Find your place in the field of good food

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Roots to Work is a project of Sustain: the alliance for better food and farming.

General Manager

The Key Cafe - The Key Unlock Potential
Bristol

Posted: 21 Aug 2025

Deadline: 6 Sep 2025

Compensation: £32,000 per year

Paid Full-time

Job description

The Key Unlock Potential (TKUP), is a charity that helps people rebuild their lives after leaving prison. We are creating a safe workspace in the community, allowing individuals to establish routines, acquire new skills, and regain confidence. Acting as a bridge between prison, rehabilitation, and employment, TKUP aims to break the cycle of reoffending.

In partnership with the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and HMP Bristol, we have set up a community café that is staffed by recently released ex-offenders from HMP Bristol and is serving “food with conviction”: simple, fresh homemade meals and drinks.

Supported by The Restore Trust, we also provide training, employability skills, and follow-on advice for the staff on work placements, with a view to The Key Café becoming a new model for rehabilitation and resettlement, benefiting ex-offenders in Bristol, and in communities nationwide.

THE ROLE:

We are seeking a self-sufficient, highly motivated General Manager to take on this unique and diverse role.

The role will require strong people development skills, in terms of nurturing and training staff who've lost their sense of self-worth and confidence, may not have had a regular job, and may come from a less than supportive social network.

There will be excellent support, training and development for the General Manager, provided by The Restore Trust and an approachable Board of Trustees who have vast experience and knowledge in many charitable and commercial sectors.

We see the General Manager, and The Key Café itself, being at the heart of the community, promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion to ensure that our staff and our customers feel valued, feel important and feel part of something special.

ABOUT YOU

You need to have a passion for food and hospitality, with brilliant service, quality and people skills running through your veins!

The ideal candidate is as comfortable working the floor as they are reviewing P&L statements and managingstocktakes, GP's and labour percentage, leading staff training, and negotiating with suppliers. You will also need experience of food preparation and

You'll be the driving force behind both the guest experience and the café's profitability. Ideally with a background incafes, bars, or restaurants you will need to relish the opportunity to run your own, unique food business, that has a strong social purpose, and bags of opportunity for you to develop and growthe offer, the operation, and the income.

As well as an entrepreneurial spirit, you will need to be a good communicator and collaborator and are confident building partnerships within the community and with other charities, influencers, and potential funders.

YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Manage and lead the day-to-day operations of a busy cafe.
• Manage the P&L on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis, agreeing realistic targets and budgets.
• Manage stock, ordering and production of food, drink, and merchandise.
• Develop and innovate the food and drink menu (non-alcoholic drinks only).
• Manage, supervise, and lead the team, their shifts and their rota.
• Inspire, engage and develop the team through regular reviews and appraisals,
• Organise and plan for recruitment and training.
• Ensure compliance with health, safety, food hygiene, data and employment legislation.
• Prepare and present monthly reports for the Board of Trustees.
• Support the Board to develop PR, communication, and marketing activity, to promote the Café and the Charity within the community and across the city.
• Liaise and collaborate with project managers, HMP Bristol representatives, charity partners and supporters.

WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU? 

• Salary of up to £32,000 per annum (DOE) plus pension scheme
• Working 5 days per week, straight shifts, some evenings when we move into hosting events
• 28 days holiday per annum (inc. Bank Holidays and closed on Christmas/Boxing Day).
• Free meal allowance on shift and staff discount available.
• Cycle to work scheme.
• Mental health support.
• Personal development through qualifications. 

Application information

Please send your C.V. with a brief cover letter to Suzanne Thompson.

This role is open to applications from all backgrounds. We are committed to equity, acceptance, and inclusion, and provide everyone who works with us the opportunity to unlock their potential. The more diverse our team, the better our charity, and delivery of our aim to help people successfully transition from prison back to their families, to their communities and back into wider society. Given our charitable objectives, we also especially welcome applications from people with lived experience of the transition from prison to meaningful employment.

Please mention Roots to Work when applying for these jobs