Position OverviewThe Barista / Senior Barista is responsible for preparing high-quality coffee and beverages while delivering friendly, professional, and consistent customer service. The role ensures beverages are prepared according to recipes and quality standards while maintaining cleanliness, food safety, equipment condition, stock levels, and efficient daily café operations.
At Senior Barista level, the position additionally supports shift operations, coaches junior baristas, maintains beverage quality, assists with inventory and opening/closing procedures, and helps ensure smooth workflow across the café or beverage station.
Key Responsibilities
- * Prepare espresso-based coffee, brewed coffee, tea, cold beverages, specialty drinks, and other menu items according to approved recipes and quality standards.
- Operate espresso machines, coffee grinders, brewing equipment, blenders, and other beverage preparation equipment safely and correctly.
- Calibrate coffee grinders and adjust grind size, dose, extraction time, and other variables to maintain consistent espresso quality.
- Steam and texture milk correctly and prepare beverages according to required temperature, presentation, and recipe standards.
- Maintain consistent beverage taste, appearance, portion size, and presentation across all customer orders.
- Demonstrate knowledge of coffee beans, roast profiles, brewing methods, flavour characteristics, beverage ingredients, and menu items.
- Recommend suitable coffee, beverages, food pairings, or customized options based on customer preferences.
- Take customer orders accurately and provide friendly, efficient, and professional service.
- Operate POS systems and process cash, card, digital payments, discounts, refunds, and other transactions according to company procedures.
- Maintain a clean, organized, and hygienic coffee station throughout operating hours.
- Follow food safety, hygiene, sanitation, allergen-control, and workplace safety procedures at all times.
- Clean and maintain espresso machines, grinders, brewing equipment, refrigerators, work surfaces, utensils, and other café equipment.
- Perform routine equipment checks and report technical problems, damage, or maintenance requirements to the appropriate person.
- Monitor coffee beans, milk, syrups, powders, cups, packaging, food items, and other consumables to ensure sufficient stock.
- Assist with receiving deliveries, checking quantities and quality, storing products correctly, and maintaining appropriate stock levels.
- Follow FIFO principles and ensure ingredients are stored, labelled, dated, and handled correctly.
- Conduct stock counts and report shortages, damaged products, expired items, and discrepancies.
- Assist with opening and closing procedures including equipment preparation, station setup, cleaning, stock checks, cash procedures, and securing the café.
- Maintain awareness of daily sales, promotions, new products, seasonal beverages, and menu updates.
- Support the launch and promotion of new beverages, seasonal menus, limited-time products, and café initiatives.
- Handle customer feedback, complaints, special requests, and beverage quality concerns professionally.
- Remake incorrect or unsatisfactory beverages when appropriate and ensure customer concerns are resolved efficiently.
- Work closely with other baristas, cashiers, servers, kitchen staff, supervisors, and managers to maintain efficient service.
- Maintain appropriate speed and workflow during peak periods while ensuring beverage quality and customer service standards are maintained.
- Follow company SOPs, recipes, service standards, cash-handling procedures, and operational policies.
- Maintain professional appearance, hygiene, grooming, and conduct consistent with café standards.
- At Senior Barista level, lead the beverage station during assigned shifts and coordinate workflow between baristas and support staff.
- At Senior Barista level, coach and train junior baristas on coffee preparation, equipment operation, recipes, customer service, hygiene, and café procedures.
- At Senior Barista level, monitor beverage consistency and ensure recipes, extraction standards, presentation, and service procedures are followed.
- At Senior Barista level, assist supervisors or managers with stock control, ordering requirements, opening and closing procedures, and daily operational checks.
- At Senior Barista level, support new product launches, menu development, beverage testing, and improvement of coffee preparation standards.
- At Senior Barista level, assist with resolving operational issues and escalate equipment, staffing, customer, or quality concerns when required.
Requirements
- * Previous experience as a Barista, Café Crew Member, Beverage Specialist, or similar customer-facing food and beverage role.
- Previous senior barista, shift leader, or team-leading experience is preferred for the Senior Barista level.
- Strong knowledge of espresso preparation, coffee extraction, milk steaming, brewing methods, and beverage preparation.
- Practical experience operating and maintaining commercial espresso machines, grinders, and café equipment.
- Good understanding of coffee beans, roast profiles, grind adjustment, extraction variables, and beverage quality.
- Strong customer-service and communication skills with a friendly, professional, and positive approach.
- Experience using POS systems and handling cash, card, and digital payment transactions.
- Knowledge of food safety, hygiene, sanitation, allergen awareness, and safe food-handling practices.
- Strong attention to detail and ability to maintain consistent beverage quality and presentation.
- Ability to work efficiently during busy periods while maintaining accuracy and service standards.
- Good organizational and time-management skills with the ability to manage multiple orders and priorities.
- Experience with inventory checks, FIFO procedures, stock rotation, and café opening/closing procedures is an advantage.
- Strong teamwork skills and ability to communicate effectively with colleagues and supervisors.
- Senior Baristas should demonstrate leadership, coaching, training, and shift-coordination capabilities.
- Professional appearance, personal hygiene, reliability, punctuality, and strong work ethic.
- Barista or coffee-related certifications, such as SCA qualifications, are an advantage.
- Ability to work flexible shifts including mornings, evenings, weekends, public holidays, and peak periods.
- Additional language skills are an advantage in cafés serving international or multicultural customers.
