Cafe Lead - Bucktown Opening | Lead & Develop Team

MAJC; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 22,000 - 31,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Employee discounts

Flexible schedule

Free food & snacks

Training & development

Job summary

Fairgrounds Coffee & Tea is opening a new Bucktown café and seeks a passionate Café Lead to join the opening team. You will partner with the General Manager to support daily operations, train teammates, and maintain high standards of quality, hospitality, and service.

You will help set the tone for a positive team culture, assist with onboarding, and ensure smooth shift execution. The Bucktown location will onboard at another Fairgrounds café prior to opening.

Qualifications

• Leadership or supervisory experience in café, restaurant, or hospitality.
• Strong knowledge of specialty coffee and daily café operations.
• Experience training and coaching teammates.
• Excellent communication and organizational skills.
• Positive, dependable leadership approach.
• Ability to delegate, provide feedback, and lead by example.
• Willingness to obtain food safety certification.

Responsibilities

• Café Leadership & Team Development: Support daily café operations, team performance, and leadership priorities.
• Hospitality & Guest Experience: Create a warm, welcoming environment and deliver exceptional guest service.
• Food, Beverage, & Café Operations: Uphold recipes, prep, and quality standards; manage opening/closing and inventory.
• Operational Support & Collaboration: Identify operational improvements and support café initiatives and performance tracking.

Skills

Leadership

Team development

Customer service

Communication

Problem solving

Multitasking

Food safety

Availability

Job description

Fairgrounds Coffee & Tea is opening a new Bucktown café and seeks a passionate Café Lead to join the opening team. You will partner with the General Manager to support daily operations, train teammates, and maintain high standards of quality, hospitality, and service.

You will help set the tone for a positive team culture, assist with onboarding, and ensure smooth shift execution. The Bucktown location will onboard at another Fairgrounds café prior to opening.