Cafe Assistant

You can help bring our villages to life  

Summerset Waikanae is preparing to open the doors to its brand-new cafe – a stunning addition to our already vibrant village community. With its beautiful location this new space will be the jewel in our crown – and we're looking for a friendly, energetic Café Assistant to help bring it to life. 

At Summerset, from the moment we start developing a village, to when our residents call it home, it's the passion and dedication of our people that brings our villages to life. We are one team united by being part of something bigger – to bring the best of life to our residents.

We believe that a great cup of coffee and a warm smile can brighten anyone's day. We're more than just a café, we're a community hub, a space for connection, and a team that supports and looks out for each other. We're now looking for a Café Assistant for our Waikanae Village who shares our love for people and hospitality.

You'll play a key role in delivering exceptional customer service and ensuring the smooth running of our café. From making great coffee to creating tasty cabinet food and light meals, you'll help make our café a warm and welcoming place for residents, their families, and visitors. Your day-to-day responsibilities will include:

• Preparing, presenting, and serving food and drinks to a high standard
• Providing outstanding barista services
• Assisting with catering for village events and resident functions
• Handling cash and reconciling daily takings

You'll work closely with the Chef Manager, Café Supervisor, and wider village team to deliver a café experience that's welcoming, consistent, and genuinely enjoyable.

This is a part-time weekend role working Saturday and Sunday 9:00am - 3pm. Later in the year, as our village grows, there will be an opportunity to change your days and hours.

This role will commence on the 9th February 2026 with 3 weeks of full time paid training (Monday - Friday).

You will bring a warm and positive approach to everything you do, along with:

• Previous hospitality or café experience
• Superb barista skills
• A warm, friendly personality with great customer service skills
• Excellent communication and the ability to multitask
• The ability to work both independently and as part of a team

At Summerset Retirement Villages, we believe diversity strengthens our team and enriches the care we provide. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, experiences, and walks of life—including those with transferable skills from other industries. You may not tick all the requirements, and that's okay; we value what you bring to the table and look at the whole individual. We're committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued, respected, and supported to thrive.

Equal opportunity is at the heart of how we recruit, and we encourage you to bring your unique perspective and passion to our team.

We are proud to show our appreciation for the passion and commitment our people show every day, by offering a selection of employee benefits:

Our benefits include:

• Retail discounts and paid leave for your birthday
• The ability to grow your career across a variety of roles in Summerset
• Opportunities to gain recognised hospitality qualifications
• Uniform provided

Next Steps: Applications for this role will close on Tuesday 16th December. This role may close early due to an increased number of applications - apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment