Job Description

Food & Beverage Assistant Manager

We're looking for an experienced

Food & Beverage leader

who lives and breathes hospitality and takes pride in delivering exceptional customer service. This is a fantastic opportunity to help us provide the

world-class guest experience

that Chester Zoo is famous for.



Our

Food & Beverage operation

includes a variety of restaurants, serving everything from fast food to traditional family favourites, as well as coffee shops, kiosks our staff canteen and a 450-seat street kitchen serving Indonesian inspired street food.

The Role

We're looking for a

hands-on

,

inspiring leader

with strong operational experience to manage a

fast-paced

,

high-volume

,

food court style

,

Food & Beverage environment

. You'll take day-to-day responsibility for one of our key outlets,

leading and motivating a team of 30+ people during peak periods

. Whilst ensuring every guest enjoys an

exceptional experience

, you will also focus on

maximising sales to achieve and deliver on departmental targets

.



Lead, motivate, and develop your team to achieve high standards of service, efficiency, and teamwork. Oversee all operational aspects, including food preparation, service, stock management, EPOS systems, and cash handling. Support the achievement of budgets, KPIs, and departmental targets, ensuring financial performance is maintained. Ensure compliance with food safety, health & safety, and operational procedures, supporting training and development across your team. Stay up to date with food trends and best practice within the leisure, tourism, and wider food industry to maintain a market-leading offering. Promote sustainable and ethical practices in line with Chester Zoo's mission to prevent extinction.

Our Requirements

Proven experience in a similar operational leadership role, ideally within a busy, high-volume Food & Beverage environment. Strong people management skills with the ability to lead, motivate, and develop a diverse team across multiple disciplines. Experience in budgeting, forecasting, and target setting, with practical knowledge of achieving financial objectives. Excellent communication skills, with the ability to liaise effectively at all levels. Ability to balance customer expectations and service quality with operational efficiency and profitability. Knowledge of performance management systems, with experience monitoring and improving team performance. Practical understanding of food hygiene, health & safety legislation, and operational compliance. Computer literate, with experience using EPOS, stock management systems, and Microsoft Office, including Excel.

The Package

You'll work a variety of shifts 5 days out of 7, on a rota basis including weekends and bank holidays. Most shifts will fall within our core zoo opening hours, although some evening work will be required for events such as Into the Night and The Lanterns.

In return, we're offering:

A

permanent, full-time contract

(40 hours per week)

Starting salary: 30,000 per annum

33 days annual leave

(including bank holidays)

Holiday buy/sell scheme

to help you balance work and life

Staff/ Family pass

for free zoo visits, plus complimentary tickets for friends and family

Cycle to Work scheme

Healthcare plan

and

Employee Assistance Programme

Discounted gym membership

Exclusive discounts

on cinema tickets, restaurants, retail and more via Perks

Pension scheme

with generous employer contributions of up to

9%

With over

2 million visitors each year

, Chester Zoo is one of the UK's busiest and most popular attractions and our Food & Beverage outlets are at the heart of that experience. To succeed in this role, you'll need to thrive in a

fast-paced

,

high-volume environment

, confidently managing multiple outlets and maintaining exceptional standards even when under pressure.



If you're passionate about hospitality, thrive in a fast-paced environment, and want to play a key role in helping Chester Zoo deliver unforgettable experiences to millions of visitors each year, we'd love to hear from you!

We reserve the right to close our vacancies earlier than the listed date if we have received a high level of applications. If you do wish to be considered, we recommend that you submit your application as promptly as possible to avoid disappointment. Shortlisting and interviews may take place whilst the advert is live.