Wild Things Play Project is looking for an exceptional individual to head up our new location in Plymouth as PLAY CENTRE ASSISTANT MANAGER. This is a key role to the business as we expand into a new city, taking our business from one site to two.
Wild Things Play Project is an exciting indoor play business reinventing the idea of 'soft play,' setting up shop within large retail destinations. Using all natural materials (with no plastic in sight), our first location at The Mall in Cribbs Causeway opened in the summer of 2022, where we have seen sustained growth (in both revenue and footfall) month on month.
We are now looking for someone to support the Centre Manager in our new location in Drake Circus, Plymouth. This person will be in a key leadership role within a brand new team (including centre supervisors and a number of both full and part time employees). They will report to the Centre Manager.
A key responsibility in this role will be to build solid relationships with relevant businesses and third party practitioners within the childcare sector in Plymouth. As well as supporting the Centre Manager in the day to day duties, they will be in charge of growing our brand within the local community, building ties with mother and baby groups, NCT classes, children's theatre collectives, baby massage, baby singing groups, and any local individuals or companies where young children are central, and who need a space to carry out activities. They will be responsible for bringing in and developing these groups to hire space from us, and ultimately increase revenue through the centre.
Following on from this, we plan to bring a number of 'in-house' clubs and sessions to the fore - after school clubs, holiday clubs, SEN sessions - any way we can use our play space to serve the local community, and in turn drive trade. The Assistant Manager will take the lead in building out these ideas, working with both the Centre Managers (at Plymouth and Bristol) as well as the MD.
The new location in Drake Circus has onsite catering with a full food offer. The assistant manager will need to be capable of overseeing and, when necessary, working in the kitchen - cooking a menu aimed at children and their parents that is high quality, consistent and served quickly.
This is a very hands-on role. We expect the cafe to be busy, and as a small enterprise every member of the team is required to do all jobs - the Assistant Manager more so. The Assistant Manager will be leading from the front, sometimes working alone (on quiet days) and sometimes leading the team on busy ones; but always taking the lead in whatever is required to keep the centre running smoothly. This is NOT an office job, although naturally an amount of back office work will be necessary to keep the centre running.
This job will suit someone with a track record of working well individually as well as leading a team, who will be a self-starter and highly self-motivated. As a 7-day-a-week business, you will be expected to work over some weekends.
We hope that the Assistant Manager will develop a sense of ownership over the centre, and they will be encouraged to try new ways to expand revenue streams as well as limit any overhead spending to the bare minimum required; working with the Centre Manager to implement any learnings from our other site(s). This is reflected in a very competitive basic salary, and the ability to supplement their take-home pay through performance related bonuses on a bi-annual basis.
With several more locations in the pipeline, we are hoping to expand the business rapidly, with Plymouth becoming our flagship centre. As such, future sites will look to Plymouth in regards to its operation, and how it can both increase revenue and manage overhead costs (particularly in regards to staffing). So managing and documenting these things will be a key part of the role.
This job is scheduled to start in November (while the centre is under construction) with the first month dedicated to recruiting the full team, training at our site in Bristol and putting into place all front- and back-of-house systems to allow the business to function successfully, with doors opening early December in time for the busy Christmas trading period.
Requirements for Assistant Manager
* A HANDS-ON manager who has experience in running a small business, including writing rotas, HR, stock ordering, supplier management, SAGE etc.
* At least two years management experience at a senior level.
* Background in catering desirable, with demonstrable experience in kitchen management.
* Background in hospitality highly desirable, with a particular focus on anything around children and their parents/grandparents.
* Experience in front of house roles with demonstrable experience in Front of House systems and management, particularly Point of Sale systems.
* Experience in managing a small team of people and everything that involves (particularly regarding employee morale).
* Experience with back of house systems and paperwork - including safety checks, cleaning schedules, fridge temp recording, fire alarm testing, stock rotation etc.
* Experience with Community groups, ideally at an organisational level and with groups relevant to childcare.
* Experience in networking.
* Qualifications in childcare are beneficial but not essential.
* Experience with children in general is highly beneficial.
* Qualifications in food hygiene, first aid and other relevant training is beneficial.
* Experience in leading workshops (especially with children) is beneficial.
* We are looking for someone who understands and believes in our mission – please see our company page on Indeed for more information.
* Above all else, we are looking for someone who is excellent with both children and their parents, who has a proven track record in customer-facing roles and a demonstrable desire in offering excellent support for children’s play.
Responsibilities for Assistant Manager
* Opening / closing the centre.
* Liaison with the Drake Circus management team.
* Taking the lead with 3rd party practitioners who book the centre for external projects.
* Developing in-house sessions, including after school clubs, holiday clubs etc.
* Leading community engagement.
* Responsible for staffing issues, particularly staff welfare.
* Working with the Centre Manager to ensure all stock levels are kept up to date, so the café and kitchen functions efficiently. Managing wholesale suppliers.
* Overseeing the booking platform, making sure all parties and other bookings happen as they should.
* Responsible for overall cleanliness and tidiness of the venue, managing any 3rd party cleaning contractors when necessary, but taking a hands-on lead in cleaning on a daily basis.
* Directing other staff in their day to day duties.
* Handling any customer complaints/issues.
* Ensuring workshop materials are all in stock.
* Support social media team with daily photos to use as marketing material.
* The centre is open 7 days a week, so you will be required to work on weekends and holidays, as the rota dictates.
* The position is 40 hours a week.
Benefits
* Competitive salary with a good amount of annual holiday.
* Possibility to increase take-home pay on a performance related basis.
* Calm, gentle working environment with a great team.
* Discount in stores around Drake Circus.
* Casual workwear.
* Discounted parking.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: £26,000.00-£29,000.00 per year
Application question(s):
* We are open 364 days a year, so working on some weekends and during school holidays will be a prerequisite. Are you OK with this?
Experience:
* Childcare: 1 year (preferred).
* First-Line Managers: 2 years (required).
Work Location: In person
Application deadline: 07/10/2024
Reference ID: Wild Things Plymouth Assistant Manager
Expected start date: 04/11/2024
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