Lead Barista - FT

Location: CA - Redding - Hilltop Shopping Center - 3436

About the role

A Barnes & Noble bookstore is a gathering place for readers and the community. As Lead Barista, you are an integral member of the café team. You play a leadership role in guiding the team to maintain compelling product presentations and overseeing the efficient running of the Café. You are both a trusted expert and hands-on leader, creating a welcoming environment where baristas feel supported, comfortable bringing forward questions or concerns, and trust that you will address them promptly and effectively.

Behaviors

• Maintain reliable and punctual attendance for scheduled shifts, setting the standard for the team and ensuring consistent leadership presence on the floor.
• Fill scheduling gaps when able, being flexible and responsive to the needs of the store — open from early mornings to late evenings every day, including weekends and most holidays.
• Be positive and proactive in your approach to work; lead by example with purpose and energy, working hard and reliably while inspiring others to do the same.
• Be supportive and considerate of colleagues; consistently go out of your way to help others on the team and set a positive example.
• Be cheerful with customers, consistently going out of your way to help them.
• Show aptitude and willingness to learn new skills, acquire new knowledge, and apply it appropriately in the store while guiding and supporting others.
• Be curious, want to continuously learn, and demonstrate ambition and initiative to develop a bookselling or café career.
• Act as a resource for baristas and booksellers, addressing and resolving concerns and raising these issues to leadership.
• Prioritize resources and barista support appropriately to keep the shift on track.
• Show that you enjoy being a barista.

Responsibilities

• Master operational competencies of a Barnes & Noble barista, including:
  • Using mastered skills in drink making, food preparation, and all other tools and processes to model best practices for the café team and coach others in their effective execution.
  • Using strong merchandising skills to coach the café team in creating and maintaining a full and vibrant bake case and adjusting displays while ensuring cleanliness and presentation standards are met.
  • Guiding baristas in applying and understanding effective visual merchandising skills to create and maintain counter and floor retail fixtures, keeping the Café neat and tidy.
  • Ensuring speed of service at the registers and actively coaching baristas in customer conversations as well as improving register speed and accuracy.
  • Guiding and supporting baristas in receiving and unpacking deliveries, and the efficient and accurate stocking that follows, ensuring First In First Out (FIFO) practices.
  • Supporting baristas in keeping the Café clean and tidy through excellent execution of daily and weekly cleaning tasks.
  • Supporting the bookfloor team with presentation standards and maintenance, ensuring high standards.
  • Actively coaching the team to follow loss prevention procedures and maintain a safe, secure bookstore by spotting theft and effectively de-escalating challenging situations and problematic behaviors.
• Place food and beverage orders accurately and timely, using tools and resources to ensure the Café is in-stock at all times.
• Complete and submit accurate monthly inventory and waste log timely.
• Coach the team in delivering effective food and beverage recommendations to customers.
• Lead and support the Café’s focus on key sales objectives such as new LTO, café promotions, Membership, etc., actively and genuinely sharing this knowledge with customers and colleagues.
• Use knowledge of café training tools and resources to help baristas broaden their experience.
• Use knowledge about café safety, hygiene, sanitation guidelines, and procedures to maintain all standards appropriately.

Requirements

This role requires physical activity, including prolonged standing, repetitive bending, lifting, and a lot of walking. You may work in other stores if needed, collaboratively supporting the wider cluster.

Benefits

• For those scheduled to work less than 20 hours per week:
  • Employee Discount
  • EAP (Employee Assistance Program)
  • Sick Pay
• For those scheduled to work between 20 and 29.99 hours per week:
  • Employee Discount
  • EAP
  • Sick Pay
  • Paid Time Off, including paid Maternity and Parental Leave
  • Company Paid Holidays
  • Transit benefits
  • 401(k) with Company Match
• For those scheduled to work 30 hours or more per week:
  • Employee Discount
  • EAP
  • Sick Pay
  • Paid Time Off, including paid Maternity and Parental Leave
  • Company Paid Holidays
  • 401(k) with Company Match
  • Comprehensive Health Benefits (Medical, Dental, and Vision)
  • Healthcare and Dependent Care Spending Accounts
  • Healthcare Spending Account
  • Disability Benefits
  • Life Insurance
  • Transit benefits
  • Tuition Reimbursement

All benefits are provided in accordance with the terms of the current plan and may be subject to future change. Benefits may vary depending on location/state regulations.

Pay

An employee in this position can expect an hourly rate starting at $23.75, depending on experience, seniority, geographic locations, and other factors permitted by law.