Lead Barista - FT

Barnes & Noble•North Canton, OH

4d•Onsite

About The Position

A Barnes & Noble bookstore is a gathering place for readers and the community. The Lead Barista is an integral member of the café team who guides the team in maintaining compelling product presentations and oversees the efficient running of the Café. This trusted expert and hands-on leader creates a welcoming environment where baristas feel supported, can raise questions or concerns, and trust that these will be addressed promptly and effectively. The Lead Barista models reliable, positive, proactive, supportive, customer-focused behavior; helps fill scheduling gaps when able; learns and applies new skills; and acts as a resource for baristas and booksellers. The role prioritizes resources and barista support to keep shifts on track and requires mastering the operational competencies of a Barnes & Noble barista, then coaching others in their effective execution. As experience and expertise develop, the Lead Barista contributes to café operations by ordering food and beverages, completing inventory and waste records, supporting sales objectives and promotions, broadening baristas’ experience using training resources, and maintaining café safety, hygiene, and sanitation standards. The role may involve supporting other stores in the wider Cluster when able and needed. Employees are expected to comply with all company policies and procedures and may advance along the career path as they demonstrate mastery of the role’s skills.

Requirements

Reliable and punctual attendance for scheduled shifts.
Flexibility to fill scheduling gaps when able; the stores are open from early mornings to late evenings every day, including weekends and most holidays.
Positive, proactive, hardworking, and reliable approach, with the ability to lead by example and inspire others.
Supportive and considerate approach to colleagues and a willingness to help the team.
Cheerful, helpful customer service approach.
Aptitude and willingness to learn new skills and knowledge and apply them appropriately while guiding and supporting others.
Curiosity, initiative, and ambition to develop a bookselling or café career.
Ability to address and resolve concerns and raise issues to leadership.
Ability to prioritize resources and barista support to keep a shift on track.
Enjoyment of barista work.
Proficiency in drink making, food preparation, café tools and processes, merchandising, visual presentation, register service, stocking and FIFO, cleaning, loss prevention, inventory, sales support, and café safety, hygiene, and sanitation; training is provided.
Physical ability to perform prolonged standing, repetitive bending, lifting, and extensive walking.

Responsibilities

Model best practices in drink making, food preparation, and café tools and processes; coach baristas in effective execution.
Coach the café team in merchandising, maintaining a full and vibrant bake case, adjusting displays, and meeting cleanliness and presentation standards.
Guide baristas in visual merchandising and maintaining neat, tidy counter and floor retail fixtures.
Coach baristas in customer conversations and improving register speed and accuracy.
Guide and support receiving, unpacking, and accurately stocking deliveries, following First in First Out (FIFO) practices.
Support baristas in completing daily and weekly café cleaning tasks and keeping the Café clean and tidy.
Support the bookfloor team in maintaining presentation standards.
Coach the team to follow loss prevention procedures and help maintain a safe, secure bookstore by spotting theft and de-escalating challenging situations and problematic behaviors.
Place food and beverage orders accurately and promptly, using available tools and resources to keep the Café in stock.
Complete and submit accurate monthly inventory and waste logs on time.
Coach the team in making effective food and beverage recommendations to customers.
Lead and support the Café’s focus on sales objectives, including new LTOs, café promotions, and Membership, and share relevant information with customers and colleagues.
Use café training tools and resources to help baristas broaden their experience.
Apply café safety, hygiene, and sanitation guidelines and procedures to maintain standards.
Act as a resource for baristas and booksellers, address and resolve concerns, and raise issues to leadership.
Prioritize resources and barista support to keep the shift on track.
Comply with company policies and procedures; support other stores in the Cluster when able and needed.