Restaurant Manager

Company Overview

Swarkestone Nursery is a charming, independent, family-run garden centre, based in Derbyshire, renowned for its wide selection of plants, but also it's award-winning, newly-refurbished restaurant. We are dedicated to providing quality home-cooked food using fresh local ingredients and exceptional customer service, fostering a welcoming environment for both gardening and food enthusiasts.
Summary

We are looking for an experienced Restaurant Manager to lead our hospitality team at Swarkestone Nursery. We operate daytime hours only (8.30am-5pm). No evening work or split shifts. We cook breakfasts, hot and cold lunches, bake cakes and beverages, using locally-sourced fresh ingredients, within a spacious kitchen using modern appliances (i.e. Rational ovens and Merrychef). Serving a 300+ cover restaurant.

You will have support from our Assistant Catering Manager and Supervisors. This is full-time, permanent vacancy working 5 days a week, including alternate weekends. This role is vital in ensuring excellent customer service and efficient restaurant operations, aligning with our commitment to quality and community.

Responsibilities

• Oversee daily restaurant operations ensuring high standards of service and food quality.
• Manage and motivate staff to deliver exceptional customer service.
• Coordinate food preparation, safety, and hygiene standards.
• Develop staff schedules using our rota software and oversee team performance.
• Maintain inventory levels and order supplies as needed.
• Ensure compliance with health and safety regulations.
• Implement marketing strategies to attract more visitors, alongside our Marketing Manager.
• Collaborate with other departments to enhance overall visitor experience.
• Maintain till operations, training will be provided.

Qualifications

• At least two years experience in catering supervision/ management or hospitality leadership.
• Strong team management and leadership skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal abilities.
• Knowledge of food safety standards and regulations.
• Ability to manage budgets and optimize operational efficiency.
• Experience in managing staff and training.
• Customer-focused mindset with problem-solving skills.

If you feel that you have the right experience and are keen to work in a friendly garden centre restaurant environment then please come in to see us with a CV and covering letter that explains why you think you would be great for the role. Please ask for Laura, Yasmin, John or Phil. Please note that we're not in work on Saturday 18th April.

Garden Centre Shop Manager

 

Following a recent in-house promotion, we are looking for a Garden Centre Shop Manager. The position requires someone with a strong business focus, responsible for the day-to-day management and buying of the indoor product groups. This will include being responsible for garden sundries and decor, garden furniture, compost, giftware and Christmas decorations.

The successful candidate must be able to maximise sales by motivating and leading a team of people. You will build trend setting and innovative displays, creating a dynamic feel which is infectious to gardeners and non-gardeners alike – whilst not forgetting the importance of high standards in merchandising and housekeeping. Our Christmas displays will also require someone with an artistic flair to enhance our inspirational displays. The role also includes overseeing our busy tills.

The right candidate is someone who possesses excellent customer service and people management skills. You must be well organised and a good, calm communicator. You will have worked in a supervisor/buyer/management position within a garden retail or similar environment before. You will be well motivated and enjoy growing sales and profitability.

You will be working as part of a wider management team and leading a team of about 15 full and part time staff, including three supervisors/buyers. You will be working 5 days a week (including 50% of weekend days), ideally working Sunday-Thursday.

We have exciting, ambitious plans for our garden centre, and only outstanding candidates should apply.

Please apply by popping into store with a CV and a covering letter stating why you would be great for the role, and ask to speak to Phil, Laura, Yasmin or John. Please call first to check that they're in work and available.

 

2 x Garden Centre Assistants

Swarkestone Nursery is an independent garden centre and plant nursery in South Derbyshire. We currently have a vacancy for two garden centre assistants, offering either full-time hours (approx 42 hours per week, across 5 days: Tuesday - Saturday) or part-time weekend-only hours.

The role will require manual handling work.

The ideal candidates would have retail and/or horticultural experience.

The role includes:

• Customer service
• Using our EPOS till system (training will be provided)
• Cash handling
• Merchandising garden sundries and giftware
• Receiving goods in
• Pricing products
• Housekeeping

We will only consider applications in person: Please drop a CV into the garden centre and ask to speak to Phil (Shop Manager), Laura, Yasmin or John (Directors). Please include a covering letter stating why you would be great for the role.

 

Plant Area Assistant

Our Plant Area is home to a wide variety of herbaceous perennials, shrubs, alpines, trees, fruit and house plants.

Candidates must have strong horticultural knowledge, and be able to demonstrate a very high level of plant knowledge. We place a very high value on customer service, hard work and teamwork.

Roles & Responsibilities

• Maintaining and watering plant stock. Jobs to include weeding, pruning, deadheading etc.
• Maintaining a strong and up-to-date horticultural knowledge
• Striving to satisfy customer expectations including assisting customer with advice and carrying products to cars
• Merchandising and creating visual displays to help sell products
• Processing new delivered stock using our EPOS system
• Work is fast-paced and requires manual handling
• General housekeeping and any other duties required by management

Hours

We are able to offer two positions working either part time or full time, working between two to five days per week, and also have the opportunity to offer seasonal flexible working patterns (working more hours April-July, and less throughout Winter). You must be able to work one weekend day per week.

Normal working hours are 9am-5.30pm Monday-Saturday, and 9.30am-4.30pm on Sundays.

If you are interested in applying, please visit the store with a copy of your CV and a covering letter explaining why you would be a great candidate for the role. Ask to speak to Ruth (Plant Area Manager) or John/ Laura/ Yasmin (the Directors).

 

Restaurant Supervisor 

This is full-time, permanent vacancy working 5 days a week, including alternate weekends.

We operate daytime hours only (8.30am-5pm). No evening work or split shifts. Free on-site parking.

We have an established 300+ cover restaurant, with a spacious kitchen using modern appliances (i.e. Rational ovens and Merrychef). We offer cooked breakfasts, hot homemade lunches, paninis, sandwiches, freshly baked cakes, afternoon tea, hot and cold drinks. We have undergone a major renovation including an extension, and therefore are looking for experienced candidates only.

The right candidate must be hard-working, willing to get stuck-in, self-motivated and have excellent hospitality/ customer service skills. You will need to demonstrate great leadership skills and the ability to build a high performing team.

The Supervisor is responsible for general running of the restaurant, with the support of the management team. This includes offering great customer service, placing orders, stock control, maintaining EPOS till operations (training will be provided), being a keyholder (opening and locking-up the site), operating our bean-to-cup coffee machines and staff training.

If you feel that you have the right experience and are keen to work in a friendly garden centre restaurant environment then please come in to see us with a CV and covering letter that explains why you think you would be great for the role. Please ask for Amanda or Nikki. Please call ahead on 01332 700800 (option 3) to check Amanda or Nikki's availability. Please avoid 12-2pm, as our lunchtimes are particularly busy.

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Work Location: In person

 

General Catering assistant

At The Garden Restaurant, Swarkestone Nursery & Garden Centre.

This is part-time, permanent vacancy working mid-week and 50% of weekends.

- We operate daytime hours only (8.30am-5pm).

- No evening work or split shifts.

- Free on-site parking.

We have an established 300+ cover restaurant, with a spacious kitchen using modern appliances. We offer cooked breakfasts, hot homemade lunches, paninis, sandwiches, freshly baked cakes, afternoon tea, hot and cold drinks.

We are looking for a friendly, approachable and organised individual with a willingness to learn and a glowing smile able to deliver great customer service.

This is a versatile role in which you will be serving customers food & beverages, operating the till & our bean-to-cup coffee machines, clearing tables in the restaurant & working in the pot wash area

 

If you feel that you are the right candidate and are keen to work in a friendly garden centre restaurant environment then please come in to see us with a CV and covering letter that explains why you think you would be great for the role.

Please ask for Amanda or Nikki. Please call ahead on 01332 700800 (option 3) to check Amanda or Nikki's availability. Please avoid 12-2pm, as our lunchtimes are particularly busy.

 

Part-time Baker

This is an exciting opportunity for a passionate baker to work within The Garden Restaurant at Swarkestone Nursery. You will have creative freedom to bake whatever you think our visitors will love. You will be working as part of a wider restaurant team, baking and serving customers.

Ideally the right candidate would have experience baking in a commercial kitchen, with level 2 certificate in food safety & hygiene, but training will be provided for our state-of-the-art ovens.

Part - time position available.

Must be able to work every Sunday.

Daytime hours only, approx 8.30am-5pm.

Free car parking provided.

Hourly rate paid – negotiable dependent on experience

To apply, please bring a CV and covering letter in-store to Amanda or Nikki.

Job Type: Part-time, Permanent