Cafe Manager - University of Chicago

Phoenix3 Collective; Chicago (IL); Presencial; USD 52.000 - 65.000; Jornada completa

Ventajas ofrecidas por este puesto de trabajo

Employee discounts

Flexible schedule

Free food & snacks

Training & development

Descripción de la vacante

Fairgrounds Coffee & Tea at the University of Chicago in Chicago, IL is seeking a Café Manager committed to leading daily operations with warmth and precision. You will mentor teammates, manage scheduling, inventory, and standards to deliver outstanding hospitality.

Join a community-focused cafe team that values quality beverages, guest experiences, and collaborative work culture. The role emphasizes leadership, reliability, and a passion for coffee and service excellence.

Formación

• Previous management or supervisory experience in a café, restaurant, or hospitality environment preferred.
• Strong knowledge of specialty coffee, food service, and daily café operations.
• Experience with employee scheduling, inventory management, and ordering.
• Experience training, coaching, and developing team members.
• Strong communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills.

Responsabilidades

• Oversee daily café operations, team performance, and shift execution.
• Lead, coach and develop Shift Leads and Teammates through hands-on training, feedback, and ongoing support.
• Manage team scheduling, shift coverage, deployment, and communication of daily expectations.
• Foster a positive, collaborative, and accountable team environment.
• Lead by example in delivering warm hospitality and memorable guest experiences.
• Uphold Fairgrounds recipes, preparation techniques, and quality standards for all beverages and food.
• Oversee opening and closing procedures, daily prep, and consistent execution of café standards.
• Manage inventory, ordering, product availability, and waste reduction to maintain efficient operations.
• Ensure equipment cleanliness, organization, and compliance with food safety procedures.
• Identify operational challenges and implement improvements to support café efficiency and performance.
• Coordinate café initiatives, promotions, and company standards.
• Monitor sales, labor, inventory, and operational performance to support café goals.
• Communicate team performance and updates to café leadership.

Conocimientos

Management experience

Café knowledge

Scheduling experience

Team development

Communication skills

Descripción del empleo

Benefits:

• Employee discounts
• Flexible schedule
• Free food & snacks
• Training & development

Location

University of Chicago, Chicago, IL

Job Type

Full-time

Who We Are

At Fairgrounds Coffee & Tea, we believe that great food, exceptional coffee, and genuine hospitality bring people together. We’re a community-driven café dedicated to creating welcoming spaces, thoughtfully crafted beverages, and memorable guest experiences.

The Role

We’re looking for a passionate, dependable, and experienced Café Manager to join our team at the University of Chicago location!

As a Fairgrounds Café Manager, you’ll take an active leadership role in overseeing daily café operations, developing teammates, and maintaining high standards of quality, hospitality, and service. You’ll work closely with café leadership while taking ownership of key operational responsibilities, including scheduling, inventory management, ordering, and team performance.

You’ll play an important role in creating a positive team culture, supporting employee development, and ensuring a welcoming and efficient café environment.

What You’ll Do

Café Leadership & Team Development

• Oversee daily café operations, team performance, and shift execution.
• Lead, coach and develop Shift Leads and Teammates through hands-on training, feedback, and ongoing support.
• Manage team scheduling, shift coverage, deployment, and communication of daily expectations.
• Foster a positive, collaborative, and accountable team environment.

Hospitality & Guest Experience

• Lead by example in creating a warm, welcoming environment and delivering exceptional hospitality.
• Support teammates in providing attentive, efficient, and memorable guest experiences.
• Address guest questions, concerns, and feedback with professionalism and care.

Food, Beverage, & Café Operations

• Uphold Fairgrounds’ recipes, preparation techniques, and quality standards for all coffee, tea, specialty beverages, and food.
• Oversee opening and closing procedures, daily preparation, and consistent execution of café standards.
• Manage inventory, ordering, product availability, and waste reduction to maintain efficient operations.
• Ensure equipment cleanliness, organization, and compliance with food safety, sanitation, and operational procedures.

Operational Management & Collaboration

• Identify operational challenges and implement improvements to support café efficiency and performance.
• Coordinate the execution of café initiatives, promotions, and company standards.
• Monitor sales, labor, inventory, and operational performance to support café goals.
• Communicate team performance, employee concerns, and operational updates to café leadership.

What We’re Looking For

• Previous management or supervisory experience in a café, restaurant, or hospitality environment preferred.
• Strong knowledge of specialty coffee, food service, and daily café operations.
• Experience with employee scheduling, inventory management, and ordering preferred.
• Experience training, coaching, and developing team members.
• Strong communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills.