Lead Barista

16 On Center•Chicago, IL

6d•Onsite

About The Position

As a Lead Barista at Good Ambler, you will play a key role in ensuring efficient, high-quality beverage service and exceptional hospitality in a fast-paced, high-volume café. You’ll lead the barista team during service, coach on technique and speed, communicate effectively with kitchen and bakery teams, and help maintain a clean and welcoming environment for both guests and staff. Our café serves a steady stream of guests from the adjacent office buildings during the week and sees long, fast-moving lines on weekends.

Requirements

Minimum 2 years of barista experience in a high-volume café or similar setting
1+ year in a supervisory or lead role preferred
Strong knowledge of coffee, espresso extraction, milk steaming, and drink building
Familiarity with POS systems (e.g., Square, Toast)
Friendly, professional, and customer-focused with excellent communication skills
Effective multitasker with a strong sense of urgency and attention to detail
Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment, including weekends and holidays
Must have or be willing to obtain an Illinois Food Handler’s Certification
Able to work approximately 32–40 hours per week
Able to stand/walk for up to 8 hours per shift
Able to lift and carry up to 50 lbs
Comfortable working in warm and cool environments, indoors and outdoors
Able to tolerate noise from music and customer traffic, as well as exposure to common allergens like dairy, wheat, tree nuts, peanuts, and sesame

Responsibilities

Leading baristas through service to ensure speed, accuracy, and quality
Monitoring drink presentation and adjusting in real time as needed
Maintaining a clean, well-stocked, and organized bar and customer area
Communicating with kitchen and bakery teams on restocks and special orders
Training new team members and offering ongoing coaching on recipes, workflows, and hospitality standards
Modeling excellent customer service and handling guest concerns with professionalism
Managing inventory of coffee, syrups, milk, and related supplies
Brainstorming and supporting seasonal beverage development and communicating sales trends to management
Reporting equipment issues or customer incidents to management promptly
Ensuring consistent adherence to recipes, café procedures, and health code regulations
Supporting breaks and task delegation to maintain smooth operations
Assisting with deep cleaning and side work assignments as needed