Lead Barista

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 they trust that you will address them promptly and effectively.

You’ll make a great Lead Barista if you have what we term to be good “behaviors.” Expect your colleagues to demonstrate these behaviors and to hold you, and themselves, to high standards, and for your Store Managers to reinforce our expectations.

These behaviors collectively demonstrate that you:

• 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 you are able, being flexible and responsive to the needs of the store – we are open from early mornings to late evenings every day, including weekends and most holidays.
• Are positive and proactive in your approach to work; you lead by example with purpose and energy, working hard and reliably while inspiring others to do the same.
• Are supportive and considerate of colleagues; consistently going out of your way to help others on the team and setting a positive example.
• Are always 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.
• Are 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.
• Above all, show that you enjoy being a barista!

As a Lead Barista you are part of a busy team and will be required to master the operational competencies of a Barnes & Noble barista.

You will be trained and expected to be proficient in:

• 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.
• 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 the ability to spot theft and effectively de‑escalate challenging situations and problematic behaviors.

All this work requires physical activity which includes prolonged standing, repetitive bending, lifting, and a lot of walking. You may work in other stores if you are able, and this is needed, collaboratively supporting the wider Cluster.

As you gain experience, you should expect your barista knowledge and skills to develop.

Each Barnes & Noble bookstore is the product of its bookselling and café team. You will increasingly contribute as you develop your expertise. You will:

• 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…