Café Instructor (Barista + Job Coach)

ZABS Place; Charlotte (NC); On-site; USD 35,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

Cakeable in Uptown Charlotte operates as a nonprofit coffee shop that trains adults with IDD, providing meaningful paid work experience in a real café. You will coach interns, model professional barista skills, and uphold high quality and service standards while fostering independence.

The role merges frontline café duties with hands-on training, requiring empathy, clear communication, and a commitment to the mission of empowering people through learning and job readiness.

Qualifications

• At least 1 year in coffee shop or food-service setting.
• Patient, positive teacher who adapts training to learners.
• Strong people skills to connect with diverse personalities.
• Committed to quality, food-safety, and calm problem-solving.
• Aligned with Cakeable's mission and inclusive workplace.

Responsibilities

• Train and coach interns, modeling time management and barista skills.
• Prepare items, enter transactions, and deliver friendly service.
• Support opening/closing and day-end routines.
• Participate in staff huddles and team trainings.

Skills

Coffee shop experience

Teaching mindset

People skills

Food-safety knowledge

Job description

About Cakeable

Cakeable is a nonprofit coffee shop in Uptown Charlotte with a unique mission: We train adults with intellectual and developmental differences (IDD) and give them paid vocational experience in a real café. We believe that offering dignity and serving potential makes great coffee taste even better.

The Role

There are two parts to this job and they are equally important.

1. You’ll be a skilled café professional who upholds our high standards of quality and service.
2. You’ll be a trainer who works alongside our Interns, young adults with intellectual and developmental differences, and coaches them in the moment as they build skills and confidence that will prepare them to succeed when they graduate our program.

If you've got coffee-shop or food-service experience and a heart for person-centered training and empowerment then this role is a great fit. You won't be writing training plans but you will be bringing them to life.

What You’ll Do

Train & Coach our Interns

• Teach & model time management, customer service, and professional barista skills.
• Offer direct, in-the-moment coaching while adapting to each Intern’s learning style and communication needs.
• Foster independence and problem‑solving skills by coaching when problems arise instead of taking over the task.
• Notice and celebrate progress, and offer encouraging, specific feedback.
• Track observations and progress notes to share with Training Director and Café Manager.

Offer a Great Café Experience

• Prepare and serve café menu items following Cakeable’s quality and food‑safety standards.
• Accurately enter transactions in the POS and deliver friendly and professional service that offers dignity to every customer.
• Support opening, closing, and end‑of‑day routines.

Be a Valued Teammate

• Offer solution‑oriented feedback to best support our operations and training program.
• Take part in staff huddles and occasional team trainings.
• Help build the warm, inclusive workplace that Cakeable is known for.

What We’re Looking For

• 1+ year in a coffee shop, café, restaurant, or other food‑service setting (barista experience is a plus)
• A teacher at heart. Someone patient and positive, who enjoys helping others learn and develop independence, and can adapt their training style for different types of learners.
• Strong people skills and the ability to connect with a wide range of personalities and abilities
• Comfort maintaining quality and food‑safety standards in a busy, hands‑on environment
• Clear communication and calm, practical problem‑solving
• A genuine belief in our mission and the people we employ

What Will Help You Succeed Here

• You lead by example. People learn by watching you, so you hold the standard even when it’s busy.
• You’re patient under pressure. A rush and a teaching moment can happen at the same time, and you can hold both.
• You celebrate small wins. You know that "I did it myself today" is a big deal, and you treat it like one.
• You’re a team player. You keep the Manager and Training Team in the loop and recognize that we present Cakeable best when we work together.

Physical Requirements

This is an active, on-your-feet role. Expect long periods of standing, occasional bending and squatting, and lifting up to 25 pounds as needed.

Cakeable is an equal‑opportunity employer. We celebrate what people can do and welcome applicants of all backgrounds and abilities.