*Please carefully read the HOW TO APPLY FOR THIS POSITION section at the end of this job description*

The Photographers’ Gallery

The Photographers’ Gallery explores how photography is connecting, captivating and radically changing our world today. The Gallery’s programme and spaces – from exhibitions, talks, workshops and digital platforms to the café, shop and galleries – all explore the beauty, complexity and future of photography. Right outside the Gallery, the very best of contemporary photography is shown for free, day and night, in Soho Photography Quarter. On the borders of busy Oxford Street and vibrant Soho, the Gallery is home to photography experts, novices and the photo-curious; artists and students; tourists, locals and passers-by; and an enthusiastic and committed staff team. The Gallery welcomes over 200,000 visitors annually and has a turnover of circa £4.3 million, and our business enterprises – the Café, Bookshop and Print Sales Gallery – are an essential part of the Gallery’s public offer.

Our values
Expose a fuller picture – by revealing narratives that go beyond the frame.

Develop future creators – by nurturing artists and new audiences and actively seeking under-represented voices in who we work with and welcome in our spaces.
Be one social space – a place for sharing and collaboration, joining up everything we do both virtually and in Soho.  

For further details about the Gallery and our activities visit. https://thephotographersgallery.org.uk/ 

The Café is a vibrant space serving specialty coffee, a selection of beer and wine and a seasonal menu of sandwiches, salads and cakes. The Café forms part of The Photographers’ Gallery Business Enterprises Ltd, which also includes the Bookshop, Print Sales Gallery and private event hires. These businesses have a combined annual turnover of approx. £1.9 million, with the Café expected to generate an annual turnover of circa £250,000. All profits from our enterprise businesses support the Gallery’s charitable objectives. 

The Café team is integral to the wider Gallery staff team. The Café team is made up of the Café Manager, Assistant Café Manager and a small team of Café Assistants. For certain events, the Assistant Cafe Manager will also manage agency staff.

The Assistant Café Manager is essential to the hospitality operation at The Photographers’ Gallery café, supporting the Café Manager with back of house tasks as well as a successful public-facing operation. This role involves staff supervision, food and beverage preparation, stock ordering and management, and maintaining a welcoming environment for all our visitors. The Assistant Café Manager works with the Café team and alongside the Visitor Relations and Events Manager to coordinate the catering for public events, and internal and external hires of our public spaces.

Work with the Café Manager to deliver Café services, maximising sales while maintaining a high-quality service and inclusive atmosphere for all customers.

Inspire and motivate the team to deliver high standard services. Supervise the team on standardised procedures and working environment safety and hygiene.

Work with the Café Manager and Visitor Relations and Events Manager to coordinate staffing, catering and bar services for public events, and internal and external hires of our public spaces. 

As Assistant Café Manager you will:

Support the Café Manager in their duties, managing day-to-day café operations in their absence.

Offer excellent, efficient customer service that is friendly and inclusive.

Drive financial performance and assist with the growth of the Café.

Supervise Café staff and coordinate rotas, holiday and sickness cover.

Collect feedback from customers and team to share with Café Manager and wider Gallery team.

Ensure adherence to food hygiene and health & safety standards.

Prepare food and update menu items seasonally. 

Handle deliveries and orders, managing stock levels.

Ensure the Café is always appropriately stocked with product and equipment.

Adhere to wider gallery policies, licensing regulations and performance standards.

Coordinate and set up events, e.g. private hires and public programme events. 

Ensure the till system is used accurately to process transactions and reconcile cared payments.

Maintain accurate daily records of sales and banking.

Act as a First Aider and respond appropriately to any incidents (training provided).

Assist the Café Manager and Visitor Relations & Events Manager with managing internal events and external hires, coordinating food and beverage requirements.

Work with external catering and bar services companies at larger Gallery events, including the running of bars at launch events.

Perform extra related duties as required.

Additionally, there is an expectation that staff will support the wider, internal workings of the Gallery, where possible, by joining one or more voluntary working groups such as the Staff Forum; Equalities, Diversity & Inclusion taskforce; Environmental Working Group; by contributing to staff/team meetings; and through attending training sessions.

Working hours: This role requires working 32 hours per week, with flexible hours to maintain appropriate work patterns with the team according to business needs. This will include some weekend and evening work to support regular evening openings, exhibition launch nights, other Gallery events and private hires.

Previous relevant café/restaurant experience at a supervisory level  

Demonstrable commitment to teamwork and team development

Passion for high-quality food, good presentation skills and imaginative menu creation

Effective communication and customer service skills

Ability to work independently and as part of a team

Fast thinking and ability to react to changes in customer volume during the day

Experience in managing budgets, deliveries and ordering supplies

Understanding of health & safety regulations and compliance procedures including Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) principles

Level 2 Food Hygiene Certificate.

Experience of selling and serving alcohol

Familiarity with Excel, Word, email and digital tills

Excellent organisational skills and ability to prioritise tasks

Approachable and friendly manner

Whilst the above person specification offers a useful guide to the experience level expected, we welcome – and encourage – applications from anyone who feels they could bring alternative, equally beneficial skills, experience and perspective to the role. 

Any materials provided by you as an applicant will be treated as your Intellectual Property. The Photographers’ Gallery will only save such materials as part of recruitment and selection process.

The Photographers’ Gallery is committed to equal opportunities and encourages applications from all people without discrimination. We particularly welcome applications from people currently under-represented in the arts sector, particularly disabled people, and those from global majority backgrounds.

HOW TO APPLY FOR THIS POSITION

To apply for this position, please use our online recruitment portal. You'll need to:

1. Answer the three screening questions.

2. Complete our application form with your details, experience and how you meet the criteria for this role, and upload it to our recruitment portal as part of your application

3. Fill out our Equal Opportunities Monitoring form, and upload it to our recruitment portal as part of our application.

Both forms are available to download on this vacancy page. Please note you must complete and upload both an application form and an Equal Opportunities Monitoring form to apply for this role. We cannot accept CV-only applications.

The process is straightforward; our online portal collects all the important information we need, and you attach the completed additional documents requested.

Once you submit your application, you'll receive a confirmation message, and we'll keep you informed throughout our recruitment process with updates on your application status.

Please note that you can edit your application within 24 hours of submission if needed. Make sure to click 'upload' for any documents before finishing your application, as documents can't be added after 24 hours."