Applications close 10pm Monday 13 October 2025. Successful shortlisted applicants will be invited to attend an initial interview on Friday 24 October 2025. We can provide a BSL interpreter if required.

The Role

Responsible to: General Manager 

Working Closely with: Head of Business Development, Enterprises Management Accountant, Senior Operations Manager, Senior Events Delivery Manager, Duty Managers

Responsible for: Deputy Bar & Cafe Manager, Bar Supervisors, Bar Staff

General Description 

This role will be part of BAC’s Enterprises Team. It may be expected to contribute to a range of workstreams, but the role will primarily lead on all our Bar & Cafe work as set out below.

Battersea Arts Centre is seeking a bold and entrepreneurial Bar & Cafe Manager to drive forward our commercial hospitality offer, overseeing Tom’s Café, our lively performance bars, large-scale, high-end event bar operations and our growing hires catering venture. This is a hands-on management role for someone who thrives on developing ideas into profitable ventures and balancing creativity with sharp commercial thinking. At BAC, our values are rooted in inclusivity, innovation and care for people and place, and this role will embody those principles by ensuring our bars and café are welcoming to all, sustainable in practice, and consistently delivered to the highest standard. You’ll be empowered to shape strategy, grow income, and elevate service, building a distinctive hospitality offer that matches the ambition and energy of our landmark cultural venue.

Role Responsibilities

Strategic/Project Delivery

• Lead the operational delivery of all food and beverage services across Battersea Arts Centre.
• Deliver on income targets by maintaining a dynamic menu offer and implementing clear upselling techniques.
• Monitor and optimise cost of sale ensuring dynamic use of staffing resource so all business needs are met in an efficient manner.
• Manage and maintain physical spaces including Tom’s Cafe, the Grand Hall bar, storage spaces, event kitchens ensuring all are presentable, compliant and comfortable for use.
• Effectively deliver monthly stock reports ensuring the stock management process is thorough and detailed including stock rotation, pricing and waste management.
• Take ownership of Tom’s Cafe as an event space, managing all enquiries from initial contact to event delivery.
• The role requires regular operational work supervising the bar & cafe space, managing events and practical support with cleaning/operations tasks.

Team and Collaboration

• Line-manage the bar and cafe team including Supervisors and Staff ensuring effective recruitment, training, scheduling and performance management.
• Work with the General Manager and wider operations team to ensure the visitor experience is exceptional.
• Work with the building maintenance team reporting any business-critical concerns in a timely manner and ensure preventative maintenance/cleaning occurs regularly.
• Work with the Enterprises Management Accountant to deliver timely, detailed reporting on cash, income and stock ensuring the senior management team receive all required information.
• Collaborate with the Communications team to ensure Tom’s Cafe activity is appropriately marketed.
• Collaborate with the Development team to support with membership schemes, supporters' events and philanthropic opportunities.
• Line-manage the Kitchen Porter, Tom’s Cafe’s namesake, seeking out development opportunities where possible.

Skills Contribution

• Take ownership of the product offer aiming to work with value-aligned, local suppliers developing mutually lucrative partnerships and ensuring sustainable practice.
• Nurture and develop Tom’s Cafe offer upholding the space as the central hub of the building and a place for all. Consider offers, schemes and loyalty programs that align with the BAC mission.
• Working closely with the Head of Business Development, Maintain and develop the ambitious space hire offer in Tom’s Cafe aiming for a busy schedule of private, ticketed and community events across the year outside of our regular programmed season.
• Develop our Cafe Catering offer to provide exceptional lunch service to clients, artists and other building users maximising revenue to ensure profitability.
• Create bespoke, high-end, event specific bar offers liaising with clients and the events delivery team to best meet requirements. Ensure these maximise profitability, meet a high standard of service and remain in line with stock control procedures.
• Track and analyse trading patterns, product performance and stock control data to inform strategic decisions.

Business Delivery

• Attend relevant weekly operational meetings to ensure you and the team have the required information to deliver the program of activity.
• Take ownership and maintain the business’ EPOS Till system including tills, kitchen display screens and back office ensuring it is constantly fit for purpose and all necessary team members can access it.
• Ensure all on-going relevant risk assessments are maintained, updating them as and when the business changes.
• Maintain and update Standard Operating Procedures in line with operational needs, equipment updates and compliance.
• Regularly review the relevant income and expenditure lines ensuring the General Manager and the Enterprises Management Accountant are equipped with clear financial narrative.
• Support the Commercial Enterprises team in setting and reviewing income targets.
• Deputise for the General Manager on all licencing matters offering expertise and guidance to ensure best practice is maintained across all operations.
• Be responsible for stock and income management across all bar activity

General Tasks

• Be an active participant in BAC’s wider creative life, attending performances and events, and supporting the venue’s public-facing activities.
• Contribute to staff meetings, cross-team collaborations, and organisational initiatives that support BAC’s mission and continuous improvement culture.
• Maintain professional development, staying informed of trends in hospitality, retail, and event services to bring fresh ideas and improvements.
• Ensure that BAC’s values of inclusivity, sustainability, and generosity are reflected in all aspects of your work and team leadership.
• Undertake any other duties as reasonably required by the leadership of BAC

Person Specification

When we shortlist, we use these criteria to select the best candidates. 

Knowledge:

the understanding of a subject or information that a candidate has

Essential

• Understanding of food and beverage operations in a live performance, events and/or cultural venue.
• Understanding of food and beverage compliance including but not limited to licensing law, food safety and COSHH.

Desirable

• Knowledge of best practice maintaining a draught beer system.

Experience:

the practical application of the knowledge that a candidate has acquired through working or living

Essential

• Significant experience managing a team in a bar/cafe/F&B focussed role, ideally in busy and varied venue/events.
• Significant customer service experience.
• Experience line managing a mix of permanent and casual staff members.
• Experience working in an arts/theatre/cultural venue.

Desirable

• Experience working as a barista in a cafe setting.
• Experience working in a commercial setting specifically in sales/hires.
• Experience managing and reporting on finances.

Skills:

the specific abilities that a candidate has acquired through practice or training

Essential

• Strong multi-tasking skills and ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to negotiate clearly and effectively.
• Ability to assess current trends in the food & beverage sector and apply this to offers, menus and events.

Desirable

• Personal Licence.
• First aid training, fire marshall training, food hygeine training, IOSHH.

Values:

the behaviours a candidate should be able to demonstrate

At BAC, we expect our staff to subscribe to the values inscribed on the building: “Not for me, not for you, but for us.” This means we strive for inclusion, equity and fairness in everything that we do.

• An entrepreneurial mindset.
• A passion and commitment to arts with a social purpose
• Willingness to take part in professional development opportunities and to develop new skills

Terms & Conditions

This role is 5 days a week across 7 days; usual office hours are 10am-6pm. This role will be based on-site

Regular evening and weekend work will be required. All staff at Battersea Arts Centre are expected to attend performances and events and be a part of the artistic life of the organisation.

Salary
£32,000-34,000 gross per annum

Hours
35 hours per week, excluding a daily one-hour lunch break

Overtime
No overtime payments; TOIL system

Annual Leave
4 weeks per year, pro rata (5 weeks following one full year of service)

Probation period
6 months, with a 3 month review

Notice period
2 months

Contract Period
Permanent

Pension Scheme
BAC’s pension scheme provided by NEST

Staff Benefits
Complimentary tickets (subject to availability and staff ticket policy)

Employment Assistance Programme provided by Health Assured,

Cycle to Work Scheme

Discount in the BAC cafe (subject to discount policy)

5 Development Days (pro rata)