Part-Time Cafe Cooperator - Customer Service

Café Cooperators are trained to help in a variety of roles for the front-of-house and back-of-house operations of the café including cash handling, stocking shelves, and making various products (juice and smoothies, MTO food, recipes for the Grab & Go, Bakery items, etc.) all while maintaining exceptional customer service.

Skills and Abilities

• 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.
• Working knowledge of POS system.
• Computer literacy; knowledge of Microsoft Office products (Word, Excel), Google applications

Essential Functions

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

Customer Service

• Operates the Point-of-Sale system.
• Takes food orders from customers, submitting them to the kitchen for preparation.
• Sells and serves beverages (coffee, juice and smoothies) and other products to café customers.
• Sells and serves baked goods and miscellaneous food items to customers.
• Educates customers and answers their questions regarding café products including ingredients, preparation, substitutions, allergens, etc.
• Participates in all sales promotions effectively and efficiently.
• Maintains efficient, friendly service standards.

Food Preparation and Handling

• Prepares food (juice, smoothies, sandwiches/wraps, soups, Grab & Go items, bakery items, etc.) per established recipes and standards.
• Follows appropriate Food Safety methods for food preparation (heating, reheating, thawing, chilling, freezing, etc.)
• Assists in the storing, packaging, and displaying of prepared products, in the department and on the sales floor.
• Minimizes food waste by following all food preparation and safe handling of food and equipment processes and procedures.
• Complies with sanitation, personal hygiene, and health standards as established for food handlers.

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.
• May assist in quarterly inventory counts.

Department Operations

• Restocks ingredients and café area supplies when necessary.
• Keeps work area neat and clean at all times; cleans and maintains equipment used in drink/food preparation.
• Ensures customer facing counters are clean and stocked with supplies. Participates in maintaining the eating areas.
• Reports potential safety hazards and accidents to the Food Service Manager/Assistant Manager, Bakery Manager, Food Service Shift Lead or other assigned management representative.
• Informs the manager or manager on duty of any operational inconsistencies.
• Reports necessary equipment repair and maintenance to supervisor.
• Maintains daily production records, when applicable.

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 one (1) year experience in a retail or food service/restaurant setting.
• 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) and Internet applications preferred.
• Basic knowledge of natural foods and cooperatives preferred.