Cafe Lead

Position Summary

The Cafe Lead supports the Food Service Manager in overseeing the store's cafe operations to ensure exceptional customer service, food and beverage quality, and clean, welcoming environment. This role will help to drive profitability by maintaining recipe standards and monitoring inventory shrinkage while maintaining a full, fresh presentation for customers.

Key Responsibilities

• Work alongside the Food Service Manager in leading daily cafe operations to ensure fast, friendly, and efficient customer service.
• Prepare and serve coffee, espresso drinks, juices, smoothies, and light meals.
• Train, coach, and support cafe team members on customer service, beverage preparation, food safety, and cleanliness standards.
• Assist the Food Service Manager in ensuring compliance with OSHA policies, food safety regulations, and company policies.
• Ensure proper food handling, labeling, dating, and temperature controls are properly followed.
• Address customer concerns and resolve issues professionally and efficiently.
• Ensure the safe operation of ovens, slicers, juicers, coffee machines, scales, and other equipment.
• Assist with catering, prepared foods, and grab-and-go programs as needed.
• Conduct regular ingredient inventories and order replenishment stock as needed.
• Analyze daily and weekly reports to identify opportunities and implement corrective actions.
• Administrative Responsibilities
• Café Inventory: Conduct regular café inventory counts and set and maintain par levels for coffee, espresso, milk and alternatives, juice and smoothie ingredients, pastries, and disposables (cups, lids, napkins). Rotate stock using FIFO, monitor freshness, and track, log, and investigate waste and shrinkage.
• Ordering & Receiving: Place and track replenishment orders with vendors, receive and verify deliveries against invoices and packing slips, and resolve shortages or discrepancies.
• Cash & POS Administration: Count tills, prepare deposits, reconcile daily sales, run end-of-day POS reports, and document cash over/short.
• Scheduling & Timekeeping: Help build and adjust café staff schedules to meet coverage and labor targets; review and approve timecards.
• Reporting: Review daily and weekly sales, cost, and waste reports; track café performance and surface opportunities and corrective actions to the Food Service Manager.
• Compliance & Records: Maintain food-safety and sanitation logs (temperature, cleaning, labeling/dating) and keep team training and certification records current

Requirements

Qualifications

• 5+ years of retail deli or cafe experience
• Basic knowledge of computers and POS system
• Strong understanding of food service production planning and execution
• ServSafe or equivalent food safety certification
• Excellent communication and organizational skills
• Ability to work a flexible schedule, including early mornings, evenings, weekends, and holidays
• High school diploma or equivalent required
• Physical Requirements
• Ability to stand and walk for extended periods of time; bend, and lift up to 40 lbs.
• Comfortable working in varying temperature environments (coolers, freezers, kitchens)