Position: Café Manager
Location: On-site at the Retreat Farm Market, 400 Linden St. - Brattleboro, VT
Type: Full-time, FLSA non-exempt
Overview:
The Retreat Farm Market is Retreat Farm’s farm-to-counter home for local cheese, craft beverages, and prepared foods - and this summer we're adding to the offerings with a new coffee counter and café!
Join our team by helping build a new coffee business from the grounds up. We’re creating a warm, fast, reliably excellent coffee and café counter that Retreat Farm visitors, Market shoppers, and neighborhood regulars all come back to time and time again.
About the Role
The Café Manager is a new position at Retreat Farm, and one that is critical for daily operations of the new coffee counter. The Manager will schedule and manage staff, and work the cafe too: pulling shots, stocking and plating pastries, greeting visitors and welcoming regulars by name, helping keep the books balanced, and keeping the café team energized through the rush. The Manager will be a visible, steady presence in a space that's meant to feel like the most welcoming counter in southern Vermont, whether someone's grabbing a coffee on their way to the work, or settling in for a bite after a morning on the trails.
Because the new café lives inside an established farm and food campus, the Manager will also have the chance to source from and collaborate with amazing local farms and food producers.
Initial cafe hours will be Wednesdays through Sundays, 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m., plus select Monday holidays.
Specific Responsibilities
- Coordinate counter setup and workspace organization ahead of opening.
- Work with the Retreat Farm Market Director to establish, and then manage, inventory systems, ordering workflows, and vendor relationships.
- Build out the drink and food menu in our point-of-sale system.
- Recruit, hire, and onboard café staff.
- Maintain all applicable food safety and licensing requirements, and train staff on the same as necessary.
- After establishing the coffee counter, the Café Manager will advise on and help lead expansion into a fuller selection of cafe offerings, including sandwiches.
- Serve drinks, ring up customers, and otherwise run the coffee counter and café alongside staff.
- Bring steady energy to peak hours and make sure every guest feels welcomed.
- Hold food and drink quality to a consistent standard.
- Resolve customer concerns quickly, with warmth.
- Keep the café, seating area, and counter clean.
- Track allergens and ingredient sourcing clearly enough to answer guest questions with confidence.
- Assist with ringing customers at the Retreat Farm Market counter as needed.
- Coach staff daily on service speed, hospitality, and upselling.
- Build a supportive, accountable team culture.
- Schedule a small team for optimal coverage, with flexibility for the Market's seasonal swings.
- Conduct regular performance reviews and address attendance issues directly and fairly.
- Manage daily cash drawers and safely deposit nightly receipts.
- Order coffee, milk, pastries, and paper supplies weekly, coordinating with Market staff where applicable.
- Track waste and adjust order volumes to protect margins.
- Meet monthly sales targets set with the Market Director.
- Report equipment issues or facilities needs promptly to appropriate staff Directors.
- Coordinate with the Market and Events teams around high-traffic days such as Food Truck Roundups and other public or private events at the Farm.
What We're Looking For
- 2+ years in specialty coffee or food service management.
- High school diploma or equivalent required; hospitality training a plus.
- Active ServSafe Manager certification, or willingness to obtain one within 30 days of your start date.
- Strong communication, comfort with basic math, and POS literacy.
- Availability to work weekends and select holidays.
- A genuine love of hospitality, and the patience and good humor to lead a team through a new venture.
Work Environment:
The Retreat Farm Market is a fast-paced and dynamic work environment. The Café Manager must be able to switch focus as needed, to address changing priorities while maintaining mental focus in an environment with occasional high noise levels and interruptions.
Physical Demands:
- Ability to stand for prolonged periods, climb stairs, navigate uneven terrain, and lift and move up to 40 pounds
- Ability to safely (co-)lift and move tables and chairs
- Ability to perform repetitive motions (bending, twisting) while holding weight
Reporting:
The Café Manager reports to the Retreat Farm Market Director and is a member of the Retreat Farm Market team.
Compensation
- $30-32 per hour
- Optional health, vision, and dental insurance with employer contributions
- Paid time off
- Eligibility for enrollment in Retreat Farm’s SIMPLE IRA retirement plan with 3% employer matching
- 25% discount at the Retreat Farm Market
TO APPLY
Please send a cover letter and resume to the Director of the Retreat Farm Market, Sherry DiBernardo, at [email protected].
Applications submitted through Indeed only will not be considered. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.
Retreat Farm is an Equal Opportunity Employer dedicated to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We believe diverse teams make the strongest teams and encourage qualified people of all backgrounds, identities, ages, and abilities to apply.
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About Retreat Farm
Located on the north end of downtown Brattleboro, Retreat Farm is an essential Vermont place whose mission is to connect people to the land and to one-another.
Established in 1837, the original Retreat Farm was a working and therapeutic farm serving patients at the nearby Brattleboro Retreat. A prominent feature of the region for nearly 190 years, the Farm today encompasses 550+ acres of conserved forests, farmlands, trails, and waterways, and a historic eight-structure Farmstead.
The nonprofit Retreat Farm, Ltd. was formed in 2015 to restore the lands and structures of this place, and to establish a vibrant program of education, stewardship, and community gatherings. By creating a creative third place, Retreat Farm is helping to ensure a healthy future for the region. Learn more at retreatfarm.org.
Pay: $30.00 - $32.00 per hour
Benefits:
- Dental insurance
- Employee discount
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
Shift:
Work Location: In person
