Cafe Operations Lead: Guest Experience

The Indigo Road Hospitality Group; Charlottesville (VA); On-site; USD 25,000 - 36,000; Full time

Job summary

The Indigo Road Hospitality Group is seeking a Cafe Shift Lead to oversee our cafe operations with hands-on leadership and a focus on guest experience, service quality, and financial performance. The successful candidate will manage staff, create schedules, train teams, monitor daily operations, and ensure safety and brand standards in a fast-paced hospitality environment.

This role requires nights and weekend availability and a collaborative mindset to drive guest satisfaction and operational

Qualifications

• 3+ years of progressive front-of-house experience in a full-service, elevated dining environment.
• Demonstrated ability to lead, coach, and develop teams in a high-touch hospitality setting.
• Strong floor presence with excellent problem-solving and guest service skills.
• Detail-oriented with a commitment to quality, consistency, and brand alignment.

Responsibilities

• Supervise, hire, train, and evaluate all café staff.
• Create and manage schedules to align staffing with service demands and labor efficiency.
• Develop and lead comprehensive training programs focused on service standards, guest experience, and safety.
• Provide daily, visible leadership, coaching, and in-the-moment support.
• Conduct daily pre-shift meetings to align and energize the team.
• Train and mentor staff on hospitality, service standards, and technical execution.
• Support onboarding and cultural integration of new team members.
• Monitor sales, labor, and cost performance; identify areas of improvement to drive financial health and guest satisfaction.
• Oversee daily operations of IRHG’s café, ensuring smooth counter service and an exceptional guest experience.
• Collaborate with the culinary team to refine menus for both concepts, ensuring offerings are high-quality, brand-aligned, and operationally efficient.
• Ensure menu materials and digital ordering interfaces are accurate, up-to-date, and visually consistent.
• Address and resolve guest concerns promptly and professionally.

Skills

Front-of-house leadership

Staff training

Guest service

Problem solving

Job description

The Indigo Road Hospitality Group is seeking a Cafe Shift Lead to oversee our cafe operations with hands-on leadership and a focus on guest experience, service quality, and financial performance. The successful candidate will manage staff, create schedules, train teams, monitor daily operations, and ensure safety and brand standards in a fast-paced hospitality environment.

This role requires nights and weekend availability and a collaborative mindset to drive guest satisfaction and operational