Lead Barista - FT

Barnes & Noble is a renowned bookseller and community hub, operating as a leading bookstore chain across the United States. With a rich history of fostering a love for reading and learning, Barnes & Noble serves as both a retailer and a cultural gathering place for book lovers and local communities alike. Each store offers a comprehensive selection of books, magazines, and gifts, alongside an inviting café environment. The cafés within Barnes & Noble stores play an integral role in creating a pleasant shopping atmosphere, offering customers quality coffee and food items in a cozy setting. The company prides itself on maintaining highly visible, well-organized retail spaces and providing exceptional customer service.

The role of Lead Barista at Barnes & Noble is a critical leadership position within the café team. This role requires a unique balance of hands-on barista skills and team leadership capabilities. As a Lead Barista, you will be responsible for guiding the café team in delivering outstanding product presentation and operational excellence. You will serve as a trusted expert on café operations and beverage preparation, setting high standards for performance and professionalism. This leadership role demands a proactive and positive approach that inspires the team to work efficiently and maintain a welcoming environment for customers and colleagues.

As Lead Barista, you will demonstrate key behaviors that support the store's operational goals and enhance team dynamics. You will ensure reliable attendance and flexibility in scheduling to meet the demands of a retail environment open long hours, including weekends and holidays. Your leadership style will be supportive and considerate, promoting teamwork and open communication where questions and concerns are addressed promptly. You will model cheerfulness and excellent customer service by consistently going the extra mile to meet customers' needs.

This position requires mastery of barista skills such as drink making, food preparation, and visual merchandising. You will coach and mentor your team in all aspects of café operations, including speed and accuracy at the registers, maintaining the bake case, stock management using FIFO principles, and ensuring high cleanliness and safety standards. Your role will also include operational tasks such as placing accurate food and beverage orders, submitting inventory and waste logs, and leading sales initiatives like limited-time offers, promotions, and membership drives.

Physical activity is a significant part of this job, involving prolonged standing, bending, lifting, and substantial walking. Flexibility to support other stores within the cluster is also expected when needed. As you grow in this role, your expertise will deepen, and you will have increasing opportunities to contribute to store success and your career progression within Barnes & Noble. The company encourages continuous learning, ambition, and initiative in developing a long-term career both in bookselling and café operations.

Benefits vary by hours worked and may include employee discount, paid time off, maternity and parental leave, company-paid holidays, 401(k) with company match, comprehensive health benefits (medical, dental, vision), healthcare spending accounts, disability coverage, life insurance, transit benefits, and tuition reimbursement. Barnes & Noble is an Affirmative Action Employer committed to diversity and equal employment opportunity, ensuring a supportive and inclusive workplace for all employees. The Lead Barista role is an excellent opportunity for those passionate about coffee, customer service, and leadership within a vibrant retail setting.