AXTL - AX Cafe Team Lead- Retail Concierge

ATLAS MACHINERY SUPPLY LTD; Vaughan; On-site; CAD 40,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A family-owned industrial supplies company in Vaughan is looking for an Atlas Experience Café Lead to oversee café operations. This role involves developing the menu, providing exceptional customer service, and managing inventory while creating a warm, welcoming environment. Ideal candidates have experience in food service and possess strong communication skills. The position requires a high school diploma and Smart Serve certification. Join us to enrich both customer and employee experiences in a dynamic atmosphere.

Qualifications

• Experience in a café or food service environment, ideally in a lead role.
• Ability to engage warmly with customers and colleagues.
• Must be detail-oriented and able to multitask in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Oversee daily operations of the café, ensuring high standards of quality.
• Develop and refresh café menu items and manage inventory.
• Provide exceptional customer service while maintaining a welcoming environment.
• Train part-time associates and develop operational documentation.

Skills

Experience in food service

Strong communication skills

Entrepreneurial mindset

Detail-oriented

Computer literate

Education

High school diploma

Smart Serve certification

Job description

About Atlas Tools and Machinery Atlas Tools and Machinery is a proud, family-owned Canadian business, now in its third generation and dedicated to delivering exceptional customer experiences since 1954. As a trusted provider of industrial supplies, we take pride in being experts in our field and offering high-quality products at competitive prices. We are dedicated to ensuring our tradespeople have the tools and service they need to help build and shape the infrastructure of our local communities. At Atlas, we value your enthusiasm, creativity, and entrepreneurial spirit. Our culture is focused on collaboration, respect, innovation, and a shared dedication to driving success. We are committed to creating a supportive and growth-oriented workplace where you will continue to learn, grow, and build a career that is both challenging and rewarding.

Role Overview

We are seeking an Atlas Experience Café Lead to take ownership of our in-store café experience — a unique, curated space situated adjacent to our retail showroom offering grab-and-go snacks, hot and cold beverages, and a selection of Atlas merchandise. This is more than a café role. As the Café Lead, you will be the primary driver of an elevated employee and customer experience, bringing an entrepreneurial mindset to everything from menu development to team training. Reporting to the Customer Concierge Manager, you will operate with a high degree of independence, identify opportunities for growth, and help position the Atlas Experience Café as a genuine point of difference for our customers and our team. If you think like a small business owner, thrive in a fast-paced environment, and love creating moments that matter — we want to hear from you.

Key Responsibilities

• Café Operations & Ownership
  • Serve as the primary point of accountability for day‑to‑day café operations, maintaining exceptional standards of quality, cleanliness, and presentation.
  • Prepare and serve hot and cold beverages following café and food service standards.
  • Ensure grab‑and‑go food items are consistently stocked and attractively displayed.
  • Conduct daily audits of food, beverage, and merchandise inventory — verifying product quality, storage compliance, and completing daily checklists.
  • Maintain cleanliness and organization in line with health, safety, and sanitation regulations, including routine equipment maintenance.
• Menu Development & Purchasing
  • Lead the development and refresh of café menu offerings, bringing forward new ideas that align with customer preferences and Atlas brand values.
  • Manage café ordering and purchasing, building supplier relationships and ensuring product availability while minimizing waste.
  • Implement effective inventory management practices to control food costs and align stock levels with demand.
• Customer & Employee Experience
  • Champion an exceptional experience for every customer who visits the café, establishing positive rapport and delivering warm, knowledgeable service.
  • Contribute to the Atlas employee experience by supporting a welcoming, energizing café environment for the team.
  • Produce a monthly internal newsletter focused on café highlights, new offerings, and employee engagement initiatives.
  • Handle customer inquiries, concerns, and feedback professionally and with care.
• Training, Development & Standards
  • Act as the primary café employee, providing mentorship and day‑to‑day guidance to part‑time café associates.
  • Cross‑train to support the Customer Service Representative (CSR) function as needed.
  • Develop and maintain a café operations handbook, documenting processes, standards, and best practices to support onboarding and consistency.
  • Deliver training on café equipment, including Jura coffee systems, and support Jura product sales and customer demonstrations.
• Continuous Improvement & Merchandising
  • Proactively identify operational inefficiencies and opportunities to enhance café performance, customer experience, and employee satisfaction.
  • Stock shelves, racks, and displays; ensure café merchandise is accurately priced and attractively presented.
  • Accurately handle cash transactions and process payments using the point‑of‑sale system, following all cash handling and security protocols.

Qualifications & Skills

• Experience in food service, hospitality, or a café environment — lead or supervisory experience is an asset.
• High school diploma required.
• Smart Serve certification required.
• Entrepreneurial mindset with the ability to take ownership and operate independently.
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal with an ability to engage warmly with customers and colleagues.
• Detail‑oriented with a commitment to high standards of cleanliness, accuracy, and presentation.
• Comfortable developing training materials, documentation, and operational processes.
• Computer literate with proficiency in Microsoft Windows and Google applications; basic mathematical aptitude required.
• Ability to multitask and perform consistently in a fast‑paced environment.
• Availability to work a combination of weekday AM/PM shifts with mandatory availability on all Saturdays.

At Atlas, we are committed to fostering a workforce that reflects the diversity of the communities in which we operate and serve. Atlas is an equal opportunity employer that considers applicants without regard to age, race, colour, national origin, citizenship, religion, creed, gender, sexual orientation, marital requirements, disability, or any other protected status. We conduct our business with the highest ethical standards. In accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Code, Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act and our AODA policy, a request for accommodation will be accepted as part of the hiring process. If you are an individual who has a disability that requires accommodation to apply, please send an email with your accommodation needs to the lead recruiter in this process.