all customers fostering a genuine sense of community.
• Deliver hands-on vocational training to our pupils across all café functions (food preparation, customer service, cleaning).
• Manage café finances, stock control, pricing strategies, inventory, supplier negotiations and cashless payment systems in line with Trust regulations.
• Recruit, build and manage a reliable team of café support staff.

What Ingredients you will bring!

• Relevant industry qualifications (e.g., City & Guilds, NVQ Level 3 or higher in Hospitality, Catering, or Business Management).
• Significant and demonstrable experience in a management or supervisory role within the hospitality or catering sector.
• Proven experience of managing, training and motivating a diverse team.
• Experience of working directly with children, young people, or adults with additional and/or Special Educational Needs (SEN), including an understanding of safeguarding principles.

For more information on this fantastic new opportunity at our wonderful school in Barnsley then please refer to the job description and person specification attached.

Closing date for applications is Midnight on Wednesday 4 November 2026

We are committed to diversity, equity and inclusion.

We want our people to reflect our diverse communities and create a safe space in which everyone belongs. We welcome applications from individuals from all backgrounds and especially those from under-represented groups including those from Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities.

Safeguarding We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of pupils. All posts are offered subject to enhanced DBS checks and appropriate references. All posts are exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.