Position: Senior Barista
Reporting to: Cafe Manager
About Us
At The Forest Cafe, we’re more than just a coffee shop—we’re a warm, down-to-earth space focused on great food, great company, and exceptional coffee. Guided by our values of creativity, connection, and community, we pride ourselves on craftsmanship and honest hospitality. Our slogan, “Good Food, Good Company,” is at the heart of everything we do.
Position Summary
The Senior Barista leads the bar team, mentors junior staff, and supports management. They prepare and serve high-quality coffee, ensure excellent customer service, assist with training, manage inventory, and help maintain smooth shop operations.
Key Responsibilities
Barista Operation & Food Service
- Strong understanding of espresso beverages and coffee beans.
- Understand the operation, maintenance of all coffee brewing equipment and the grinder.
- Being focused on delivering outstanding espresso beverages with efficiency, presentation and consistency in mind.
- Participation in the in-house Barista Training program and the Performance Review process.
The role also entails:
- Support the FOH team during busy periods by helping serve food and interact with customers.
- Step in to cover FOH duties, including serving food to customers, restocking cabinet items when required.
- Order and maintain stock of coffee beans, milk, and other ingredients needed for menu items, including tracking inventory levels.
Customer Service & Cash Handling:
Everyone is required to carry out accurate and efficient cash register and Eftpos transactions.
- Ensure you understand the operation of the equipment, the layout of the Cash Register and the operational functions of the Eftpos unit.
- Each transaction must be undertaken efficiently and ensure each transaction is completed with accuracy.
- Monitor cash flow in the register and top up as required.
Team Leadership & Training:
- Train and mentor junior baristas on coffee preparation, customer service, and shop procedures.
- Demonstrate high standards of quality and efficiency, model a positive attitude, and contribute to a safe, dynamic team culture.
- Assist in creating and updating training materials.
House Keeping
- Ensure the cleanliness and organization of the coffee bar and service areas since it's visible to everyone.
- Assist with opening and closing procedures, including cash handling and reconciliation.
- Identify and report equipment malfunctions or maintenance needs.
- Daily and Weekly Task Check List can be used to guide you through your tasks.
- Ensure all food and stock is labelled, rotated and placed in its designated location.
- Also ensure utensils and service equipment are promptly returned to its designated spot promptly after it is used.
- Ensure all memos and rosters are read in a reasonable timeframe when made available.
Food Safety and Hygiene
Food Safety and hygiene is important to any food premises, therefore:
Always wash your hands before and after handling food.
Wear protective gloves when handling high risk foods.
Use designated tongs or utensils to handle food.
Use designated cloths or tea towels for specific tasks, to avoid cross-contamination.
Footwear and socks must be worn at all times (toe must be covered).
Qualifications
- Proven experience as a barista, with at least 3-5 years in a high-volume coffee shop environment.
- Excellent customer service and communication skills.
- Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment and handle multiple tasks simultaneously.
- Leadership potential and a desire to train and develop others.
- Availability to work flexible hours, including weekends and holidays.
Benefits
- Competitive salary.
- Opportunities for professional development and growth.
- Employee discounts on coffee and food.
- A supportive and dynamic work environment.
What We Offer
- Around 30-36 working hours weekly, $26-$29 per hours
- Employee discounts on food, drinks, and retail items
- Opportunities for growth and advancement
- A supportive and collaborative team environment
Applicants for this position should have NZ residency or a valid NZ work visa.
If you want to be part of an impactful and young team email [email protected] your CV !
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Pay: $26.00 – $29.00 per hour
Expected hours: 30 per week
Benefits:
- Employee discount
- Free drinks
- Free food
Schedule:
- 10 hour shift
- 8 hour shift
- Afternoon shift
- Morning shift
Work Location: In person
