Cafe Team Expert

Barnes & Noble•Columbia, MD

6d•Onsite

About The Position

The Café Team Expert (CTE) is an integral leader of the Barnes & Noble café team, developing team knowledge and creating a welcoming customer environment. The role uses sales, trend, waste, and inventory data to support café profitability, presents viable business strategies, and collaborates with the Store Manager to implement and adapt café action plans. The CTE is expected to master Barnes & Noble Barista operational competencies and model and coach effective practices in drink preparation, food and beverage presentation, visual merchandising, register operation, customer service, bookselling support, loss prevention, inventory ordering, and reporting. As expertise develops, the CTE reviews sales and inventory information, meets regularly with the Store Manager about performance and opportunities, and maintains café safety, hygiene, and sanitation standards. The position involves physical activity, including prolonged standing, repetitive bending, lifting, and extensive walking. The employee may also work at other stores when able and needed to support the wider Cluster. The role requires reliable attendance and flexibility to help fill scheduling gaps; stores are open from early mornings to late evenings every day, including weekends and most holidays. The stated starting hourly rate is $24.00, depending on experience, seniority, geographic location, and other factors permitted by law.

Requirements

Previous experience as a Lead Barista.
Reliable and punctual attendance for scheduled shifts.
Flexibility to help fill scheduling gaps, including during early mornings, late evenings, weekends, and most holidays as needed.
Positive, proactive, dependable, and hardworking approach, with the ability to lead by example and encourage others.
Kindness, fairness, encouragement, and respect when supporting the store team.
Strong customer-service orientation and willingness to go out of the way to help customers.
Initiative in personal development, enthusiasm for learning, and willingness to use feedback to improve.
Active listening and clear communication skills.
Ability to prioritize resources and barista support to keep shifts on track.
Enjoyment of working as a barista.
Ability to perform prolonged standing, repetitive bending, lifting, and extensive walking.
Ability to work at other stores when able and needed to support the wider Cluster.

Responsibilities

Lead and develop café team members, modeling high standards and coaching them in operational competencies.
Create a welcoming environment and provide cheerful, helpful customer service.
Use sales, trend, waste, and inventory data to develop business strategies and support café profitability.
Collaborate with the Store Manager to implement and adapt café action plans and drive expected results.
Prepare drinks and maintain food and beverage presentation standards; adjust displays and coach others in effective practices.
Maintain counter and floor retail fixtures using visual merchandising skills.
Operate the register efficiently, take orders, and coach others on order-taking efficiency and speed of service.
Support the bookfloor team with bookselling when available.
Coach the team in loss prevention, help maintain a safe and secure bookstore, identify theft, and de-escalate challenging situations and problematic behaviors.
Manage food and beverage inventory through effective ordering.
Complete and submit accurate monthly inventory and waste logs on time.
Make informed food and beverage recommendations to customers and serve as a role model to the team.
Review category sales, inventory quantities, and product waste reports, and act on the information to maximize sales and profitability.
Meet regularly with the Store Manager to review café sales performance, profitability, training, and opportunities.
Maintain café safety, hygiene, and sanitation standards.
Maintain reliable and punctual attendance, and fill scheduling gaps when able.
Support other stores in the wider Cluster when able and needed.
Comply with company policies and procedures.

Benefits

Employee discount.
Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
Sick pay.
Paid time off, including paid maternity and parental leave, for employees scheduled to work 20 or more hours per week.
Company-paid holidays for employees scheduled to work 20 or more hours per week.
Transit benefits for employees scheduled to work 20 or more hours per week.
401(k) with company match for employees scheduled to work 20 or more hours per week.
Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision health benefits for employees scheduled to work 30 or more hours per week.
Healthcare and dependent care spending accounts for employees scheduled to work 30 or more hours per week.
Disability benefits for employees scheduled to work 30 or more hours per week.
Life insurance for employees scheduled to work 30 or more hours per week.
Tuition reimbursement for employees scheduled to work 30 or more hours per week.