Vendor Cafe Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Become part of Restaurant Associates, the industry’s leading provider of dining and event catering for some of the nation's most prestigious museums, performing arts centers and corporations! Voted Glassdoor's Employee Choice Awards- Best Places to work This is R/A !

The Cafe Manager is a pivotal leader responsible for the holistic café experience, bridging the gap between innovative hospitality and operational excellence. Reporting to the General Manager, you will leverage your hospitality and operational expertise to partner with key stakeholders across the account. Your mission is to deliver a world-class food service experience that delights our guests and aligns with our partner’s strategic goals. You will oversee all facets of the café, from financial stewardship and labor management to fostering a high-performance team culture. 

We are deeply committed to a culture of workplace and food safety, which you will champion every day! As the Cafe Manager, you will set the standard for responsible practices, ensuring the well-being of you, our guests and our valued team members. The Food program’s vision is to inspire and enable the world to make food choices and use food experiences to develop more sustainable lifestyles and communities. Apply now and become an integral part of our philosophy! 

Key Responsibilities

● Manage 12 coffee / beverage bars in multiple locations 
● Managing staffing levels on a morning basis to fit business needs. 
● Work with regional team to enhance beverage bars across campus 
● Safety Standards: Strategically enhance and enforce a culture of food and workplace safety, including rigorous allergen management and compliance with all health regulations. ● End-to-End Experience: Design, manage, and take full ownership of the overall coffee bar experience, ensuring every touchpoint - from atmosphere to service - reflects excellence. 
● Hospitality Excellence: Establish and maintain a high standard of hospitality that is warm, inclusive, and proactively engages our guests. 
● Cultivate Talent: Lead the professional development of your team, fostering a culture of continuous learning, growth, and high associate engagement. 
● Fiscal Performance: Take full accountability for financial and budgetary responsibilities, including meticulous inventory control and labor management.. 
● Culinary Synergy: Collaborate closely with the culinary leadership team to ensure a seamless integration between back-of-house innovation and front-of-house service. 
● Champion Inclusion: Actively integrate diverse perspectives and experiences into the café’s culture, building a team that reflects our global community. 
● Stakeholder Management: Maintain robust relationships with client partners and regional leadership to ensure the café consistently exceeds program expectations.

 Preferred Qualifications 

● Industry experience: Typically 2–3+ years working in specialty coffee environments.
● Leadership experience: At least 2 years in a supervisory role, such as a shift lead, head barista, or assistant manager. 
● Technical mastery: Expert-level ability to pull espresso, steam milk to proper microfoam texture, pour consistent latte art, and execute manual brewing methods (pour-overs, AeroPress, etc.). 
● Palate development: The ability to taste espresso and recognize if it is over-extracted (bitter/dry) or under-extracted (sour/salty), and know how to adjust the grind or yield to fix it. 
● Equipment troubleshooting: Knowing how to perform daily and weekly maintenance on espresso machines and grinders, and knowing when a problem requires calling in a professional technician. 
● Training: The ability to teach all skills to new hires who might have zero prior coffee experience. 
● Inventory management: Tracking stock levels, minimizing waste, and placing weekly orders for everything from roasted coffee and milk to cups and cleaning supplies. 
● Vendor relations: Communicating with local bakeries, milk suppliers, and coffee roasters to ensure consistent deliveries. 
● Financial literacy: A basic understanding of managing a budget. 
● Community building: Remembering regulars' names and orders, and setting a hospitable tone that the rest of the team will emulate