Senior Barista - FT

About the Role

A Barnes & Noble bookstore is a gathering place for readers and the community. As a Senior Barista, you are an integral member of the team at the heart of our Cafés. You have mastered key barista behaviors and skills, genuinely welcoming customers to discover and taste our curated offerings. You create a hospitable environment for customers to relax and enjoy our bookstores while fostering a sense of community. In this role, you will mentor new Baristas, ensuring they provide a knowledgeable and great experience for customers.

Behaviors

• Always cheerful with customers, consistently going out of your way to help them.
• Supportive and considerate of colleagues, helping others on the team and showing kindness.
• Positive and willing in your approach to work, performing tasks with purpose and energy.
• Show aptitude and willingness to learn new skills and acquire new knowledge.
• Maintain reliable and punctual attendance for scheduled shifts.
• Flexible and responsive to the needs of the store, filling scheduling gaps when able (store hours include early mornings, late evenings, weekends, and most holidays).
• Curious, ambitious, and proactive in developing a café or bookselling career.
• Act as a resource for baristas, addressing concerns and raising issues to leadership in a timely manner.
• Enjoy being a barista and demonstrate enthusiasm for the role.

Responsibilities

• Master operational competencies, including using varied technology (registers, computers, tablets, programs) comfortably and troubleshooting routine issues.
• Maintain the counter, floor retail fixtures, and Café area through effective merchandising and visual presentation, keeping the space neat and tidy.
• Utilize strong merchandising skills to maintain a full and vibrant bake case.
• Operate the register efficiently, taking orders competently to serve customers quickly while assisting other baristas.
• Support receiving and unpacking deliveries, following First In, First Out (FIFO) practices.
• Make suggestions on food and beverage products and pairings to enhance customer experience.
• Master drink making and food preparation using approved recipes and spec sheets.
• Execute daily and weekly cleaning tasks to keep the Café clean and tidy.
• Support the bookfloor team willingly and effectively when needed.
• Understand loss prevention procedures, use de-escalation techniques, and identify theft or problematic behavior in the store.

This role requires physical activity, including prolonged standing, repetitive bending, lifting, and extensive walking. You may also be asked to work in other stores within the cluster if needed.

Skills

• Use café knowledge of beverages, bakery, and savory items to create an enjoyable dining experience for customers.
• Maintain visual presentation of café retail offerings (Harney Tea, Starbucks Coffee, Grab-n-Go, Drinkware, etc.) to offer options to customers.
• Present bake case and products in an attractive manner.
• Educate baristas on proper beverage preparation to satisfy customers.
• Understand and use café training tools appropriately.
• Communicate key sales objectives and company initiatives (e.g., new LTOs, café promotions, Membership) confidently with customers and colleagues.
• Make effective food and beverage customizations and recommendations.
• Maintain backstock effectively and support proper ordering.
• Follow café safety, hygiene, sanitation guidelines, and procedures to maintain standards.

As you develop and demonstrate mastery of these skills, you will advance in the career path, taking on new challenges and opportunities for growth. Compliance with all company policies and procedures is expected.

Benefits

• For those scheduled to work less than 20 hours per week: Employee Discount, EAP, and 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, and 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, and 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 and state regulations.