Archives: Job Openings

Volunteer Coordinator

You will be responsible for helping to maintain and improve volunteer recruitment and retention and for recruiting,

Treasurer

Overall Purpose To ensure on behalf of the Board that Plateful Cafe’s assets are properly managed, only used for approved purposes, and applied as effectively as possible. Oversee the financial affairs of the organisation and ensure they are legal, constitutional and within accepted accounting practice and with previous Treasurer experience. Main Responsibilities Share the responsibility of reporting the financial position (balance sheet, cash flow, fundraising performance etc). Oversee the production of necessary financial reports/returns, accounts and audits and the production of an annual budget and propose its adoption at the last meeting of the previous financial year. Τo ensure that proper accounts and records are kept and that Plateful Cafe meets its legal obligations in respect of its financial affairs and financial reporting Τo ensure that Plateful Cafe’s financial resources are spent in line with good governance and legal and regulatory requirements Τo be instrumental in the development and implementation of Plateful Cafe’s financial policies To supervise and assist Finance assistants Main Tasks Liaising with the appropriate member(s) of volunteers responsible for Plateful Cafe’s financial activities and financial record-keeping Make members aware of their financial obligations and take a lead in interpreting financial data to them. Μonitoring that financial systems and controls are in place and adhered to Assist the fundraising team and team with Funding applications with the finance questions Assist with preparing budgets and other financial information for funding bids Assist volunteers with the preparation of financial reports for funder Αcting as a financial spokesperson for Plateful Cafe as appropriate Ensure proper records are kept and that effective financial procedures and controls are in place, ie: Cheque signatories; Purchasing limits; Purchasing systems; Petty cash/ float; Others as appropriate Appraising the financial viability of plans, proposals and feasibility studies. Lead on appointing and liaising with auditors/an independent examiner Undertake bookkeeping duties and/or oversee the finance volunteer ensuring posting and bookkeeping is kept up-to-date. Regularly carry out reconciliations/ oversee regular reconciliations by the finance volunteer. Please note this list is not exhaustive, there would be ad-hoc activities finance related that the Treasurer would be involved with as well. Qualities Knowledge and experience of current and fundraising finance practice relevant to charities voluntary and community organisations. Previous experience in a voluntary organisation in the finance team or Treasurer Knowledge of bookkeeping and financial management for at least 1 year Preferably prior knowledge of FreeAgent or a cloud based accounting system Diploma/ Higher Education degree in Finance, Accounting or related Managing a team remotely in the past is preferred Good financial analysis skills Ability to communicate clearly

Volunteer Driver (Food & Events Logistics)

Location: London (collections from Blackfriars SE1 or Honley Road SE6 2HZ; deliveries across Greater London) Role Type: Volunteer (mileage reimbursed) Role Overview We are seeking reliable and responsible Volunteer Drivers to support the transportation of food and products to markets, events, and private catering locations across London. This role is vital in ensuring goods are delivered safely, on time, and in excellent condition. Key Responsibilities Collect food and product items from designated pick-up points Transport goods to markets, events, and catering venues Load and unload items safely Plan efficient delivery routes Maintain communication with the team Ensure vehicle cleanliness Follow road safety regulations Requirements Valid UK driving licence Access to a reliable vehicle Good knowledge of London roads or GPS use Ability to lift moderate loads Reliable and organised Desirable Delivery or logistics experience Food hygiene awareness What You’ll Gain Support community initiatives Flexible schedule Logistics experience Mileage reimbursement at £0.45 per mile Additional Information Flexible shifts including weekdays, evenings, and weekends.

Events Assistant

We are looking for an Events Assistant who can help us organise monthly community dinners featuring three course meals from around the globe to enable the charity to engage with and attract donors. To help with running the dinner on the day with tasks including welcoming the guests, serving food and drinks, take payments, setting up and clearing, etc. Someone who can work as part of a team to plan and organise other events and fundraisers throughout the year, for example refugee week. The Events Assistant will assist with applying for funds for events including securing raffle prizes, donations of ingredients, material needed, musicians and entertainment, etc. To also work with the marketing team, providing details of upcoming events for promotion; take pictures and quotes at the event. Main duties will include: Prior experience of events planning and organisation A passion and keenness to engage in community-based work to support refugees and serve the local community Good organisation skills including: effective time management, punctuality and delegation of tasks. A flexible and proactive attitude to working Good responsiveness to emails/ text/ whatsapp Practical skills to help prepare and set-up the café for events Able to work well in a team and communicate effectively with the rest of the staff and visitors of the cafe A willingness to learn new skills Desirable: Prior experience working with refugees, people seeking asylum or other vulnerable groups Prior experience of involvement in charity fundraising events

Enterprise Trustee – Hospitality & Commercial Development

Help Build a Social Enterprise That Changes Lives Are you a senior professional in hospitality, catering, food service, events, or commercial operations? Do you enjoy growing businesses, building partnerships, and developing new income streams?   Plateful Café is seeking an experienced and commercially-minded Trustee to help shape the next stage of our development as we expand our catering and social enterprise activities across South-East London.   This is an exciting opportunity to apply your industry expertise to a purpose-driven organisation that supports refugees through hospitality training, employment pathways, catering services, and community engagement. About Plateful Café Based at Blackfriars Settlement in SE1, Plateful Café delivers an eight-week Introduction to Hospitality programme for refugees and asylum seekers, alongside external catering services, community dining events, pop-ups, festivals, and an online shop featuring food products and crafts made by programme participants.   As demand for our catering and corporate offer continues to grow, we are looking for a Trustee who can help us strengthen our commercial operations and build a sustainable income model that supports our long-term social impact. The Opportunity As Enterprise Trustee, you will play a strategic role in helping Plateful Café expand its commercial activities and develop new business opportunities.   Working closely with fellow Trustees, staff and volunteers, you will: Chair or support a new Enterprise & Operations Sub-Committee focused on sustainable growth Help shape and deliver a commercial strategy that diversifies income streams Provide insight into hospitality, catering, food service, events, or customer operations Support the development of our corporate catering offer across the SE1 and Central London business community Open doors to new partnerships, clients, venues and commercial opportunities Advise on customer development, market research and business planning Identify opportunities for retail stockists, markets, events and new sales channels Support the development of employment pathways and industry connections for programme participants Contribute to the overall governance and long-term sustainability of the charity We Are Looking For Someone With Essential Senior experience in hospitality, catering, food service, events, retail, or commercial operations A track record of growing businesses, developing partnerships, or generating income Strong networking and relationship-building skills Experience leading teams, projects or operational functions Commercial awareness and strategic thinking Excellent communication and collaboration skills A commitment to social impact and creating opportunities for others   Particularly Valuable Experience Corporate catering or B2B hospitality sales Business development and customer acquisition Social enterprise or start-up growth Venue management, events or food retail Building partnerships with employers and industry networks Experience working within South-East London communities   Time Commitment Board meetings: approximately one evening per month Additional contribution: around 4 hours per week, with flexibility Initial involvement in supporting the growth of our enterprise activities   Why Join Us? Use your professional expertise to create meaningful social impact Help shape the future of an ambitious and growing social enterprise Expand your network across the charity, hospitality and social enterprise sectors Work alongside a passionate and diverse team Support refugees and asylum seekers to develop skills, confidence and employment opportunities  

Business Development Trustee

What will you be doing? Supporting the Founder in researching, identifying and developing new models to grow food sales at the cafe, and achieve Plateful Café’s mission Liaise with relevant staff to champion an effective growth plan, and ensure that plan is aligned with the mission to support more refugees into work Ensure Plateful Café’s customer service is of the highest standards Support the Founder in the production and implementation of the business plan, growing both the markets and the e-commerce and cafe Support the Founder to implement a marketing plan Represent Plateful Café at social events Requirements: A passion for improving the lives of refugees and asylum seeker Experience and understanding of growing an e-commerce business and/or knowledge of cafe retail Previous experience in business development and sales Previous experience in customer services Being a proactive self-starter with dedication and drive to upskill in order to support the charity Desirable: Knowledge/experience of telemarketing and call centres Experience using CRM systems Previous experience in Marketing Knowledge of the food and café industry Lived experience of being a refugee and/or experience working with refugee

Fundraising Assistant

We are seeking to appoint enthusiastic, well-organised and highly motivated Fundraising Assistant to assist our Grants and Funding team with the research and writing of funding applications to secure vitally needed funds for the charity. Plateful Café works to relieve poverty and isolation amongst refugees, asylum seekers and ethnic minorities in south-east London. Our commitment is to reach the most vulnerable people in our community and help them access the support they are entitled to.  Voluntary, Half a day per week

Volunteer Donor Relationship Co-ordinator

As a Volunteer Donor Relationship Co-ordinator, you will play a crucial role in forming and maintaining relationships with our donors, ensuring they feel valued and appreciated, whilst forming & implementing a strategy to keep them donating. This role would suit someone who is confident, enthusiastic about building strong connections, and passionate about the welfare of refugees & asylum seekers. Key responsibilities Identify and approach local high net worth individuals/businesses to approach for a regular donation Develop a donor relationship strategy aimed at maximising engagement and satisfaction. Personally reach out to existing donors to thank them for their contributions (& send seasonal cards/other personalised messages to maintain positive relationships). Build relationships by engaging with donors via phone calls and emails to understand their motivations for donating and gather feedback used to improve our efforts. Encourage previous donors to continue their support. Keep detailed and accurate records of all our donor interactions to ensure we have up-to-date information on our supporters. Create and distribute surveys to gain insights into our donors’ needs and expectations. Further down the line, host webinars or live Q&A sessions to answer donor questions and provide updates on our work. Requirements: Strong communication abilities Proficiency with google docs/sheets Excellent organisational skills A confident individual who is comfortable engaging with a diverse range of people Pro-active approach and work with minimum supervision Can commit a minimum of 2 hours per week

Volunteer Market Stall Trader

We are looking for a Volunteer Market Stall Trader, to help sell produce made by our refugee chefs to customers at local markets. This role involves setting up and taking down the market stall, engaging with potential customers, explaining our products, addressing inquiries, and actively promoting sales. You will gain valuable experience in sales and customer service.   What will you be doing? Market Stall Setup and Take Down: Assist in the set up and take down of the market stall, including arranging products, setting up signage, and ensuring the stall is presentable. Product Promotion/Sales Encouragement: Engage with potential customers, explaining our products, the refugees who made them and our story, answering questions and providing recommendations as needed. Sales Transactions: Handle sales transactions efficiently and accurately including Zettle for cards and also cash.   Desirables: Ability to perform tasks that may involve heavy lifting and physical labour, such as setting up and taking down the market stall Strong customer service skills with a friendly and approachable demeanour Ability to work independently, as well as part of a team Willingness to learn about our charity and products and effectively communicate this to customers Basic numeracy skills required for processing sales transactions and handling money

Volunteer Film maker

We are looking for a film maker who will be able to join us at our food and music events, film and create short highlight clips to share on social media (see our instagram page for ideas). What will you be doing? Conducting short interviews with guests and the team to create content Contribute new ideas and creativity welcome to showcase and promote Plateful Cafe.   Requirements: Basic video editing ability A decent camera/phone