Barista & Front of House (FOH) Support

About the role

The Dining Services department at Elizabethtown College is seeking a Barista & Front of House Support (FOH) to coordinate the daily operation of the Blue Bean Café. This position involves preparing high-quality beverages, managing transactions, and supporting the café's operations.

Responsibilities

• Prepare high-quality coffee, tea, and espresso-based beverages consistently
• Perform upscale beverage preparation, including various brewing and cooking methods
• Operate the point-of-sale (POS) system for transactions, menu updates, and display management
• Conduct daily audits of cash drawer, set up registers, and prepare deposits as needed
• Operate and maintain coffee, espresso, and smoothie equipment
• Ensure cleanliness and organization of tables, seating areas, and the café workspace
• Support and uphold food safety and sanitation standards for customers and employees
• Aid in student employee training on beverage preparation and café operations
• Maintain accurate cash control records and closing procedures
• Work with the retail manager to manage ordering, inventory, and sales reporting
• Ensure that production and services meet department standards
• Other duties as assigned

Front of House Support

• Greet customers warmly and provide excellent customer service
• Accurately handle cash, credit, and electronic transactions using a POS system
• Balance cash drawer and report any discrepancies
• Maintain accurate records and cash balances on a meal-to-meal basis
• Monitor all guests as they enter the Marketplace by using the computerized ID/cash register system to read all validated ID cards
• Monitor guests in the dining hall for appropriate behavior
• Maintain a clean and organized checkout area
• Perform daily between-meal duties, as specified on the cleaning list
• Assist customers with questions and purchases
• Ensure compliance with food safety and sanitation standards
• Provide operational support across all Dining Services locations as needed, including Jay’s Nest, Fresh Nest, Marketplace, the Jay Truck, and the Jay Cart
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent
• Three years of relevant experience in customer service, food service, or retail environment
• Barista experience preferred, with knowledge of coffee and espresso preparation techniques
• Available to work weekends, holidays, and extended hours as business needs require
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision while maintaining a high level of productivity and professionalism

Skills

• Ability to work extended hours as needed
• Ability to work weekends and holidays
• Ability to prioritize multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
• Ability to work within strict deadlines
• Excellent oral communication skills (speaking professionally on the phone)
• Exceptional customer service skills
• Good interpersonal skills and desire to be a team player
• Creative problem-solving skills

Other Skills, Abilities, And/or Training

• Ability to read and communicate in English
• Close vision (clear vision at 20 inches or less)
• Depth perception and the ability to judge distances and spatial relationships
• Adjustable focus
• Regularly required to remain seated in a normal position for long periods of time
• Regularly required to stand for long periods of time
• Occasionally required to move about
• Rarely required to maintain balance while walking, standing, crouching, or running
• Rarely required to stoop, kneel, crouch, and/or crawl
• Occasionally required to reach up and out with hands and arms
• Regularly required to talk and hear; verbally express information or instructions
• Regularly required to use hands to grasp objects, type, pick up objects, move objects, or hold objects
• Rarely required to lift up to 25 pounds and carry a distance of 10 feet
• Rarely required to push and/or pull up to 25 pounds a distance of 10 feet

Physical Demands

• Regularly required to remain seated in a normal position for long periods of time
• Regularly required to stand for long periods of time
• Occasionally required to move about
• Rarely required to maintain balance while walking, standing, crouching, or running
• Rarely required to stoop, kneel, crouch, and/or crawl
• Occasionally required to reach up and out with hands and arms
• Regularly required to talk and hear; verbally express information or instructions
• Regularly required to use hands to grasp objects, type, pick up objects, move objects, or hold objects
• Rarely required to lift up to 25 pounds and carry a distance of 10 feet
• Rarely required to push and/or pull up to 25 pounds a distance of 10 feet

Work Environment

• Regularly exposed to indoor conditions and moderate noise level
• Occasionally exposed to outdoor weather and temperature extremes
• Occasionally exposed to chemicals/fumes associated with facility sanitation