Cafe Team Expert

Barnes & Noble Booksellers, Inc.; Oswego Township (IL); On-site; USD 24,719 - 35,206; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Employee Discount

Health Benefits

401(k)

Tuition Reimbursement

Job summary

A prominent bookstore chain in Oswego Township is seeking a Café Team Expert to lead its café team. The ideal candidate will create a welcoming environment, manage inventory, and provide exceptional customer service. Responsibilities include training staff, driving sales performance, and ensuring the café remains a vibrant space within the bookstore. Candidates must be positive, proactive, and able to work collaboratively. Enjoying being a barista is essential. This position starts at $21.75 per hour, with multiple benefits depending on hours worked.

Qualifications

• Strong emphasis on customer service and team support.
• Ability to take the initiative and drive personal development.
• Physical capabilities to perform the role effectively.

Responsibilities

• Lead the café team and ensure a welcoming environment.
• Train and develop team members on café operations.
• Manage inventory and respond to store needs flexibly.

Skills

Reliable attendance

Customer service

Positive attitude

Initiative

Active listening

Visual merchandising

Job description

Classification

Full-Time

Job Summary

A Barnes & Noble bookstore is a gathering place for readers and the community. As Café Team Expert (CTE), you are an integral leader for the café team. You work through the team to develop their knowledge to create a welcoming environment for our customers. You are good at identifying and connecting data, using it to impact sales, trends, waste, inventory and other components to ensure a profitable Café. In this role, you present viable business strategies and work collaboratively with the Store Manager (SM) to implement and adapt café action plans to deliver expected results.

You’ll make a great Cafe Team Expert if you have what we term to be good “behaviors.” Expect your colleagues to demonstrate these behaviors and to hold you, and themselves, to high standards, and for your Store Managers to reinforce our expectations.

These behaviors collectively demonstrate that you:

• Maintain reliable and punctual attendance for scheduled shifts, setting the standard for the team and ensuring consistent leadership presence on the floor.
• Fill scheduling gaps when you are able, being flexible and responsive to the needs of the store — we are open from early mornings to late evenings every day, including weekends and most holidays.
• Are positive and proactive in your approach to work; you lead by example with purpose and energy, working hard and reliably while inspiring others to do the same.
• Are supportive of the entire store team, demonstrating kindness, fairness, encouragement and respect.
• Are always cheerful and helpful with customers, consistently going out of your way to help them and modeling this for the store team.
• Take initiative to drive your own development, are an enthusiastic learner and use feedback to improve skills.
• Are an active listener who understands information and clearly communicates messages as expected to support company initiatives and goals.
• Prioritize resources and barista support appropriately to keep the shift on track.
• Above all, show that you enjoy being a barista!

As a Café Team Expert you are part of a busy team and will be required to master the operational competencies of a Barnes & Noble Barista.

You will be trained and expect to be proficient in these areas:

• Using mastered skills in drink making, creating and maintaining food and beverage presentation standards and adjusting displays, modeling and coaching others in their effective use.
• Using strong visual merchandising skills, to maintain counter and floor retail fixtures.
• Running an efficient and quick register while taking orders, coaching others on efficient order taking and speed of service.
• Using bookselling skills to support the bookfloor team willingly and effectively when available.
• Actively coaching the team to follow loss prevention procedures, and maintain a safe, secure bookstore by the ability to spot theft and effectively de-escalate challenging situations and problematic behaviors.
• Managing inventory through effective food and beverage orders.
• Completing and submit accurate monthly inventory and waste log on time

All this work requires physical activity which includes prolonged standing, repetitive bending, lifting, and a lot of walking. You may work in other stores if you are able, and this is needed, collaboratively supporting the wider Cluster.

As you gain experience, you should expect your Café Team Expert knowledge and skills to develop.

Each Barnes & Noble bookstore is the product of its bookselling and café team. You will increasingly contribute as you develop your expertise. You will:

• Use expert knowledge to make effective food and beverage recommendations to customers, acting as a role model to the team.
• Review category sales, inventory quantities and product waste reports, assessing and acting on information to maximize our sales and profitability.
• Meet with the SM regularly to review café sales performance, profitability, training, and opportunities, to drive café results.
• Use knowledge about café safety, hygiene, sanitation guidelines and procedures to maintain all standards appropriately.

As already said, above all we expect to enjoy being a barista at Barnes & Noble. As you gain experience, you should expect your knowledge and skills to develop to support others and the Cluster and bookstore.

You will, of course, comply with all company policies and procedures.

Notes

An employee in this position can expect a hourly rate starting at $21.75.
Benefits:
Part- time less than 20 hours per week: Sick & Leave pay, Employee Discount
Part-time 20 - 29.99 per week: Sick & Leave pay, Employee Discount, Vacation, Personal Days and Company Holidays, 401(k)
Full Time 30+ hours per week: Sick & Leave pay, Employee Discount, Vacation, Personal Days and Company Holidays, 401(k), Health Benefits, Disability, Life Insurance, Transit, Tuition Reimbursement