Cafe & Guest Experience Supervisor (Full-Time) | Smith Tower

Columbia Hospitality•Seattle, WA

2d•$24 - $26•Onsite

About The Position

The Café & Guest Experience Supervisor leads frontline excellence at Smith Tower by championing the standards, service culture, and brand expectations of our Caffe Vita partnership. This role is deeply rooted in café operations—ensuring every beverage meets Caffe Vita’s quality benchmarks, coaching baristas to uphold craft and consistency, managing daily workflows, and maintaining compliance with food safety and brand requirements. The supervisor is expected to understand coffee at a foundational level, support ongoing training, and help drive a smooth, efficient café environment that reflects our elevated guest experience. Alongside café leadership, this role supports the broader Guest Experience team across admissions, ticketing, the museum, and visitor engagement. The supervisor helps guide the flow of the guest journey—from the moment they enter the building to their time in the Observatory—reinforcing service standards, supporting team communication, and stepping in where needed to maintain operational continuity. This dual focus ensures that both Caffe Vita and Guest Experience departments work in sync, delivering seamless hospitality throughout Smith Tower.

Requirements

2+ years in supervisory experience and/or training in comparable attraction and/or food service operation.
Able to perform essential functions on a computerized Point of Sale and Ticketing System. Fareharbor, Lightspeed, Toast, etc.
Required valid WA State Food Handler’s Permit and MAST Permit and understanding all applicable liquor laws and regulations.
The ability to read, write and speak English fluently is required to read, analyze, and interpret regulations. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from group of managers, clients, customers, and the public.
Team centric and the ability to successfully lead the guest experience and cafe teams.
Must be flexible and able to perform multiple tasks and work in stressful situations.
Strong client/customer service skills with the ability to be solutions oriented
Must maintain dependable work attendance and flexibility with assigned work schedules including any required overtime, evenings, weekends, and holidays
Ability to lift (25+) Pounds
Basic math skills required

Responsibilities

Lead daily café operations, ensuring all service, product, and brand standards aligned with Caffe Vita requirements are consistently met.
Evaluate barista performance regularly, focusing on craft execution, beverage quality, speed, and adherence to Caffe Vita’s training guidelines and operating procedures.
Maintain expert-level understanding of coffee preparation, equipment functionality, and product presentation to support training, troubleshooting, and overall service excellence.
Coach and develop baristas to strengthen consistency, accuracy, and engagement throughout the guest flow—from order placement to beverage delivery.
Monitor café efficiency during high-volume periods, adjusting staffing levels, workstation organization, and workflow strategies to optimize speed of service and guest satisfaction.
Ensure all café products—coffee, specialty beverages, food items, and retail offerings—are presented to exacting standards every time.
Uphold strict food safety, cleanliness, and sanitation practices, ensuring compliance with both Caffe Vita and Smith Tower expectations.
Oversee par levels, restocking, and station readiness to maintain a seamless operation and support sustained revenue performance.
Partner with leadership and Caffe Vita trainers to identify training gaps, attend educational seminars, and maintain operational readiness for new menu items or promotions.
Oversee day-to-day operations of the admissions/box office, ticketing, museum, and guided tours, ensuring a seamless and engaging visitor journey.
Act as a leader on the floor, guiding the Guest Experience team to provide warm, knowledgeable, and efficient service.
Assist in managing ticketing systems.
Support team members in delivering high-quality tours and storytelling that bring the history of Smith Tower to life for guests.
Resolve guest concerns and challenges promptly and professionally, ensuring every visitor leaves with a positive impression.
Prepare weekly schedules for the guest experience team taking into consideration fluctuations in business to control labor costs.
Assist in tracking inventory, completing daily reports, and ensuring compliance with health and safety standards.
Support the execution of special events and group tours as needed.
Other duties as assigned by management.

Benefits

Hourly Wage: $24 - $26 DOE
Get Paid Daily (Make any day payday)
Paid Time off & Holiday Pay
Medical, Dental, Vision, Disability, 401K
HSA/FSA Plans -with employer contribution
Referral Bonus
Discounted Lodging, Dining, Spa, Golf, and Retail
Employee Assistance Program
“Columbia Cares” Volunteer Opportunities
Committee Participation Opportunities
Task Force Work Opportunities
Online Learning Platform to Help You Grow!
Third Party Perks (Including discounts on Pet Insurance, Rental Cars, Movie and Concert Tickets, Theme Park and Attractions & so much more)
Tip Eligible