Centre Assistant

Centre Assistant

Reference: SEP

Location: RSPB Newport Wetlands, NP18

Hours: Part-Time, at least 9 Hours per week

Contract: Permanent

Salary: £26,228.00 - £27,999.00 Per Annum, Pro Rata

Benefits: Holidays, Pension and Life Assurance

Have you ever seen the view from The Little Grebe Café at RSPB Newport Wetlands? Check it out and tell us it doesn't look like a wonderful view to see every day in your place of work!

If you are passionate about nature, enjoy a coffee shop environment and want to contribute to the success of a space for significant ecological importance we suggest you carry on reading

Our busy café team are looking for another enthusiastic member to join their ranks. Shifts never run past 5pm, holiday entitlement is generous, all staff get 20% discount on most café items AND you get a free hot/iced drink on shift.

As a team we love our reserve and we enjoy seeing the café grow from strength to strength. The Little Grebe Café is ever evolving to be the best version of itself and if you think you can help us with that then seriously consider applying for the role below.

The café plays a vital role in our visitor experience, working in tandem with our Visitor Experience Team to ensure revenue flows through the Visitor Centre so we can continually provide a gateway for the public into the reserve itself. Newport Wetlands is a special area for wildlife, lying between the Severn estuary and the river Usk. It is one of the most important areas of wetland habitat in Wales, providing a haven for wildlife on the edge of the city and is a popular visitor attraction. The RSPB manage the visitor facilities which includes the café and the reserve itself is managed by National Resources Wales.

Key Responsibilities:

• Serving our wonderful visitors food, coffee, cake and more
• Ensuring food safety standards are always followed
• Vigilance and knowledge around allergens and dietary requirements
• Maintaining full stock displays and following FIFO
• Due diligence, checklists, opening and closing procedures
• Cash handling

Essential skills, knowledge and experience:

• Demonstrates a positive and proactive approach to work
• Knowledge of food hygiene principles and safe food handling practices
• Effective verbal communication skills, adapting communication style to different audiences as appropriate
• Ability to identify solutions to challenges and work independently when required
• Ability to understand, respond to and support customer needs and feedback
• Experience of working in a fast-paced environment and managing competing priorities to meet service requirements
• Experience of using tills and card payment systems, and handling cash in line with procedures
• Ability to work collaboratively and build effective working relationships with others
• Awareness of, or interest in, wildlife, conservation and environmental issues

Additional Information:

• This is a permanent, part-time role for 9 hours per week (over 2 set days) rising to 16 hours in our busy, peak weeks plus potential for overtime during holiday cover and/or sickness.
• Please note you will need to be flexible for this role including having availability to work weekends and Bank Holidays.

Closing date: 23:59, Monday 19th October 2026

N.B. We reserve the right to close this advert early.

We are looking to conduct interviews for this position as soon as possible so don't delay in applying.

Interested?

If you would like to find out more, please click the apply button. You will be directed to our website to complete your application for this position.

We are committed to developing an inclusive and diverse RSPB, in which everyone feels supported, valued, and able to be their full selves. To achieve our vision of creating a world richer in nature, we need more people, and more diverse people, on nature's side. People of colour and disabled people are currently underrepresented across the environment, climate, sustainability, and conservation sector. If you identify as a person of colour and/or disabled, we are particularly interested in receiving your application.

The RSPB is an equal opportunities employer. This role is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

This role is not eligible for UK Visa Sponsorship - the successful applicant will need to have a pre-existing Right to Work in the UK in order to be offered an employment contract.

As part of this application process you will be asked to complete an application form including evidence on how you meet the skills, knowledge, and experience listed above.

Contact us to discuss any additional support you may need to complete your application.

No agencies please.