Cafe Manager - Story of Gardening Museum - Maternity Cover
Visitor Attraction Team at The Newt in Somerset
Story of Gardening Manager - Maternity Cover - Up to 12 months
£31,050 per annum plus tronc and fantastic benefits
40 hours per week across 5 days including regular weekends. Based onsite - BA7
Due to the location of the Estate a driving license is recommended for this role
Advert closes: 27 April 2026
🔗Read the full job description here
Lead an immersive experience where hospitality meets horticultural storytelling
Our Story of Gardening Manager
As Story of Gardening Manager, you will take ownership of a truly unique space where exceptional hospitality and an immersive visitor experience come together, with a strong focus on leading the café operation. You will ensure a consistently high-quality food and beverage offering, while partnering closely with the Visitor Attraction Operations Manager to support the seamless delivery of the exhibit. With a strong presence on the floor, you will inspire your team, drive performance, and continually evolve the offering to enhance guest satisfaction, increase footfall, and maintain outstanding standards across all touchpoints.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead daily operations, ensuring excellence in quality, efficiency, and compliance
- Maintain exceptional health, safety, and hygiene standards (5* rating)
- Uphold The Newt’s service style and brand standards
- Own and manage P&L performance, including sales, costs, and waste
- Develop and grow the Grab & Go and drinks offering
- Collaborate on menu development with the Estate Sous Chef
- Drive guest engagement and footfall with the Visitor Attraction team
- Recruit, train, and develop a high-performing team
What we can offer
- A positive workplace environment with opportunities to develop both personally and professionally.
- Peace of mind with Employee Life Cover, providing your nominated loved one with 2x your salary.
- Support from our Employee Assistance Programme, including unlimited 24/7 remote GP appointments for you and your family.
- Look after your wellbeing with complimentary access to our Spa and swimming pools and our exclusive benefit of 50% off Spa Treatments.
- Stay in shape with complimentary use of our gym and wellbeing classes.
- Access to our Cycle to Work scheme, supporting wellbeing and sustainable commuting.
- Complimentary staff meal when onsite – crafted by our dedicated kitchen team, often featuring fresh produce from our estate.
- Enjoy shopping in both our shops on estate and online with 30% discount for all our colleagues and free delivery for any online purchases.
- Complimentary garden membership for The Newt and our partner gardens, including the Eden Project, Kew Gardens and The Lost Gardens of Heligan.
- We value your hard work and recognise your achievements through our colleague recognition programme – Newt Awards, with the opportunity to achieve amazing rewards, including a complimentary Hotel Stay.
- Discover exclusive perks with discounted hotel stays for staff, accompanied by a 30% discount at our restaurants.
- A team that knows how to have fun with regular team engagement activities, including Fun Squad events.
- Up to 30 days annual leave each year for our full-time team.
What we're looking for
- Proven leadership experience in a fast-paced, high-quality F&B environment
- Passion for food, beverage and luxury hospitality
- Confident communicator with strong guest engagement skills
- Highly organised with excellent time management
- Strong commercial awareness and operational focus
- Proactive, self-motivated and driven approach
- Exceptional attention to detail and presentation standards
- Ability to collaborate effectively across multiple departments
Where you'll be working
An immersive experience concealed within our woodland. Head to the Deer Park then weave along The Viper, an exhilarating treetop walkway, before arriving at The Story of Gardening. Discover horticultural history through multi-sensory Garden Rooms and visit the world’s most famous gardens in Virtual Reality pods, admiring the abundant fruit trees of Babylonstoren or gazing into the lily ponds at Monet’s Giverny. Get hands on with soil, scents, botany and design through interactive games and exhibits. The Story of Gardening café serves tea and coffee, alongside side a strong selection of Cakes, pastries and savoury options.
Who are we- The Newt in Somerset
Nestled within an expanse of rolling fields and steeped in ancient history, our luxury country estate stands as a haven of refined elegance, inviting guests to explore acres of captivating gardens, meandering pathways, and enriching exhibitions - accessible 364 days a year for our members. Our hotel extends a warm welcome, offering a home-away-from-home experience where impeccable service flourishes in an ambiance of unassuming sophistication. Beyond the estate, the Newt's essence remains tangible, with our Ecommerce teams delivering our finest products to homes, while media and membership endeavours keep them informed of our latest developments. Behind the scenes, a tapestry of talented teams - from Housekeeping to HR, Finance to Farming - collaborates harmoniously, crafting an unforgettable journey of growth, development, and innovation, where every contribution creates unparalleled experiences
INDAVR
