JOB DESCRIPTION

August 2013

Job title: Head of Café’s

Department: Corporate Services

Reporting to: Director of Corporate Services

Aim

  • To deliver a successful social enterprise café chain that maximises income whilst delivering high quality training programme that moves homeless people into work.

Circumstances

  • This post is based in London but includes regular visits including overnight stays to our other Café’s based in Oxford and Newcastle.
  • This is a full time role – 35 hours per week.

Salary

  • £39,302 per annum.

Background

The Skylight Café model has been developed by Crisis to help homeless people rebuild their social and practical skills, boost their confidence and self-esteem and progress into paid employment. Homeless people (trainees) receive training and hands-on experience in practical, vocational skills such as food/drink preparation and customer care, in a friendly and dynamic environment.

The cafés are located currently in London, Newcastle and Oxford. Each café is part of a larger Crisis Skylight, our award winning and accredited education, training and employment centres, which offer practical and creative workshops in a supportive and inspiring environment together with formal learning opportunities that lead to qualifications and finding work.

The cafés also promote private functions, special events and different projects support which include openings during weekends and evenings.

As well as being an exciting place to meet in the centre of major cities nationwide, the vibrant café’s operate with a conscience – providing an example of how people can be supported out of the trap of homelessness.

Organisational Chart

Principal Accountabilities

  • Support, direct and lead performance of General Managers of Skylight cafes.
  • Maximise the number of successful outcomes from the cafes’ training programmes whilst ensuring that costs per outcome provide value for money.
  • Improve the business performance of Skylight cafes through planning, budgeting, forecasting and monitoring of financial performance and the development of new ideas for business growth. Directing and controlling the activities of the business operations with close monitoring to ensure quality targets are met, adhering to ‘best practice’ and relevant legislation in the sector.
  • Develop flexible training systems that support trainees to build professional work skills and ‘can do’ attitude that will lead to employability.
  • Ensure implementation and maintaining of statutory and organisational standards of hygiene, health and safety documentation and good practice and take any action as is necessary.
  • Build constructive relationships externally with relevant statutory, public, commercial and third sector bodies etc: and internally with relevant teams such as Communications, Employment and Progression.
  • Prepare and present complex information in reports that are fit for purpose to boards/committees and/ or external organisations.
  • Create a marketing strategy to attract customers, increase sales and bring about awareness of homelessness through the work of Crisis and Skylight Cafes.
  • Build an annual marketing plan, including online marketing, with consistency throughout all Cafes.
  • Develop annual for all cafes.
  • Ensure successful recruitment, retention and motivation of staff.
  • Think strategically, evaluating current operations and continually seek new opportunities which drive a competitive advantage.
  • Lead and motivate teams and encourage innovation
  • Be a strong advocate for social enterprise and the benefits of our training programme for homeless people.

General

  • To develop and maintain an understanding of the charity’s work and the needs and circumstances of homeless people
  • To comply with Crisis policies and procedures, including Health and Safety policies, for which all employees owe a duty of care both to themselves and others, in accordance with the Health and Safety at Work Act
  • To carry out any other duties that may reasonably be required in the light of the main purpose of the job.

Person Specification

Essential skills, knowledge and experience

  1. An understanding of the social enterprise business model.
  2. Excellent knowledge of managing a commercial business with a strong understanding of financial needs, profitability and sales.
  3. Experience of managing a café or restaurant including the management of staff.
  4. Able to communicate and influence at all levels, including colleagues, stakeholders and trainees.
  5. A strong commitment to high quality customer service.
  6. Confidentand committed to the vision and values of Crisis.
  7. Ability to make decisions, take ownership and plan for long term needs
  8. Ability to network and build partnerships with excellent communication skills.
  9. Knowledge of and qualification in Food Hygiene and Health & Safety

We encourage applications from all sections of the community particularly those with personal or previous experience of homelessness.