Find your place in the field of good food

Our goal is to connect good people with good food. We advertise sustainable food jobs and training opportunities to help jobseekers and employers find each other.

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

Job description

Head Chef and Café Operations Manager

A single senior leadership role combining food delivery with day-to-day café operations, compliance, and team management.

Contract: Full-time

Reporting to: Interim Chief Executive Officer

Purpose of the role

The Head Chef and Café Operations Manager is responsible for the day-to-day leadership of Platform Café, a small community café seating up to 25 people and offering a range of barista speciality coffees and a high-quality vegetarian hot and cold menu, combining high-quality food delivery with strong operational management, compliance, and income generation. The role supports LJAG’s charitable mission by ensuring the café operates safely, sustainably, and as a welcoming, inclusive community space.

Key responsibilities – Management and operations

• Overall responsibility for daily café operations, rotas, and staffing
• Implementation and oversight of food safety, allergens, and health and safety systems
• Management of suppliers, stock control, ordering, and waste reduction
• Financial oversight including daily takings, margins, and cost control
• Ensuring the café always remains inspection-ready
• Responsibility for the safe use, routine care, and basic maintenance of all café and kitchen equipment, including identifying faults, arranging repairs, and liaising with contractors or suppliers to minimise downtime and ensure safe operation

Key responsibilities – Kitchen and food

• Lead food preparation and menu delivery
• Maintain high standards of food quality, presentation, and consistency
• Always ensure safe food handling and allergen management
• Support menu development aligned with community needs and income generation

Safeguarding, compliance, and governance

• Operate in line with LJAG safeguarding policies and procedures
• Ensure compliance with charity governance, data protection, and employment practices
• Maintain accurate records and contribute to audits and inspections

Income generation and sustainability

• Support growth of café income through menu planning, events, and partnerships
• Balance commercial performance with community access and affordability
• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency and reduce costs
• Identify and support catering opportunities, including events and external bookings, and contribute to the promotion and marketing of the café and catering offer in collaboration with LJAG colleagues
• Ensure the café’s facilities, equipment, and offer are well maintained, promoted, and used effectively to support sustainable income generation

Equality, diversity, and inclusion in service delivery

• Actively consider equality, diversity, and inclusion in day-to-day decision making, alongside commercial sustainability
• Use the café space in ways that support community connection, inclusion, and wellbeing
• Create a welcoming, respectful, and accessible café environment for all customers, volunteers, and partners
• Support affordable pricing, concessions, and community access in line with LJAG’s charitable purpose
• Ensure menus are inclusive and responsive to the cultural, dietary, and allergen needs of Lambeth’s diverse communities

Essential requirements

• A demonstrable understanding of, and commitment to, equality, diversity, and inclusion in both service delivery and people management, with awareness of and respect for the diverse communities of Lambeth
• Level 3 Food Safety or equivalent qualification
• Experience managing a commercial or community food operation
• Strong people management and organisational skills
• Clear understanding of food safety, allergens, and compliance
• A good sense of humour and the ability to remain positive, approachable, and calm in a busy community café environment

Equal opportunities

Loughborough Junction Action Group values diversity and inclusion and welcomes applications from people of all backgrounds. We especially encourage applications from those who live locally or have strong links to the local community. Appointments are made on merit, based on the skills and experience required for the role.

Application information

Applications will be considered on a rolling basis and may close early once sufficient applications have been received, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

If this role sounds like a good fit for you, we would love to hear from you.  Please email anita.harris@loughboroughjunction.org  by 5pm on Thursday 12 February with:

- An up-to-date copy of your CV, and

- A short covering letter (no more than two sides of A4) explaining:

  - why you would like to apply for the role, and

  - how your skills and experience match the requirements set out in the job description.

Please mention Roots to Work when applying for these jobs