Head Barista

BLUESTONE LANE•Tysons, VA

11d•Onsite

About The Position

A Head Barista upholds the quality standards of Bluestone Lane’s coffee and beverage program in their assigned café. The role serves as a positive influence and role model for baristas, with responsibility for drink quality, local interactions, food preparation, and on-the-job training and education. The Head Barista oversees all aspects of the café’s coffee menu and supports the relevant manager. Following the Steps of Service, the role provides customer service while maximizing sales. It is cross-functional, rotating between the coffee machine, POS, takeaway orders, and the café floor alongside server teammates. The position serves locals and runs drinks to tables Monday through Friday. The Head Barista is the café-level gatekeeper for coffee and beverage quality and processes, and an extension of the Education team. Responsibilities include maintaining coffee equipment, managing coffee inventory, training and acclimating baristas, supporting accreditation, engaging with locals, and helping ensure consistent service and product quality. The role also assists the General Manager with live labor and operational excellence, including in the General Manager’s absence. Work is typically performed indoors in environmentally controlled conditions. The employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The role requires standing for extended periods and lifting up to 40 pounds. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Requirements

At least 2 years of experience as a barista or Head Barista in specialty coffee, or at least 4 years in non-specialty coffee in a high-volume, fast-paced environment.
At least 2 years of relevant hospitality experience.
DOH accreditation or Safeserve certification.
Strong technical barista knowledge and skills, including extraction, texturing, and pouring.
Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
Ability to work in a high-stress, fast-paced environment.
Ability to stand for extended periods and lift up to 40 pounds.

Nice To Haves

Previous management or leadership experience.

Responsibilities

Uphold coffee and beverage quality standards and serve as the café’s gatekeeper for coffee-related quality and processes.
Train, educate, mentor, and acclimate new and existing baristas in coffee products, beverage preparation, and Bluestone Lane processes.
Manage coffee-related equipment and tools, including daily cleaning and periodic maintenance.
Manage coffee and coffee-related product inventory, ordering, rotation, and quantities according to standard operating procedures; minimize waste.
Educate and excite locals about the menu and provide table service, upselling food and beverages, and refilling drinks at appropriate times.
Rotate between the coffee machine, POS, takeaway orders, and café floor; deliver drinks and support server teammates in serving locals.
Build relationships with locals through personalized interactions and conversation, including learning their names and orders.
Attend monthly Head Barista meetings and regular calibration sessions with the Education team; travel may be needed for calibration sessions.
Initiate training and accreditation requests for teammates as needed and support barista upskilling with the manager.
Provide input to the General Manager or Operations team on selecting and hiring baristas.
Contribute to workflow and operational improvements that support speed of service.
Complete Zenput inputs, including monthly staffing reports to the Education team and monthly coffee and process audits; ensure correct extraction through daily dial-in.
Maintain clean, fully functioning bar and workspace and follow grooming guidelines.
Assist the General Manager in directing and managing live labor and ensure operational excellence in the General Manager’s absence.
Work collaboratively with servers to provide efficient and effective service to locals.