Cafe Manager

Commonwealth Joe Coffee Roasters

11d • Onsite

About The Position

The Café Manager is the leader of the retail store and the primary point of contact for the café team. This role demands a proactive, resourceful leader who can make sound decisions under pressure. The Café Manager acts with urgency and strong judgment to address dynamic challenges—whether coordinating timely repairs for critical equipment, resolving unexpected staffing issues, or stepping in to ensure operations run smoothly.
With a hands-on approach and strong leadership presence, they prioritize professionalism, open communication, and exceptional customer engagement. The Café Manager fosters a high-performing team and a welcoming environment while embodying Commonwealth Joe’s core values of excellence, humility, teamwork, and continuous learning.

Requirements

• High school diploma or GED required.
• Minimum of 2 years of management experience leading teams.
• Experience working in a retail and/or service-driven environment; café or hospitality experience strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated attention to detail with high standards for quality, presentation, and execution.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to effectively engage individuals across a range of roles, skill sets, and perspectives.
• ServSafe certification required (or ability to obtain within a defined timeframe).
• Passionate about coffee, hospitality, and delivering exceptional guest experiences.
• Demonstrates a proactive, “can-do” mindset and seeks practical, effective solutions.
• Quick learner with strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Balances attention to detail with the ability to think strategically and see the big picture.
• Effectively prioritizes and manages multiple responsibilities in a fast-paced environment.
• Approaches challenges with patience, curiosity, and follow-through.
• Maintains flexibility and availability to address unforeseen needs (e.g., maintenance issues, staffing gaps) to ensure smooth café operations.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office or similar productivity tools.
• Experience using point-of-sale (POS) systems and inventory management tools.

Nice To Haves

• Familiarity with employee scheduling and payroll platforms (e.g., Gusto) preferred.

Responsibilities

• Accountable for achieving monthly and quarterly financial, product, and brand objectives at the café.
• Leads and directs the team to set goals, align priorities, and execute initiatives in support of company objectives.
• Proactively identifies opportunities to improve operations, team effectiveness, guest experience, and profitability, bringing forward thoughtful recommendations and proposed solutions.
• Uses data and reporting tools to analyze trends, diagnose challenges, and inform operational and people decisions.
• Manages store performance metrics, including sales targets, customer satisfaction, labor cost percentages, COGS, and shrink, ensuring alignment with overall business goals.
• Manages monthly COGS targets through effective inventory management, purchasing decisions, waste reduction, and data analysis.
• Manages monthly labor targets through thoughtful scheduling, deployment planning, and active participation on the floor when needed.
• Ensures the café is adequately staffed at all times, proactively addressing call-outs and unexpected staffing challenges, including stepping in to fill roles as necessary.
• Oversees recruitment, onboarding, training, and ongoing development of team members, fostering a culture of learning, craftsmanship, and accountability.
• Develops internal talent, identifies future leaders, and builds bench strength to support long-term store stability.
• Coordinates staff training and development in partnership with the management team.
• Builds and maintains strong, trusting relationships with team members, fostering open communication through regular team meetings and individual check-ins.
• Leads the team through change effectively by communicating expectations clearly, reinforcing standards, and holding team members accountable during transitions.
• Develops, implements, and maintains operational procedures and checklists to ensure consistency and efficiency.
• Leads day-to-day store operations, remaining present, accessible, and ready to support the team through daily challenges.
• Sets, models, and reinforces high standards of quality, speed of service, professionalism, and overall customer experience.
• Coordinates routine equipment maintenance and preventative care, and ensures timely repairs by working closely with vendors and contractors.
• Minimizes spoilage through inventory controls, product rotation, and responsible usage practices.
• Proactively plans for holidays, events, and seasonal initiatives to drive customer engagement and operational readiness.
• Partners with the Café Director and cross-functional teams to engage the community both online and in person, deepen relationships with regular customers, and build connections with neighboring businesses.
• Demonstrates financial curiosity by understanding key drivers of profitability and actively testing ways to improve margins and guest spend.
• Maintains a high level of professionalism and represents Commonwealth Joe positively both on and off shift.
• Demonstrates knowledge of and the ability to perform all roles within the retail environment as needed.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Vision insurance
• Paid time off
• Voluntary benefits - short-term disability, accident insurance, and life insurance
• 401(k)
• Free coffee!

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Education Level: High school or GED
• Number of Employees: 51-100 employees