Cafe General Manager

cambridgeschoolofculinaryarts; Cambridge (MA); On-site; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Health insurance

Paid time off

Employee discounts

Growth opportunities

Job summary

Cambridge School of Culinary Arts’ CSCA Café in Cambridge, MA seeks a Café Bakery Manager to lead daily café operations, supervise a team of baristas, and partner with pastry chefs to ensure high-quality service and products.

You will handle scheduling, inventory, budgets, and maintain a welcoming, safe environment, while driving profitability and customer engagement.

Experience in cafe/restaurant management, ServSafe certification, and comfort with coffee equipment are required.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience in cafe, bakery, or restaurant management
• ServSafe Food Manager certification (or equivalent)
• Hands-on experience with professional coffee equipment
• Strong organizational and multitasking skills
• Customer-first leadership approach
• Willingness to work weekends and holidays

Responsibilities

• Own day-to-day café operations
• Recruit, hire, onboard, and train staff
• Lead and develop shift teams
• Create efficient staff schedules
• Manage vendor relationships and inventory
• Collaborate on menu development and seasonal specials
• Develop signature drinks with the barista team
• Monitor budgets and control costs
• Coordinate promotions with the marketing team
• Maintain cleanliness and health & safety standards
• Turn customer feedback into action
• Support student learning opportunities as needed

Skills

Cafe/restaurant management

Barista experience

Coffee equipment operation

MS Office

Education

High school diploma or GED

Culinary/Pastry Arts or Business degree preferred

Tools

MS Office

POS system

Job description

Job Summary

CSCA Café is a café and bakery in Cambridge, MA, run by the Cambridge School of Culinary Arts. Since opening in early 2025, it has become a favorite neighborhood gathering spot, offering exceptional coffee alongside pastries, specialty desserts, spreads, and syrups that are all made from scratch, in-house, by CSCA's culinary talent. We pride ourselves on providing top-notch service, the highest quality products, showcasing the work of CSCA's Professional students, and creating a community space where customers can relax and enjoy their favorite beverages and baked goods.

The Café Bakery Manager is responsible for overseeing the daily operations of the café bakery, leading a team of baristas, and partnering with our pastry chefs to ensure exceptional customer service, efficient operations, and high-quality product delivery. This role involves managing staff, scheduling, inventory, budgets, and maintaining a welcoming, spotless environment for customers.

To be successful in this role, you should have proven experience managing in a café, bakery, or restaurant setting. Ultimately, you will help increase profitability, boost customer engagement, and build a culture of hospitality that keeps CSCA Café the favorite neighborhood spot.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Own day-to-day café operations,
• Recruit, hire, onboard, and train baristas and support staff
• Lead, train, and develop ateam of Shift Leads, Baristas,and support staff
• Build fiscally responsible schedules that keep the café sufficiently, yet efficiently covered, even when someone calls out
• Manage vendor relationships, ordering, and inventory — and keep waste in check
• Partner with our Executive Pastry Chef, Production Lead, and ownership on menu development and seasonal specials
• Work with your barista team to develop trendy and unique seasonal drink specials
• Monitor budgets and sales performance, and find smart ways to control costs
• Collaborate with the marketing team on promotions and events
• Keep the cafe spotless, welcoming, and up to health and safety code
• Turn customer feedback into action — and turn first-time visitors into regulars
• Create a culture of hospitality that is second to none
• Partner with CSCA's Academics and Student Life teams to support student learning opportunities as needed

Requirements

• 3+ years of experience in cafe, bakery, or restaurant management (required: managerial experience in food or hospitality)
• Previous Hands-on experience with professional coffee equipment, Barista experience preferred
• A ServSafe Food Manager certification (or equivalent)
• Strong organizational skills — able to juggle a rush, a delivery, and a scheduling gap all at once
• A genuine, customer-first attitude and leadership skills to bring a team along with you
• Comfort with MS Office
• High school diploma or GED required; a degree in Culinary/Pastry Arts, Business Administration, or Business Management is preferred
• Availability to work within café hours, including weekends and holidays
• The drive to do whatever it takes to succeed

Physical Demands

• The ability to lift 25+ pounds and stand for long periods of time

Work Environment

• This job operates in a retail/restaurant environment

Position Type and Expected Hours of Work

• This is a full-time, salaried position
• Work hours are 40+ hours per week
• Schedule based on operating hours and business needs

Benefits

• Competitive, bonus-eligible salary
• Health, dental, and vision insuranceli>
• Paid time off
• Employee discounts
• Real opportunities for professional growth