CAFÉ ASSISTANT

The Iris Cafe at Newnham College requires a full-time, permanent Assistant to join the busy team providing a 7-day café operation to students, fellows, staff, College visitors and the general public. You will be serving customers, providing hot and cold drinks, sandwiches and cakes, keeping the café clean, tidy and safe and offering excellent customer service and satisfaction.  You will also be supporting other catering functions in the College if needed, working in the buttery or on functions and events. This represents an excellent opportunity to join a team of hospitality professionals and gain skills and experience.

This post would suit a smart, reliable individual with some customer service experience or the willingness to learn, looking for a first step in a career in hospitality and food services. Previous experience of working as a barista and knowledge of/experience working with food allergens would be advantageous, but we are happy to train the individual who shows the right aptitudes. 

The annual salary is paid at point 25 on the University’s single salary spine, currently £25,249 per annum. Working full time hours which average 37.5 hours per week on a rota basis, flexibility is a requirement. You will be expected to work alternate weekends when you have a day off in the week and there is occasional evening work. As well as the opportunity to grow and develop on a professional level the College also offers a range of employee benefits including 33 days a year holiday, (inclusive of bank holidays), your Birthday as a paid day off, free lunches and parking when available, free use of the College gym and the post is pensionable under the College’s attractive contributory pension scheme with a current employer contribution rate of 14.5% which is very competitive. 

How to apply

Scroll up and you will find a link to the job description with person specification. An application form and equal opportunities form can be found on the main vacancy page: https://newn.cam.ac.uk/about/vacancies. Please demonstrate in the application form how you meet the essential requirements of the role found in the person specification. 

Completed applications should be emailed to HR@newn.cam.ac.uk by the closing deadline of noon on Monday 11 May 2026. The intention is that interviews will take place during the following week.

Newnham College is an equal opportunities employer.