A Barnes & Noble bookstore is a gathering place for readers and the community. As a Barista, you are an integral member of the team at the heart of our Cafés. You welcome customers in a cheerful and helpful way by saying hello, answering questions and consistently going out of your way to connect readers with the right beverages and café items. Equally, you are an essential part of the café team in maintaining the attractive presentation and ensuring the efficient running of the Café. You help unpack and stock deliveries and to tidy our bakes case and dining area. You work our registers in a quick and friendly manner, ensuring our customers receive a highly professional service.
You’ll make a great Barista 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.
- 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 willing in your approach to work, performing assigned tasks with purpose and energy, working hard and reliably.
- Are supportive and considerate of colleagues, going out of your way to help others in the team and showing them kindness.
- Are always cheerful with customers, consistently going out of your way to help them.
- Show aptitude and willingness to learn new skills and acquire new knowledge in the store.
- Above all, show that you enjoy being a barista!
As a Barista, 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 expected to be proficient in:
- Using varied technology including registers, computers, tablets, programs and other tools comfortably and efficiently.
- Developing strong merchandising skills to maintain the café presentation and cleanliness of the Café.
- Developing effective visual merchandising skills to maintain the counter and floor retail fixtures, equally.
- Running a register competently to serve customers quickly and reliably.
- Supporting the receiving and unpacking of deliveries, and the efficient and accurate stocking that follows.
- Making food and drinks properly with ease and accuracy, using a combination of your own knowledge or that of your colleagues, and the available information like drink recipe guides, product spec sheets and other tools.
- Maintaining café cleanliness through accurate and reliable execution of daily and weekly cleaning tasks during your shift.
- Following and executing First In First Out (FIFO) practices and dating product consistently and correctly.
- Supporting the bookfloor team willingly and effectively when needed.
- Understanding loss prevention procedures and de-escalation techniques, identifying theft, spotting and seeking support for problematic behaviors and issues in the store.
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 barista 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:
- Build café knowledge of the products we offer across beverage, bakery and savory options and gifting.
- Use this knowledge to maintain the presentation in an interesting and appetizing manner.
- Speak about and support key sales objectives such as new LTO items or café promotions sharing this knowledge with customers and colleagues.
- Be able to make effective food and beverage customization recommendations to customers on varied items.
- Build knowledge and engagement for execution of café retail options.
- Understand and use Café training tools appropriately.
- Use knowledge about café safety, hygiene, sanitation guidelines and procedures to maintain all standards correctly and reliably.
- Use this knowledge to support the success of key products and promotions, equally.
As already said, above all we expect you to enjoy being a barista at Barnes & Noble. As you develop and demonstrate mastery of the skills outlined in this role, you are expected to advance to the next step in the career path — Senior Barista — where you will take on new challenges and gain further opportunities for growth.
You will, of course, comply with all company policies and procedures.
Benefits for those who are scheduled to work less than 20 hours per week include Employee Discount, EAP and Sick Pay. For those scheduled to work between 20 and 29.99 benefits include Employee Discount, EAP, Sick Pay and Paid Time Off including paid Maternity and Parental Leave, Company Paid Holidays, Transit and 401(k) with Company Match. For those scheduled to work 30 hours or more benefits include Employee Discount, EAP, Sick Pay and Paid Time Off including paid Maternity and Parental Leave, Company Paid Holidays, 401(k) with Company Match, Comprehensive Health Benefits (Medical, Dental and Vision), Healthcare and Dependent Care Spending Accounts, Healthcare Spending Account, Disability Benefits, Life Insurance, Transit, and Tuition Reimbursement. All benefits provided are in accordance with the terms of the current plan and may be subject to future change. Benefit may vary depending on location/state regulations. More information can be received by the recruiter or Human Resources.
