Full-Time Food Service/Café Shift Lead

The Food Service Shift Lead is responsible for providing support to department staff and quality and efficient customer service to customers. To assist the Food Service Manager (or Assistant Manager when applicable) with the coordination of department operations to help meet department goals.

Skills and Abilities

• Lead and motivate staff.
• Strong communication and listening skills, both face-to-face and over the phone.
• Strong organizational and decision-making skills and acute attention to detail.
• Ability to handle multiple demands and difficult situations with tact and diplomacy.
• Willingness and ability to learn and grow to meet the changing requirements of the job.
• Work with little or no supervision.
• Working knowledge of POS system.

Essential Functions

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Department Operations & Maintenance

• Be the Person in Charge for café staff when scheduled.
• Performs and oversees opening and closing duties, per established departmental and company procedures. 
• Places timely supply requests with the Food Service Manager/Assistant Manager, to ensure proper amounts of ingredients and supplies are on hand.
• Reads staff and department messages daily and responds as necessary.
• Provides effective communication for all operational issues.
• Ensures Food Safety standards are being enforced, including food storage and prep areas are maintained in sanitary, orderly condition meeting Health Department Standards.
• Uses proper documentation for all areas of the department, including temperature and cooling/holding logs, production guides, transfers, spoilage, recipes, and special orders.
• Ensures proper storage, maintenance, and safe usage of equipment.
• Maintains organized back stock.
• Participates in quarterly inventory counts.
• Monitors and coaches food service employees on consistency of food preparation, portion sizes and overall food presentation according to Co-op and department standards or recipes.

Financial Performance

• Assists with attaining the established goals for the food service department and organization.
• Communicates customer feedback to the Food Service Manager/Assistant Manager in a timely manner in an effort to make decisions about menu offerings, staffing needs, and production amounts.

Personnel Management

• Assists in ensuring adequate coverage of the department when there are employee call offs, slow days, etc., documenting and notifying the Food Service Manager/Assistant Manager per established procedures.
• Oversees department staff in their daily duties.
• Monitors department staff’s breaks during their shifts.
• Assists with training department staff.
• Assists with performance reviews by providing the Food Service Manager/Assistant Manager with employee performance feedback.
• Advises the Food Service Manager/Assistant Manager of personnel issues related to staff.

Customer Service

• Provides prompt, friendly, and courteous customer service, to customers and employees alike, in person and over the phone.
• Problem solves customers’ concerns respectfully and appropriately.
• Reports customer suggestions, comments, and complaints to the Food Service Manager/Assistant Manager. 
• Assists customers with orders, in person and over the phone.
• Offers tastes, samples, and suggestions for purchase as well as educating customers about products.

Merchandising

• Maintains attractive, well-stocked and rotated displays, using FIFO and other established procedures.
• Ensures that products are properly packed and labeled with correct ingredients, allergens, dates, and prices.
• Ensures that the department is well-faced, neat, and clean.
• Follows the guidelines and instructions for Marketing (signage and labeling) as directed by Food Service Manager/Assistant Manager.

Other Duties

The job duties, elements, responsibilities, skills, functions experience, educational factors, requirements, and conditions listed in this job description are representative only and not exhaustive of the tasks that any employee may be required to perform. The employer reserves the right to revise this job description at any time and require employees to perform other tasks as circumstances or conditions of its business, competitive considerations, or the work environment change.

Requirements

• Flexibility with scheduling, due to store hours.
• Ability to work well with others in a cooperative environment where teamwork and constant communication are essential.
• Commitment to superior customer service and providing the highest quality experience possible.
• Willingness/ability to work in any of the Center Store departments.
• Maintain positive company morale.
• Maintains discretion in dealing with confidential information (store, vendors, customers, staff, etc.)

Education and Experience

• H.S. diploma/GED. Some college a plus.
• Minimum two (2) years of experience in a retail or food service/restaurant setting.
• Minimum two (2) years of experience as a team leader or supervisor required; in a food service/restaurant setting preferred.
• Combination of education, training and/or experience will be considered.
• Knowledge of special dietary needs and allergens preferred. 
• Customer service experience in a public-serving position preferred.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, etc.) and Internet applications preferred. 
• Basic knowledge of natural foods and cooperatives preferred.