Café Assistant

“One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.”

Virginia Woolf, A Room of One's Own

Based at: Calderstones Mansion House, Liverpool, L18 3JD

Reporting to: Cafe Manager
Salary:£7.05 - £7.50 per hour

Hours:Zero hour contract. Covering 7 days a week. Includes weekend work.

Duration: 6 month contract

About the Role:

This individual will be working within The Reader Café. They will work in a team developingand delivering a range of profitable catering offers that work in harmony with The Reader’s ethos and vision.

The café, open seven days a week, provides a quality and affordable offer for the local community in a welcoming environment. It will be the individual’s responsibility to work as part of the team delivering this offer and ensuring that high levels of customer service are maintained.

Role Responsibilities:

This is not your typical hospitality role; as well as havingrelevant catering experience and a passion for working with people, we looking for someone who cares about the work The Reader carries out. You will be part of a team running a profitable social enterprise that provides an offer of the highest standard to the wider community. We are looking for responsible individuals who can use their initiative and are comfortable in a high pressured working environment.

Your main responsibilities will be:

  • Preparing and presenting food to a high standard (training will be provided)
  • Preparing and presenting drinks to a high standard (training will be provided)
  • Dealing with customers and ensuring high standards of customer service
  • Maintaining the reputation of the charity in your dealings with the public
  • Maintaining high standards of hygiene
  • Creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere
  • Maintaining stock levels whilst on shift.

Our Beliefs and Values

Our beliefs and values shape our culture and guide us in our work both internally and externally.These are principles that we hope will help everyone who works for us, everyone who works with us and everyone with whom we read understand who we are, what we stand for and how we do things.

It’s really important that we recruit people who feel they can work in accordance with these values:

Great literature is at our heart

We read to lead

We are kind but bold

We respect individuality but work as a team

We value innovation and find ways to live with change

We have strong boundaries and are well supported

We celebrate success but learn from our mistakes

We work whole-heartedly and value our wellbeing

Full descriptions of each value can be found on our website at

Personal Attributes and Circumstances

As The Reader Café is the face of our organisation we need individuals who are friendly and compassionate as well as aware of their responsibility to the project the ethos and values of The Reader.

We are looking for an experienced, reliable person who:

  • Shares our ethos and values
  • Has relevant experience within the hospitality industry
  • Is flexible, willing and able – enthusiastic and energetic
  • Has the ability to use own initiative and work independently without supervision
  • Has a resilient personality
  • Can show an understanding of and commitment to The Reader’s plans to develop the Centre for Reading and Wellbeing in Calderstones Mansion House
  • Can show an understanding of the work The Reader carries out including plans to develop the Mansion House
  • Has excellent communication and interpersonal skills
  • Has strong organisational and time management skills combined with a high level of initiative.

N.B. The job interview will focus upon these areas.

Desirable

  • A passion for literature

How to Apply:

Note: please do not just send in a CV. We will only consider applications that adhere to the following process:

Visit and select the ‘get involved’ tab where you will be able to view the full job description and download an application form. Please complete the application form and submit a covering letter, explaining how you meet the requirements of this role, to

Your covering letter is an opportunity for you to include any additional information which could not be explained within the application form.

Completed applications must be received by 9am, Friday 28th July 2017

A high volume of applications may make replies to everyone impossible.