Hospitality & Events Coordinator

Location: Checks & Greys / Blackburn Cathedral

Reports to: Enterprise Development Manager

Salary: Competitive - Depending on Experience

Hours: Full-time, 40 hours each week including evenings / weekends

Contract: Permanent

The Hospitality & Events Coordinator will play a vital role in delivering high-quality customer experiences across our café, catering services, and events programme.

This hands-on, varied role supports the smooth running of daily café operations while also planning and executing catering and hospitality for internal and external events. The successful candidate will demonstrate excellent organisational and interpersonal skills, the ability to multitask under pressure and a passion for creating warm, welcoming environments for our guests and clients.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Café Operations

• Ensure smooth, efficient café service daily, including customer care, stock control, and hygiene compliance.
• Ensure that Checks & Greys operates profitably, effectively and efficiently, responding to and growing customer demand with high quality and excellent service, while increasing both turnover and net profit, and minimising waste.
• Support Café assistants and kitchen staff to deliver high-quality food and beverage experiences.

Events Operations

• Coordinate the planning and delivery of catering and event management.
• Manage event logistics including staffing, equipment, set-up and service.
• Maintain high service standards, ensuring client expectations are met or exceeded.
• Maintain clear event documentation including schedules, client briefs and feedback.
• Host client meetings, tastings and site visits as needed.
• First point of call for dealing with issues on the day/evening of the event and liaising with other Cathedral Staff.

Staff Supervision and Coordination

• Supervise Café and event teams, including casual, volunteer and agency staff.
• Lead pre-event briefings and delegate tasks, ensuring clarity and efficiency.
• Support training and onboarding for hospitality team members.
• Plan rotas and staff requirements for the Café and events team, to ensure staff well-being and commercial efficiency.
• To work in close liaison with EDM to ensure that information and communication concerning Café, events and catering is shared effectively.
• Assist with some line management responsibility for Café staff, including actions to ensure that staffing levels are appropriate for the level of customer demand.
• To assist with staff reviews and performance management.

Health & Safety and Compliance

• Ensure compliance with food safety, licensing and health and safety regulations.
• Maintain documentation including hygiene logs, allergen records and incident reports.
• Support safeguarding procedures where events involve children or vulnerable adults.
• To share in the identification and management of issues relating to the cleaning and standard maintenance of Checks & Greys and other areas of the Cathedral involved in commercial activity.
• Ensure that all legislation relating to catering and business functions is observed by the Cathedral, and that Checks & Greys and other areas of the Cathedral used for commercial activities are clean, safe and hygienic.
• To be a nominated First Aider (Training will be provided).

General

• To implement agreed actions which promote the commercial opportunities of the Cathedral and its suitability as a venue for business, worship-related, personal bookings and other special events.
• Work closely with the Head Chef on menu development and pricing.
• Maintain stock rotation and complete stock takes.
• To keep apps and platforms up to date – Jelly (Kitchen Management), UberEATS, Just Eat and others as they are implemented.
• Ensure the security of the premises, stock and cash by following cash handling procedures.
• Responsible for use of tills and back-office Epos procedures.
• To maintain effective and positive liaison with all key staff and volunteers at the Cathedral.
• Liaise with internal departments and external suppliers to coordinate deliveries and bookings.
• Contribute to the creation of new hospitality packages and / or promotional campaigns.
• Maintain records of event activity, stock and client data for reporting.
• Any other reasonable tasks in relation to the Café, catering and events at the Cathedral.

Who You Are

• Enthusiastic, motivated, someone who strives for excellence.
• Organised, able to make robust judgements and prioritise.
• Flexible approach with a ‘can do’ attitude.
• Strong commercial experience.
• Excellent communication and relationship building skills.
• A minimum of 2 years previous experience in Hospitality Events / Catering / Retail / Events in a Supervisor / Manager capacity.
• The ability to lead a team.
• Ability to build relationships and promote a positive work environment.
• Ability to identify strong team members and recommend upskills.

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Benefits:

• On-site parking

Work Location: In person