Coffee By Design - Coffeehouse Retail Supervisor
Lead a Coffeehouse. Build a Team. Be A Part of Coffee As A Catalyst for Real Change.
Coffee By Design is looking for an experienced, people-focused Coffeehouse Retail Supervisor to lead one of the most important expressions of our brand: our coffeehouse.
This is more than a coffeehouse management position. It is an opportunity for someone who loves specialty coffee, hospitality, people, and the business of running a great coffeehouse to take meaningful ownership of the guest experience, team culture, financial performance, and day-to-day operations.
We are a 100% woman-owned, Maine-made specialty coffee company, founded in 1994. For more than three decades, we have built our business around exceptional coffee, long-term relationships with farmers, thoughtful craftsmanship, and a deep commitment to our community.
We are looking for a leader who wants to be part of that story and help write what comes next.
The Opportunity
As Coffeehouse Retail Supervisor, you will have broad responsibility for the success of the coffeehouse. You will lead a talented team, create an environment where people can do their best work, and ensure that every guest experiences the quality, warmth, and hospitality that define Coffee By Design.
You will work closely with the company's leadership team and have a voice in decisions ranging from staffing and financial performance to product selection, seasonal beverages, merchandising, training, and the evolution of the customer experience.
You don't have to know everything on day one. But you should be curious, accountable, confident leading people, comfortable with numbers, and genuinely excited about specialty coffee and hospitality.
What You'll Own
People & Leadership
- Lead, coach, develop, and inspire the coffeehouse team.
- Build a positive, inclusive, respectful, and high-performing workplace.
- Hire and train new team members while developing existing employees and future leaders.
- Partner with Shift Leaders to create consistency across every shift.
- Establish clear expectations and provide timely, constructive feedback and recognition.
- Conduct regular team meetings and create opportunities for employees to share ideas and feedback.
- Work closely with HR/Employee Relations Leader on culture, performance management and employee relations matters.
- Maintain a positive and professional relationship with the retail team's union representative and operate in accordance with the collective bargaining agreement.
Hospitality & Customer Experience
- Set the standard for exceptional hospitality and customer service.
- Be visible and engaged in the coffeehouse, particularly during peak periods.
- Ensure consistently excellent coffee, beverages, food, and service.
- Anticipate guest needs and identify opportunities to make the coffeehouse experience better.
- Oversee merchandising, cleanliness, atmosphere, and the overall presentation of the store.
- Respond thoughtfully and effectively to customer concerns.
Coffee, Beverage & Product
- Stay curious and current about specialty coffee, beverage trends, and the broader coffee industry.
- Develop seasonal beverage menus in collaboration with the appropriate members of the Coffee By Design team.
- Evaluate retail products and recommend new offerings based on customer interest, brand alignment, and sales performance.
- Help connect the coffeehouse experience to the farmers, coffees, and stories behind the Coffee By Design brand.
- Participate in and encourage ongoing coffee education for the team.
Business & Financial Leadership
You don't need to be an accountant, but you do need to understand that a successful coffeehouse is both a hospitality business and a business.
You will:
- Partner with the Owner and Finance Manager to establish sales, labor, and profitability goals.
- Monitor sales, expenses, labor, cost of goods, waste, and other key performance indicators.
- Identify opportunities to increase revenue while maintaining quality and hospitality.
- Manage inventory and purchasing to maintain appropriate stock levels while minimizing waste.
- Review financial performance and use data to make informed operational decisions.
- Maintain accurate cash handling, banking, inventory, and record-keeping practices.
- Participate in forecasting and planning for the future of the coffeehouse.
Operations
- Ensure the coffeehouse operates safely, efficiently, and in compliance with applicable health and safety requirements.
- Create effective schedules and staff deployment plans that support both the customer experience and the business.
- Coordinate equipment maintenance and promptly address repair needs.
- Ensure inventory, ordering, opening, closing, cash handling, and other operational systems are executed accurately.
- Work with Shift Leaders to identify and solve operational challenges before they become bigger problems.
- Maintain a clean, organized, welcoming, and well-functioning coffeehouse.
You'll Be Part of Something Bigger
Coffee By Design is more than a coffee roaster and coffeehouse.
We believe business can be a force for good. Our work connects farmers and customers, coffee and community, and craftsmanship and purpose.
Our team participates in company events, coffee education, leadership development, and conversations around topics including sustainability, economic justice, diversity and inclusion, and our role in the community.
As a member of our leadership team, you'll be encouraged to bring your own ideas, perspective, and expertise to that conversation.
We're Looking For Someone Who Is
A natural leader. You know how to set expectations while making people feel supported and valued.
A hospitality professional. You understand that great service is about more than getting the order right. It's about creating an experience people want to return to.
Business-minded. You are comfortable looking at a P&L, labor percentage, sales report, inventory numbers, or waste log and asking, "What is this telling us?"
Curious about coffee. You don't need to be a Q Grader, but you should have a genuine interest in specialty coffee and a desire to keep learning.
A great communicator. You can have difficult conversations respectfully, celebrate successes genuinely, and keep information moving between the coffeehouse and the larger organization.
An owner-minded operator. You notice what needs to be done and take responsibility for making it happen.
A developer of people. You see potential in others and enjoy helping people grow into greater responsibility.
Calm under pressure. Coffeehouses can be wonderfully chaotic. You know how to keep the team focused, make decisions, and maintain hospitality when things get busy.
Experience
Required:
- At least 4 years of food service or hospitality management experience.
- Demonstrated experience hiring, training, coaching, and developing employees.
- Experience managing schedules, inventory, labor, and operational systems.
- Strong communication and organizational skills.
- Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, customer-facing environment.
Preferred:
- 2+ years of specialty coffee management experience.
- Specialty coffee education or certification.
- ServSafe certification.
- Experience working in a unionized environment.
We care about what you have accomplished, but we also care about how you lead. If you don't meet every preferred qualification but believe you could be an exceptional leader for this role, we encourage you to apply.
The Details
- Location: Portland, Maine
- Schedule: Full-time, salaried
- Compensation: $65,000–$75,000 annually, depending on experience
- Schedule includes weekends, select closing shifts, and peak holiday periods.
- This is an in-person leadership position.
- Reliable transportation is required for occasional company events, meetings, and professional development opportunities.
The position requires the ability to be on your feet for extended periods and occasionally lift, push, or pull up to 40 pounds. Reasonable accommodations will be considered in accordance with applicable law.
Benefits
We believe taking care of our people is part of taking care of our business. Our benefits include:
- Health insurance
- Dental insurance
- Paid vacation, sick, and personal time
- Short-term disability
- Long-term disability
- 401(k) with company matching
- Employee coffee discount
- Professional development and continuing education
- Opportunities to participate in company events, coffee education, and community initiatives
Why Coffee By Design?
Because we believe there is a better way to do business.
Since 1994, we've built Coffee By Design by choosing relationships over transactions, quality over shortcuts, and community over simply doing what is easiest.
We are proud to be 100% woman-owned, Maine-made, farmer-focused, and deeply connected to the place we call home.
If you're looking for a management job, there are plenty of coffeehouses.
If you're looking for an opportunity to lead people, grow a business, deepen your knowledge of coffee, and be part of a company with a purpose beyond the cup, we'd love to hear from you.
Equal Opportunity Employer
Coffee By Design is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to creating an inclusive workplace. We consider qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, disability, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Reasonable accommodation is available throughout the application process upon request.
Come help us make great coffee and build something meaningful around it.
Shift:
- 10 hour shift
- 8 hour shift
- Day shift
Experience:
- Food service management: 4 years (Required)
- specialty coffee management: 2 years (Preferred)
License/Certification:
Ability to Relocate:
- Portland, ME 04101: Relocate before starting work (Required)
Work Location: In person
