Lead Barista - PT

Location: Glendale, WI – Bayshore Mall (Store #2252)

About the role

As Lead Barista at Barnes & Noble you will be an integral member of the café team, providing leadership, coaching, and ensuring a welcoming environment for both customers and staff. You will guide baristas in product presentation, operational efficiency, and uphold store standards while developing your own bookselling or café career.

Key Behaviors

• Reliable and punctual attendance, setting the standard for the team.
• Flexible scheduling, filling gaps as needed, including early mornings, late evenings, weekends, and most holidays.
• Positive, proactive attitude with purpose and energy.
• Supportive and considerate of colleagues, helping others and setting a positive example.
• Cheerful with customers, consistently going out of your way to assist them.
• Willingness to learn new skills, acquire knowledge, and apply it appropriately.
• Curiosity, ambition, and initiative to develop a bookselling or café career.
• Act as a resource for baristas and booksellers, addressing concerns and escalating when necessary.
• Prioritize resources and support to keep shifts on track.
• Enjoy being a barista.

Responsibilities

• Master drink making, food preparation, and related tools; model best practices and coach the café team.
• Apply strong merchandising skills to maintain a full, vibrant bake case and ensure cleanliness and presentation standards.
• Guide visual merchandising of counter and floor retail fixtures, keeping the café neat and tidy.
• Maintain speed of service at registers, coach baristas on customer conversations, and improve register speed and accuracy.
• Oversee receiving and unpacking deliveries, ensuring accurate stocking and FIFO (First‑in‑First‑out) practices.
• Execute daily and weekly cleaning tasks to keep the café clean and tidy.
• Support the book‑floor team with presentation standards and maintenance.
• Coach the team on loss‑prevention procedures, spot theft, and de‑escalate challenging situations.
• Place food and beverage orders accurately and timely to keep the café in‑stock.
• Complete and submit monthly inventory and waste logs on schedule.
• Coach the team in delivering effective food and beverage recommendations to customers.
• Lead and support café sales objectives such as new LTOs, promotions, and Membership drives.
• Utilize café training tools and resources to broaden barista experience.
• Maintain café safety, hygiene, and sanitation standards.
• Collaborate with other stores in the cluster as needed.
• Comply with all company policies and procedures.

Benefits

• Employee Discount
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Sick Pay
• Paid Time Off (including paid Maternity and Parental Leave) for schedules of 20+ hours/week
• Company‑paid holidays
• Transit benefits
• 401(k) with company match (for schedules of 20+ hours/week)
• Comprehensive health benefits (Medical, Dental, Vision) for schedules of 30+ hours/week
• Healthcare and Dependent Care Spending Accounts
• Disability Benefits
• Life Insurance
• Tuition Reimbursement