Café - Team Leader

Whsmithcareers; Manchester; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading hospitality provider in Manchester is seeking a Team Leader for Smiths Family Kitchen. You will inspire your team to deliver exceptional customer experiences and ensure high operational standards. Ideal candidates will have leadership experience in a fast-paced environment and a passion for coffee. The role offers competitive salary, employee discounts, and opportunities for personal development in a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere.

Benefits

Up to 50% employee discounts

6.6 weeks holiday including bank holidays

Employee Assistance Programme

Qualifications

• A passion for providing great customer experiences.
• Experience in a fast-paced retail or hospitality environment is preferred.
• Ability to motivate and influence the team effectively.

Responsibilities

• Lead and inspire team to provide exceptional service.
• Ensure high standards for store and customer facilities.
• Support team development through coaching and recognition.

Skills

Customer service excellence

Team leadership

Coffee crafting

Organisational skills

Job description

Team Leader – Smiths Family Kitchen

39 hours per week on a rota basis 5 days out of 7.

As this role is Airside at the airport, you will need to provide a full verifiable 5‑year reference history and be happy to submit to a criminal record check.

As a Team Leader at Smiths Family Kitchen, you’ll lead and inspire your team to provide exceptional customer service, create a working environment that helps our colleagues to develop and achieve.

Smiths Family Kitchen offers over 40 beverage options that are hot, cold and iced, along with fresh baked products in store, patisserie items and lunch on the go. The company prides itself on supporting the local community and giving back to its customers with a wealth of offers, loyalty and Airport Pass holder discounts.

What being an SFK Team Leader is all about?

• You’ll be the team leader inspiring the team every day, keeping customer service at the heart of everything you do, dedicated to creating incredible experiences for our customers whilst driving sales and commerciality.
• A passion for coffee and a pride for making the perfect drink, for every customer, every time!
• Creating a sense of pride within the store to ensure both colleagues and customer facilities are of the highest standard, and that we are operating safely and legally.

• Creating a culture of learning, support and recognition—spotting opportunities for development of personal skills, product knowledge and self‑awareness to support our colleagues in an environment where everyone feels valued and welcome.
• Keeping teams up to date on stores business performance and appropriately challenging what can be done to improve.

What our Store Leadership Team would love to see:

• A passion for providing a great customer experience in your stores by crafting great coffee with your passion and energy for that perfect blend.
• Current Team Leader / Barista (or equivalent) in a fast‑paced hospitality retailer or similar environment—though not essential.
• Confident in energising, influencing and motivating the store team to deliver exceptional service and performance.
• Organised, proactive—able to prioritise at pace in a fast‑paced retail environment.
• Experience of proactively leading from the front, getting stuck in, and helping your team on the shop floor.

We know you’ll work hard to make WH Smith a success and our customers happy, so as well as your salary, pension scheme, holidays (6.6 weeks including bank holidays) and employee discounts (up to 50%), we’ll reward you with a range of deals from retail partners that will help you save money and make memories, whether a delicious meal, an adventurous day out or tickets to see the latest blockbuster.

Whatever the future brings, our Employee Assistance Programme will support you with help and guidance for your wellbeing, whether physical, mental or financial.

WH Smith are proud to be an inclusive employer; we want our colleagues to feel welcome and free to be themselves with us. This means that whenever possible, we try our best to provide flexibility so you can enjoy life’s big moments.