CAFE LEAD

ADP; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical and dental insurance (DC CCK

Vision Insurance

Paid Time Off (vacation, sick, and PPE

10 Company Paid Holidays

401(k) matching

Wellness Reimbursement

Job summary

DC Central Kitchen seeks a Café Lead for the MLK Library location. Under the General Manager’s supervision, you will maintain café quality, oversee daily operations, and cultivate a learning environment for Culinary Job Training students. Strong customer service, leadership, and collaborative skills are essential.

The role requires a commitment to DC Central Kitchen’s mission, ability to motivate staff, and a proactive approach to service excellence in a fast-paced setting.

Qualifications

• Minimum 2 years in quick-service or related fields.
• Experience training and directing others; mentorship is a plus.
• Current ServSafe Certification or ability to obtain within 90 days.

Responsibilities

• Represent DC Central Kitchen mission to staff, students, and customers.
• Motivate and supervise staff to meet and exceed guest expectations; resolve issues.
• Provide training and coaching to team members; foster teamwork and respectful environment.
• Manage cash handling procedures, including cash drawers and deposits.
• Ensure staff are trained on cash procedures and report variances to GM.
• Oversee designated shift operations to maintain quality and guest satisfaction.
• Collaborate with the Culinary Job Training team to mentor students during rotations.
• Perform additional duties to support partnerships and organizational goals.

Skills

Customer service

Staff supervision

Training & coaching

Education

Culinary Job Training graduate

ServSafe Certification (preferred)

Tools

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Outlook

Job description

DC Central Kitchen (DCCK) is an iconic nonprofit and social enterprise that combats hunger and poverty through job training and job creation. Our approach provides hands-on culinary job training while creating living-wage jobs and bringing nutritious, dignified food where it is most needed in our city. We serve scratch-cooked farm-to-school meals in DC schools; deliver fresh, affordable produce to corner stores in neighborhoods without supermarkets; provide delicious catering; and operate fast-casual cafes. Above all else, we are committed to creating a more just, equitable, and inclusive community, both outside our doors and right here on our team. We strive to offer a safe environment to learn, discover and develop individual strengths, and pursue meaningful career pathways. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we recognize and work to address the lasting effects of historic injustices and systemic racism, and we strongly encourage people of color, women, LGBTQ people, returning citizens, and people who have experienced poverty or homelessness to apply to join our team.

DEPARTMENT DESCRIPTION:

DC Central Kitchen uses welcoming, vibrant cafes as tools for career training, job creation, and inclusive community development. Our cafes do not simply offer delicious, scratch-cooked menus featuring the highest quality ingredients and products sourced from local family farmers and coffee roasters. They serve as on-the-job training locations for adults and Opportunity Youth pursuing hospitality careers. These social enterprises also create leadership roles and full-time, living wage job opportunities for graduates of our acclaimed Culinary Job Training program. Each DC Central Kitchen café reflects the past, present, and future of its surrounding community, from its menus, art installations, on-site events, and collaborations with area businesses and residents.

POSITION DESCRIPTION:

Under the supervision of the General Manager, the Café Lead ensures that consistent levels of quality service and café standards are met. The Café Lead assists the General Manager with daily operating procedures, such as maintaining café operations, ensuring product quality, maximizing financial contributions, and facilitating the development of Team Members. The Lead works cohesively with the General Manager to coordinate daily café operations at MLK Library, while creating a conducive and motivating learning environment for Culinary Job Training students. A strong commitment to DC Central Kitchen’s mission as well as the ability to work collaboratively and professionally with colleagues, students, guests, and members of the community are highly essential. This position requires excellent customer service orientation, strong supervisory skills, and the ability to effectively motivate staff. The ideal candidate should be able to demonstrate a progression of responsibilities in their work history and should have strong interpersonal skills.

*Full COVID-19 vaccination is required. *

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Effectively represent the mission of DC Central Kitchen to all internal and external customers, including staff, students, café customers, visitors, and members of the community.
• Motivate and supervise staff to ensure that duties are consistently performed to exceed guest expectations. Resolve guest issues that may arise to maintain DC Central Kitchen’s quality standards.
• Provide training, coaching and direction to team members on assigned shift. Ensure everyone works as a team to maintain consistency of café operations and to maximize guest experience. Create an environment of dignity and respect for all team members and foster an atmosphere of positive morale.
• Manage all cash handling procedures during assigned shift. Maintain the integrity of all safe, register drawers, and deposit transactions to ensure adherence to DCCK’s cash handling policies.
• Ensure all team members are trained on cash procedures to reduce the potential for errors. Report any variance to policy to the General Manager.
• Effectively run designated shift and perform all duties to ensure smooth café operations and that consistent standards are adhered to. May assist in working stations as necessary to ensure guest needs are met.
• Work closely with CJT team to develop, guide, mentor, and train students during Café rotations.
• Perform other duties and tasks as required or requested to maintain quality relationships with all our partners and customers and / or duties and tasks needed to drive the vision, mission, and values of DC Central Kitchen.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• At least 2 years of related professional experience, especially quick-service food establishments; Graduate of Culinary Job Training program preferred
• Proven ability to train and direct others (including peer leadership or mentorship roles); Combination of practical experience and/or education will be considered as an alternative.
• Current ServSafe Certification or the ability to achieve this certification within 90 days of employment; Incumbent must maintain certification.
• Excellent oral communication and customer service skills
• Ability to work under pressure, manage concurrent responsibilities, and prioritize according to shifting, and sometimes, accelerated deadlines
• Must possess basic knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook.
• Pre-employment background check, COVID-19 vaccine, drug test and TB test are required.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

• Must be capable of independent local travel.
• May occasionally move kitchen equipment or product weighing up to 50 pounds
• Must be comfortable with moderate physical activity and the ability to stand and walk for up to 10 hours per day
• Ability to maintain fast-paced activities for periods of up to 6 hours in length
• Ability to perform general physical activities that require considerable use of arms, legs, and moving your whole body, such as: climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials; Ability to bend, lean, reach and stoop without hindrance; Possess fine motor skills, stand and/or walk for long periods
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit, use hands, fingers, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance; stoop, kneel or crouch; talk and hear; taste or smell.
• Ability to work in an environment where exposure to unusual elements such as extreme temperatures, fumes, dirt, smoke, loud noise, and a variety of odors is common.
• This job description is subject to change at any time.

BENEFITS:

• Medical and dental insurance (DCCK pays 100% of employee premiumsfor individual coverage)
• Vision Insurance
• Paid Time Off (vacation, sick, and personal leave)
• 10 Company Paid Holidays
• Bonding Leave for new parents
• Commuter Benefits plan
• Matching 401(k) program
• Basic Life & Supplemental Life
• Short-Term & Long-Term Disability
• Wellness Reimbursement program

NOTE:

This document is an outline of the primary tasks assigned and may be changed at the discretion of management, formally or informally, either verbally or in writing. All team members are expected to assist DC Central Kitchen in achieving its goals even if such tasks are beyond the scope of this outline. The job description does not constitute an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an “at will” relationship and is subject to change by the employer as the needs of the employer and requirements of the job change.

DC Central Kitchen is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and a Strengths-based organization.