Head Barista

Bailies Coffee Roasters; London; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

Bailies Coffee Roasters is seeking a Head of Barista to lead and develop their barista team across all locations. This influential role involves training, quality control, and menu innovation, ensuring a high-quality coffee experience. The ideal candidate will have extensive specialty coffee experience and a passion for leadership and customer service.

Qualifications

• Minimum 4 years of experience in specialty coffee.
• Skilled in diagnosing coffee equipment issues.
• Proven experience in barista training and quality assurance.

Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and inspire baristas to uphold service and quality standards.
• Design and deliver onboarding training for baristas.
• Conduct store assessments to audit drink quality and customer service.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Multitasking

Customer Experience

Education

SCA Barista or Brewing Professional certification

Job description

As the Head of Barista, you will be responsible for leading and developing the barista team across all locations to ensure a consistent, high-quality coffee experience that reflects the company’s values and standards. This role is a crucial link between operations, training, quality control, and brand excellence, involving direct leadership of baristas, extensive training responsibilities, support for franchised outlets, and active contributions to product innovation.

Core Responsibilities:

Barista Leadership & Team Development • Lead, mentor, and inspire baristas to uphold the highest service and quality standards. • Act as the face of coffee excellence for the brand, embodying professionalism and passion for speciality coffee. • Work barista shifts when needed to stay connected to shop operations and team dynamics.

Training & Onboarding • Design and deliver onboarding training for all baristas, with 100% completion within 10 days of start. • Conduct regular upskilling, refresher courses, and leadership development programs. • Train and mentor barista trainers and high-potential team members for growth.

Quality Control • Conduct store assessments to audit drink quality, customer service, and SOP compliance. • Implement quality control systems across all UK sites. • Provide coaching and follow-ups to address performance gaps.

Franchisee Support • Deliver barista training programs to franchisee teams. • Conduct quarterly visits to all franchise locations for evaluation, training, and support. • Ensure franchise compliance with brand standards and operational guidelines.

Menu R&D • Lead or collaborate on the development and testing of new beverages and seasonal specials. • Roll out a minimum of 2 new offerings per quarter. • Monitor global beverage trends and suggest innovations accordingly.

Operational Excellence • Maintain and refine SOPs and preparation manuals. • Ensure shop managers and team leads are fully trained and equipped to implement company standards. • Assist in stock management, equipment troubleshooting, and liaising with suppliers.

Certification & Industry Involvement • Pursue and maintain personal coffee certifications (e.g., SCA). • Support company participation in barista competitions and events, with a target of at least 2 annual entries.

Reporting & Systems • Submit monthly reports detailing activities, visit outcomes, training metrics, and improvement recommendations. • Utilize company platforms for documentation, scheduling, reporting, and feedback (e.g., CRM, internal audits, Optrack).

Business Development Support • Provide insights and operational advice during new store setups. • Align barista performance and training with promotional campaigns and marketing efforts.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): • Quality Scores: Maintain 90%+ across all franchisor stores. • Training Completion: 100% of new baristas/franchisees trained within 10 days. • Franchise Coverage: Visit each franchise location at least once per quarter. • Menu Development: Launch 2+ new drinks per quarter. • Customer Satisfaction: Keep barista-related complaints under 1% of total transactions. • Competition Participation: Support a minimum of 2 company entries annually.

Qualifications & Experience:

Coffee Experience: • Minimum 4 years of experience in specialty coffee. • SCA Barista or Brewing Professional certification preferred. • Skilled in diagnosing coffee equipment issues. • Proven experience in barista training and quality assurance.

General Skills: • Strong leadership and team management capabilities. • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills. • Passionate about coffee, hospitality, and customer experience. • Ability to multitask, travel frequently, and manage across multiple locations.

Additional Expectations: • Professionalism and brand representation always. • Collaborative approach with internal teams: HR, Marketing, R&D, Franchise Support, and Operations. • Work with Procurement and Supply Chain to ensure barista standards are maintained through sourcing and equipment.

This is a hands-on, influential role suited for a coffee professional who thrives in a leadership position, loves people development, and is driven to uphold and enhance excellence across all customer touchpoints.