Cafe Lead

Joe Coffee; New York (NY); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Joe Coffee in New York is seeking a Cafe Lead to uphold beverage quality, hospitality, and cafe operations while coaching teammates.

This role emphasizes executing and measuring quality, dialing in drinks, maintaining tasting logs, and supporting the General Manager with inventory, deposits, and ordering.

Qualifications

• Passionate and knowledgeable about specialty coffee.
• Strong barista with excellent espresso/drink-making skills.
• Be able to lead and educate café staff.

Responsibilities

• Support day-to-day store execution during shifts and lead by example.
• Maintain beverage quality and SOPs across menu offerings.
• Assist with deposits, inventory, and ordering, ensuring accuracy and compliance.

Skills

Specialty coffee

Barista skills

Customer service

Staff coaching

Multi-tasking

Detail orientation

Education

Food Protection License

Job description

Role SummaryThe Cafe Lead is a coffee quality and coaching-focused leadership role that supports the General Manager in maintaining Joe Coffee’s standards for beverage quality, hospitality, and cafe operations.This role is centered on the execution, assessment, and control of product quality while supporting the growth and development of teammates through coaching and example. Cafe Leads are highly skilled baristas with an interest in cafe operations who help maintain a culture of coffee craft, consistency, and hospitality on the floor.While the Cafe Lead contributes to operational excellence, this role is not responsible for people management, scheduling, or administrative oversight. Instead, the Cafe Lead acts as a support partner to the General Manager, helping execute key operational tasks—including cash handling, inventory processes, and ordering—while ensuring standards are upheld and that the team has the tools and coaching needed to succeed.Cafe Leads also serve in a unique role as both an ally and advocate within the cafe environment. Because they work closely alongside teammates on the floor, Cafe Leads often hear feedback, concerns, and questions from the team first. In this role they help elevate meaningful insights to management while also helping clarify company practices and expectations when teammates have questions or uncertainty. Through this balance, Cafe Leads help maintain trust, transparency, and alignment between the team and leadership.This role is part of a three-tier leadership development pathway, which can offer preparation for a job or career in cafe management: Cafe Lead I > Cafe Lead II > Senior Cafe LeadCoffee Education & Quality ControlQuality ControlEnsure brewed coffee is always served fresh and meets Joe Coffee QC standardsDial in all brewed coffee and espresso beveragesMaintain tasting logs for drip coffee and espressoMaintain beverage recipes and grind guidesEnsure staff follows quality control standards, technique expectations, and beverage SOPs across all menu offeringsCoffee EducationEnsure staff understands and can communicate with customers about the coffee and espresso we serveProvide staff with information about new coffees and menu updatesConduct in-store tastings for new coffees and seasonal offeringsSupport new menu rollouts and reinforce beverage SOPsCoaching & Skill DevelopmentSupport and continually coach staff on:Bar flow and efficiencyCleanliness and station organizationHospitality and drink presentationLatte art and drink consistencyOperations Support: Team LeadershipAct as a role model for Joe hospitality and professionalismSupport day-to-day store execution during shiftsKeep the General Manager informed of inventory observations, operational issues, or changes occurring in the cafeAssist with onboarding logistics and support with coaching new hiresProvide ongoing coaching and feedback to teammates after initial trainingMaintain a robust coffee environment through well-stocked retail displays and thoughtful customer engagementHold teammates accountable to standards using supportive and conversational coachingMake recommendations to management regarding operations, staffing, and performanceEnsure immediate communication to management regarding regulatory visits (e.g., DOH)Support inspection readiness and compliance with DOH, Operations, Coffee, and Marketing standardsOperational Support: Deposits, Inventory & OrderingSupport the execution of daily cash handling and deposit preparation, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and adherence to company proceduresAssist the General Manager in completing and verifying cash deposits, including identifying and escalating discrepanciesParticipate in and help execute inventory counts, ensuring accuracy, organization, and adherence to counting proceduresAssist with placing and receiving inventory orders helping to maintain appropriate stock levels and prevent shortages or over-orderingVerify order accuracy upon delivery and communicate any issues or discrepancies to managementMaintain clean, organized, and labeled storage areas to support accurate inventory trackingProactively communicate inventory needs, trends, or concerns to the General ManagerLeadership Pathway & DevelopmentThe Cafe Lead role is part of a structured development pathway designed to grow operational and coffee leadership within Joe Coffee cafes. Each level includes additional training modules and expanded responsibilitiesAbout Joe Coffee CompanyJoe Coffee Company was founded in 2003 by Jonathan Rubinstein as a single specialty coffee house in Manhattan’s West Village, with a simple vision: brew high-quality, unique coffees and create a welcoming space for our community.Today, Joe Coffee operates 25 cafes in New York and its own Roastery in Long Island City, while remaining committed to warm hospitality, quality, and barista education.At Joe, we believe a great coffee experience relies as much on the barista as it does the coffee. That’s why we invest in industry-leading professional training and foster continued success for our baristas. As an early pioneer of artisan coffee in New York, we continue to innovate, grow, and lead as the specialty coffee movement expands.Equal Employment OpportunityJoe Coffee Company is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion or belief, national origin, citizenship, ancestry, age, disability, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, veteran or military status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourage applicants to request accommodations during the hiring process if needed.Minimum QualificationsBe Passionate and knowledgeable about speciality coffeeStrong barista with excellent espresso/drink making skillsService Experience - Adhere to recipes and presentations for food and beverage itemsGreat Customer Service (Hospitality focused)Be able to lead and educate café staffAble to Multi-task; Experienced and comfortable with working busy shiftsDetailed-oriented and passionate about product qualityTidy and self-disciplinedFood Protection License