The Hot Box Sauna is Irelands leading sauna and wellness experience, offering a unique blend of relaxation, community, and wellbeing.
With multiple thriving locations, we are expanding fast and adding a brand-new café to our Cork sauna site.
We are looking for an experienced
Café Manager
to lead the café launch and day-to-day operations.
This is a hands-on leadership role, ideal for someone who enjoys building something from the ground up and running a high-quality, hospitality experience.
The Café Manager will be responsible for setting up all café operations, establishing systems and standards, hiring and managing staff, and ensuring an exceptional customer experience that complements the Hot Box Sauna brand.
Key Responsibilities
Café Setup & Launch
Lead the end-to-end setup of the new café, with an opportunity to provide the input on layout, equipment selection, and operational workflows.
Establish standard operating procedures (SOPs) for all café functions.
Ensure compliance with food safety, health & hygiene, and HACCP requirements.
Manage relationships with suppliers (food, beverage, coffee, equipment, consumables).
Daily Operations
Oversee all day-to-day café operations to ensure smooth, efficient service.
Maintain high standards of food and beverages quality, cleanliness, and presentation.
Manage stock control, ordering, deliveries, and waste reduction.
Handle cash management, POS systems, and daily reconciliation.
Monitor costs and margins to ensure profitability.
Team Leadership
Recruit, train, and onboard café staff.
Create effective staff schedules and manage payroll inputs.
Lead by example with a hands-on approach during service.
Foster a positive, professional, and inclusive team culture.
Conduct regular performance feedback and training.
Customer Experience
Deliver a warm, welcoming experience that enhances the overall Hot Box experience.
Handle customer feedback and resolve issues professionally.
Build rapport with regular customers and sauna members.
Ensure the café reflects the brand values of wellness, quality, and community.
Business Development
Collaborate with management on promotions, events, and seasonal offerings.
Identify opportunities to increase revenue and customer engagement.
Track KPIs and provide regular performance reports.
Yoga Studio Coordination
Café space will be rented out as a Yoga Studio in the evenings.
Café Manager will ensure the site is prepared for Yoga Studio use after closing hours and set up for café use before opening, maintain a Yoga Studio slot booking schedule with studio renters and foster good working relationships.
About You
Passionate about exceptional customer service and hospitality industry, with an entrepreneurial mindset.
Highly organised and detail-oriented, calm and confident under pressure.
Required Skills and Experience
Proven experience as a Café Manager or Assistant Manager, or similar hospitality leadership role.
Experience opening or setting up a new café or hospitality venue is highly desirable.
Strong leadership and people management skills.
Excellent hands-on experience in managing food safety, hygiene, and café operations.
Financial awareness, including stock control and cost management.
Right to work in Ireland permanently and without restrictions (Work Permit Sponsorship is not available).
Ability to work from the Victoria Road location in Cork.
About Us
The Hot Box is one of Irelands fastest-growing wellness brands, offering a variety of unique wellness and relaxation facilities across the country, especially well known for outdoor saunas and plunge pools in tranquil surroundings and places of natural beauty.
We are guided by Ambition, Honesty and focus on Quality in what we do and how we work.
Job Title: Café Manager
Reporting to: Area Operations Manager
Location: Victoria Rd, Ballintemple, Cork, T12 FCN2
Contract type: Full Time, Permanent
Working hrs: 40 hrs per week, shift work
Work model: Onsite in cafe location
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