Food and Beverage Assistants (Zero-Hour Contract)

Job Description

We’re looking for Food and Beverage Assistants for our brand new café at Burton Mere Wetlands, the heart of our Dee Estuary Nature Reserve.

About the RSPB

As the UK’s largest nature conservation charity, we think big and act boldly, in the hope that one day we can see a world where wildlife, wild places and all people thrive. Our Food and Beverage teams raise vital funds which enable us to carry out globally important conservation work in the race to save nature.

Our Location: Dee Estuary

One of the RSPB’s largest and most diverse reserves spanning over 6000 hectares straddling the England-Wales border. Our habitats range from tidal saltmarsh, mudflats, sand dune and shingle beach to the freshwater reedbed, wet grassland and ancient woodland at Burton Mere Wetlands, where our increasingly popular visitor facilities serve as the gateway to the estuary’s impressive wildlife spectacles.

This Role is based at Burton Mere Wetlands, Puddington Lane, Burton, Neston CH64 5SF. Hours for this position are available on a zero-hours contract basis. Rota patterns will vary to include weekend working, and opening hours for the café will vary seasonally, generally revolving around the hours of 9am to 5pm.

Key Skills Areas:

• Support the Food and Beverage Team in day-to-day operations.
• Preparing and serving food and drink including barista-style coffee.
• Provides a warm welcome for our visitors, is helpful and friendly with a positive attitude.
• Preparing, merchandising, and serving food and drink to visitors.
• Maintaining high level of health and safety practices, including cleaning duties in the preparation and dining area.
• Ensure all daily checklists and tasks are completed according to RSPB standards.
• Awareness of health and safety in the workplace, willing to undertake Food Hygiene Level 2.
• Awareness of targets – to be able to use great customer service and communication skills to increase sales.
• Able to communicate effectively, maintain positive relationships, working together to support the wider Reserve team as needed.
• Able to effectively work in the visitor facing role in the Visitor Centre when needed to cover for other staff.

Essential skills, knowledge and experience:

• A genuine care for the needs of customers and colleagues and a desire to deliver amazing customer service.
• An Enthusiastic approach to their work and a can-do attitude.
• A passion for good food and drink.
• The ability to strike a balance of taking your own initiative and supporting the front of house or kitchen when needed.
• The ability to build positive relationships with all kinds of people.
• A desire to learn, grow and develop your skills.
• The flexibility to work a range of shifts.

Desirable qualifications:

• A Level 2 Food Safety.
• GCSE Maths and English, or equivalent.

What can the RSPB offer you?

We’ll support your development, and help you to grow your skills, so you can build a career in Food & Beverage with a purpose beyond profit. You’ll also get package that includes and not limited to:

• Daytime working, no split shifts.
• Discounts in RSPB Retail Shops, Cafes and Holiday Cottages.
• Free entry to RSPB Reserves.
• Investment in your Personal and Professional Development.
• RSPB Pension Scheme, with matching employer contributions.
• Uniform provided including all suitable PPE.
• Cycle to work scheme.
• Services to support your physical, mental and financial wellbeing.

Does this sound like the role for you? If so, we’d love to hear from you!

For any questions or an informal chat about the role, please get in touch with Food and Beverage Manager, Helen Ounifi: Helen.Ounifi@rspb.org.uk or Visitor Operations Manager, Daniel Trotman: Daniel.Trotman@rspb.org.uk

We are actively recruiting for this role, and in the first instance a telephone interview will be offered to prospective candidates, followed by an in-person interview at Burton Mere Wetlands.

As part of this application, you will be asked to complete a short application form in addition to submitting your CV. Training, support, and development will be offered as part of this role.

We are committed to developing an inclusive and diverse RSPB, in which everyone feels supported, valued, and able to be their full selves. To achieve our vision of creating a world richer in nature, we need more people, and more diverse people, on nature’s side. People of colour and disabled people are currently underrepresented across the environment, climate, sustainability, and conservation sector. If you identify as a person of colour and/or disabled, we are particularly interested in receiving your application. Contact us to discuss any additional support you may need to complete your application.

The RSPB is an equal opportunities employer. This role is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. This role is not eligible for UK Visa Sponsorship - the successful applicant will need to have a pre-existing Right to Work in the UK in order to be offered an employment contract.

Before applying for this role, we recommend visiting the site and reading through the candidate guidance notes attached to the top of this advert.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.