Retail and Operations Associate

Crème de la Crop; Herndon (VA); Hybrid; USD 19,000 - 33,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Canva experience

Job summary

Crème de la Crop in Herndon, VA is seeking a friendly, proactive Retail & Operations Associate for a part-time role. You’ll greet customers, explain our menu, and guide product choices while contributing to inventory, light production, and admin tasks during slower periods.

You’ll handle POS and online pickups, maintain product information, assist with light kitchen prep, and help with creative marketing tasks using Canva. Reliable transportation to Herndon is expected.

Responsibilities

• Greet and assist customers
• Learn our menu thoroughly and confidently explain products, flavors, ingredients, and dietary accommodations
• Guide customers toward products that fit their preferences and help drive sales through thoughtful recommendations
• Handle POS transactions and online order pickups
• Represent the brand with warmth, professionalism, and attention to detail
• Monitoring and organizing product, packaging, and supply inventory
• Restocking and maintaining the shop and freezer
• Updating ingredient and product information online
• Packaging products, applying labels, and stamping bags
• Assisting with light kitchen prep, including scaling ingredients
• Maintaining cleanliness and organization throughout the shop and shared kitchen
• Assisting with administrative and organizational tasks as needed
• Brainstorming and contributing ideas for social media content
• Assisting with photo and video content when appropriate
• Creating simple graphics for menus, signage, labels, and other materials
• Experience with Canva is a plus
• Personable, proactive, and communicative
• Comfortable selling and making recommendations
• Learns quickly and retains detailed product knowledge
• Able to work independently and take initiative
• Organized and detail-oriented
• Comfortable switching between customer service, administrative tasks, and hands-on operational support
• Creative thinking and problem-solving skills
• Experience with Canva or other basic design tools is a plus
• Appreciates food, presentation, and thoughtful service
• Dependable and punctual
• Able to work independently without needing constant direction
• Consistent communication is essential. Employees are expected to respond to work-related messages in a timely manner, particularly when messages involve scheduling, shifts, or other time-sensitive operational needs.
• Must work respectfully in a shared kitchen environment
• Must have reliable and consistent transportation to Herndon, VA

Job description

Retail & Operations Associate (Part-Time)

We're looking for someone warm, reliable, proactive, and genuinely excited about hospitality to join our small team.

This is a customer-facing role first and foremost. You'll be responsible for creating a welcoming, knowledgeable experience for every person who walks through our doors and helping customers find products they're excited to take home.

Because we're a small business, this role also goes beyond standing behind the counter. During slower periods, you'll help support the day-to-day operations of the business through administrative tasks, inventory, organization, light production support, and creative projects.

We're looking for someone who is comfortable working independently, takes initiative, and can find productive ways to contribute without needing to be assigned a new task every time they finish one.

What You'll Do

• Greet and assist customers
• Learn our menu thoroughly and confidently explain products, flavors, ingredients, and dietary accommodations
• Guide customers toward products that fit their preferences and help drive sales through thoughtful recommendations
• Handle POS transactions and online order pickups
• Represent the brand with warmth, professionalism, and attention to detail

Retail & Operations Support

During downtime between customers, responsibilities may include:

• Monitoring and organizing product, packaging, and supply inventory
• Restocking and maintaining the shop and freezer
• Updating ingredient and product information online
• Packaging products, applying labels, and stamping bags
• Assisting with light kitchen prep, including scaling ingredients
• Maintaining cleanliness and organization throughout the shop and shared kitchen
• Assisting with administrative and organizational tasks as needed

Creative & Marketing Support

• Brainstorming and contributing ideas for social media content
• Assisting with photo and video content when appropriate
• Creating simple graphics for menus, signage, labels, and other materials
• Experience with Canva is a plus

What We're Looking For

• Personable, proactive, and communicative
• Comfortable selling and making recommendations
• Learns quickly and retains detailed product knowledge
• Able to work independently and take initiative
• Organized and detail-oriented
• Comfortable switching between customer service, administrative tasks, and hands-on operational support
• Creative thinking and problem-solving skills
• Experience with Canva or other basic design tools is a plus
• Appreciates food, presentation, and thoughtful service

Non-Negotiables

• Dependable and punctual
• Able to work independently without needing constant direction
• Consistent communication is essential. Employees are expected to respond to work-related messages in a timely manner, particularly when messages involve scheduling, shifts, or other time-sensitive operational needs.
• Must work respectfully in a shared kitchen environment
• Must have reliable and consistent transportation to Herndon, VA

Schedule

• Part-time, approximately 1-2 days per week to start
• Friday availability 12-6pm is strongly preferred. Weekend availability is a plus.
• Additional shifts may become available through farmers markets, catering, special events, and business growth
• Additional hours and responsibilities will be based on individual performance, reliability, and business needs

Compensation

$14/hour + tips. Recent total hourly compensation has typically averaged around $19/hour, depending on sales volume, staffing, and tip distribution.

Why This Role Is Different

• You’ll work directly with a former Michelin-starred pastry chef and be part of a small team where your work has a real impact on the business.
• This is a great opportunity for someone who enjoys variety and wants to be part of a growing small business. No two days will look exactly the same, and we’re looking for someone who is excited to contribute beyond the basic responsibilities of a traditional retail position.
• Our customers trust us for safe, consistent, high-quality products, so we hold ourselves, and our team, to a high standard in everything we do.