Hwb y Gors Cafe Manager

Job Description

Who we are:  www.aat.cymru

Awel Aman Tawe is a charity based in the upper Amman Valley and founded in 1998 with the joint objectives of addressing the climate emergency and supporting community resilience.  We have developed the two largest renewable energy co-ops in Wales: Awel Co-op (our wind co-op) and Egni Co-op (our solar co-op).  We also run a variety of projects including Energy Warriors schools’ education programme, sustainable community transport, energy efficiency advice and community arts.  We bought the former primary school in Cwmgors in 2018 and are currently re-developing it into a new low-carbon arts, education and enterprise centre: Hwb y Gors. We anticipate the centre opening in early 2025 and this position of Cafe Manager will play a key role in developing our vision for the venue.

Position Summary

You will have a deep understanding and passion for the launch, development and growth of our Hwb y Gors vegetarian and vegan Cafe, bringing energy and enthusiasm to the role. You will be experienced and committed to serving nutritious food that reflects the spirit of Hwb y Gors. You will be a problem solver whose attention to detail is as strong as your appreciation for the bigger picture. With great communication skills you will be able to interact with a variety of stakeholders, including volunteers, whilst continually prioritising the needs of the Centre within the organisation.  This is a challenging, highly rewarding position, the success of which requires a commitment to the local community and to AAT’s joint purpose of addressing the climate emergency and supporting community resiliency.  We will strive to ensure the centre is self-sustaining withing 3 years and net zero by 2030.  The café will play an integral role in reaching these goals.

Vision for the Cafe at Hwb y Gors 

We would like our café (yet to be named) to serve the community through the delivery of tasty, healthy vegetarian/vegan foods.  We envisage our café becoming an important meeting place for everyone in the community of Cwmgors, visitors from further afield and the community of artists, educators and small enterprises within the centre.

Key to the delivery of the service within the centre will be to coordinate and work with centre volunteers and Hwb officers, who will undertake minimal service (light refreshments) when the Cafe Manager is not present, and to liaise with our community garden volunteers to utilize their produce.

Flexibility in working hours is required.   We anticipate the opening hours to be daytime service with up to two evenings per week including Friday.

We are looking for a special person to work with us to realize this vision.

Roles and Responsibilities

As the Cafe Manager you will:

Person Specification

 EssentialDesirable
Experience  
Minimum 2 years working in a food outletx 
Minimum 2 years’ experience cooking high quality vegetarian/vegan food in commercial settingx 
Good mathematical skills and experience of cash-handlingx 
Experience of working with community-based organisations and a good understanding of the charity sector environmentx 
Experience of managing staff and/or volunteersx 
Experience and passion for food and developing menusx 
Experience in setting and managing a budgetx 
   
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities  
Excellent communication and customer service skillsx 
Ability to work collaboratively with a wide range of people including volunteers and vulnerable peoplex 
ICT skills – ability to use databases, social media and to contribute to web content. x
Good problem-solving skills and awareness of risk assessmentsx 
Ability to take initiative and identify, prioritise and plan activities independentlyx 
Commitment to challenging discriminatory or disrespectful behaviourx 
Ability to contribute to strategic target-setting and development planning x
Ability to work both independently and collaboratively as part of a team.x 
Welsh speaker or commitment to learn.x 
   
Personal QualitiesEssentialDesirable
Leadership qualitiesx 
Commitment to principles of equality and respect for othersx 
Good understanding of the social and economic issues faced by the local communityx 
Flexibility with working hours including evenings and weekendsx 
Commitment to the Race to Zero Campaignx 
Willingness to undertake training and personal developmentx 

Training Required which will be arranged by Awel Aman Tawe

Positions are open to all suitably qualified candidates, regardless of age, disability, gender, marriage/civil partnership, pregnancy, maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.

Application process:

Applications must comprise a CV and covering letter. AAT is a special place to work and it’s important for us to understand clearly why you want to be part of the team and what you feel you can bring. Please ensure you describe fully as part of your application your motivations, experience and suitability for the role with reference to the expectations set out in the personal specification and job description

Please email your application to croeso@awel.coop. Please put Hwb y Gors Cafe Manager in the subject heading.

Deadline: 31st January 2025

Interviews: 11th February 2025

This post is part-funded by the National Lottery People and Places Fund.

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