EU Café Operations Lead

📍 Brussels or Paris (with regular travel between locations)
🕒 Full-time, open-ended contract (CDI) under Belgian or French labor law
🚀 Start date: as soon as possible

 


The Role

We’re looking for an EU Café Operations Lead to oversee and elevate our cafés in Brussels and Paris. You’ll work closely with store managers to ensure smooth daily operations, team performance, and consistently excellent customer experience. This is a strategic yet hands-on role — perfect for someone who leads with structure, solves problems quickly, and keeps teams engaged and accountable. You’ll support managers with hiring, training, scheduling, payroll, and supplier coordination, while also ensuring consistency across both locations in tools, service, and operational standards. When needed, you step in — whether it’s resolving an urgent issue, covering a shift, or rolling out a seasonal menu. You’ll act as the founders’ trusted operational point of contact for all EU café matters.

 

 

Key Responsibilities

  • Lead and support café teams and managers in Brussels and Paris
  • Oversee daily operations, check-ins, and key performance indicators (sales, reviews, staffing)
  • Maintain high standards in quality, service, and brand consistency
  • Assist managers with recruitment, onboarding, and training
  • Support scheduling, payroll, and compliance with local labor laws
  • Run regular team trainings, performance reviews, and manager check-ins
  • Be reachable 7/7 for emergencies and able to step in when needed
  • Manage suppliers, service providers, and equipment upkeep
  • Launch seasonal drinks and new products across both cafés
  • Monitor inventory, reduce waste, and uphold hygiene standards
  • Support involvement in brand events, partnerships, and collaborations
  • Ensure cafés contribute to social media and brand content
  • Provide weekly operational updates to the founders
  • Ensure consistent use of internal tools (ClickUp, Gmail, Google Drive, POS, etc.)
  • Take initiative, solve issues early, and keep teams aligned with BUDDY BUDDY values

 

 

Who We’re Looking For

This role is not a fit for beginners or junior profiles — we’re looking for someone who has already led operations in a hospitality or retail environment and can step into this role with confidence and autonomy.
  • A natural problem-solver with structure, foresight, and initiative
  • Independent, hands-on, and detail-oriented
  • Experienced in high-volume café, bakery, hospitality, or retail operations
  • Proficient in digital tools and systems (scheduling, POS, dashboards, ClickUp, Google Workspace)
  • Skilled at leading, motivating, and holding teams accountable
  • Clear, transparent communicator — especially with founders
  • Comfortable traveling regularly between Brussels and Paris
  • Fully aligned with BUDDY BUDDY’s long-term mission and brand values

 

 

Requirements

  • Fluent in English (French is a plus)
  • Based in Brussels or Paris
  • Minimum 3 years of proven leadership experience in hospitality or retail operations
  • Legal right to work in Belgium or France
  • Able and willing to travel regularly between locations
  • Start your application e-mail with "Hey Buddies"
  • Available to start as soon as possible

 

 

What We Offer

  • Full-time CDI under Belgian or French labor law
  • Attractive and fair salary
  • Meal vouchers + monthly Deliveroo allowance
  • Paid phone + public transport
  • Autonomy, responsibility, and room to grow
  • A values-driven brand with global ambitions

 

 

Only candidates who meet the required experience and are legally eligible to work in Belgium or France will be contacted. We kindly ask that you do not apply if you do not meet these criteria. To apply, e-mail hiring@buddybuddy.co.