Lead Cafe Associate

CHILDRENS MUSEUM OF PHOENIX•Phoenix, AZ

3d•$17 - $17•Onsite

About The Position

The Lead Café Associate is a versatile member of Delish, combining customer service with café performance management. The role models the Museum’s character for Associates and leads daily efforts to deliver high-quality service and food. The Lead Café Associate assists the Café Manager with policy, reporting, training, design, and marketing, and contributes expertise to the Visitor Development administrative team and other sales departments. The position offers aspiring restaurant managers or owners an opportunity to develop their skills and lead a foodservice team. The role oversees café operations and staff, prepares food and drinks for café service and in-house catered events, tracks inventory and supplies, places vendor orders, monitors food quality using FIFO, supports regulatory compliance, and handles cash and sales transactions. It also supports staff recruitment, training, policy communication, performance management, and revenue goals. The position may assist with supervision and administrative tasks in other Visitor Development or Museum departments as needed. The position requires 34–40 hours of availability per week, including weekdays, weekends, holidays, and some evenings for special events. Work involves extended periods standing and moving, lifting and carrying supplies weighing up to 55 pounds, and working around commercial ovens, fluctuating temperatures, sharp equipment, crowds, ambient noise, and potentially unpleasant smells. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Requirements

Two years of foodservice experience at a supervisory or management level.
Two years of cash-handling experience.
Strong interpersonal skills.
Availability for 34–40 hours per week with consistency, including weekdays, weekends, holidays, and some evenings for special events.
Excellent communication and customer service skills, with a general customer-service orientation.
Ability to work under pressure and respond to deadlines and changing environments.
Experience working with children and families.
Comfort working in large groups of people or crowds.
Basic computer literacy, including web browsers, email, Microsoft Office, and communication apps.
Basic mathematics skills, including addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.
High school graduate or GED.
Must meet requirements of the employment background check.
Must have or obtain a Food Protection Manager card within one calendar year of hiring.
Ability to respond amicably to common visitor inquiries or complaints and communicate effectively with team members.
Ability to use standard arithmetic for cash transactions, understand weight measurements in pounds and ounces, calculate time and measurements, count inventory or orders, and help manage finances for budget compliance.
Ability to use Toast Point-of-Sale systems, Kitchen Display Systems, and kiosks; navigate computers for ordering and inventory; and correspond digitally with office and administrative teams.
Ability to remain standing and moving in a stimulating environment for up to 12 hours.
Ability to communicate clearly and effectively in written and spoken English, see well, read fine print, and comprehend shorthand information.
Ability to lift and move boxes and kitchen supplies weighing up to 55 pounds up stairs.
Ability to vocalize regularly and clearly for safe kitchen navigation.
Ability to work in well-lit areas with fluctuating temperatures from commercial ovens, open areas with other employees, and around knives, slicers, and other sharp objects.
Ability to tolerate unpleasant smells and sounds for periods of up to eight hours continuously.

Nice To Haves

Fluency in Spanish and/or other languages.

Responsibilities

Welcome and acknowledge visitors to the Café.
Supervise kitchen, staff, and dining room areas.
Prepare food and drinks for the Café and catered meals for in-house events.
Track and organize food and supplies and assist with monthly inventory counts.
Maintain compliance with routine inspections by the Maricopa County Environmental Health Department and other regulatory agencies.
Create food and supply order lists and place orders through vendors.
Monitor food quality using FIFO.
Introduce and instruct Associates on policy, assist with recruiting Café staff, and enforce Museum safety protocols.
Monitor, report, and support performance management and disciplinary actions.
Perform general housekeeping, including sweeping, dusting, vacuuming, and mopping as needed.
Process credit cards, cash, and other monetary transactions in a fast-paced environment.
Meet department revenue goals and promote current sales and discounts.
Communicate positively and professionally with coworkers at all organizational levels.
Open, close, and balance daily cash drawers.
Stay current on Museum policies, exhibits, and events.
Work with energy, a strong work ethic, and a sense of excitement.
Complete professional development activities as required by the Café Manager.
Directly supervise Prep Cooks, Baristas, and Line Cooks for food-safety purposes.
Support performance management and communicate policy to team members; provide managerial support during high-volume periods to maintain food quality and positive staff experience.
Provide general Museum or Visitor Development department supervision, cash-handling supervision, and assistance with other departments’ supervisory or administrative tasks as needed.
Manage finances with the Café Manager to support budget compliance.