Store Manager

Description

Why Black Cap?

At Black Cap, we work hard to build a positive workplace where people support each other and take pride in what they do. We’re proud to be a woman-owned Vermont company built around community, local partnerships, and a love of great food and coffee. Our cafes bring together locals and visitors in spaces that feel welcoming, authentic, and distinctly Vermont. Join our team and help tell the story of a brand deeply connected to the place it calls home! 

Job Summary

The Store Manager is responsible for leading the daily operations of one Black Cap Coffee & Bakery location by developing employees, maintaining exceptional product quality, delivering outstanding customer experiences, and ensuring efficient, profitable operations. This role serves as the primary leader of the shop, creating a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement through coaching, clear communication, and effective delegation. Store Managers spend the majority of their time working alongside their team on the floor while balancing leadership and administrative responsibilities such as scheduling, coaching, performance management, inventory management, and labor oversight. Success in this role requires excellent judgment, prioritization, and time management to ensure both operational and administrative responsibilities are completed without compromising the customer or employee experience.

Compensation: $25–$30/hour, consisting of a $20/hour base wage plus supplemental pay from our Hospitality & Operations Fee, which typically ranges from $5–$10/hour.

Job Responsibilities

Leadership & Team Development

• Lead, coach, & develop a high-performing team of baristas.
• Onboard and train new employees.
• Provide regular coaching, performance feedback, retraining, and accountability.
• Conduct performance evaluations and partner with leadership on compensation recommendations.
• Foster a positive, respectful, and psychologically safe workplace where expectations are clear and consistently upheld.
• Model Black Cap's values, professionalism, and work ethic while holding employees accountable to company policies and standards.
• Delegate responsibilities effectively while developing employees' confidence and skills.

Operations

• Oversee the day-to-day operations of the café.
• Perform all barista responsibilities proficiently and professionally.
• Create employee schedules that balance excellent customer service with labor goals.
• Maintain TeamWork schedules, approve shift swaps, and coordinate shift coverage.
• Monitor labor costs and controllable expenses while maintaining operational excellence.
• Ensure opening, closing, cleaning, cash handling, food safety, and sanitation procedures are consistently followed.
• Complete bank deposits, inventory counts, supply ordering, and receiving of deliveries.
• Report maintenance, equipment, and facility issues promptly.
• Respond appropriately to emergencies, ensuring the safety of staff and customers.

Product Quality & Consistency

• Uphold Black Cap's standards for quality, consistency, and presentation across all beverages, food products, and retail offerings.
• Ensure all espresso beverages, brewed coffee, tea, breakfast sandwiches, lunch sandwiches, and other menu items are prepared according to Black Cap recipes, procedures, and food safety standards.
• Regularly monitor beverage quality by tasting brewed coffee, espresso, and milk-based beverages throughout shifts to evaluate flavor, extraction, consistency, and milk texture.
• Maintain high standards for espresso dialing-in, milk steaming, beverage preparation, and sandwich execution through coaching, observation, and retraining.
• Identify quality issues proactively and provide immediate coaching to ensure every customer receives a consistent Black Cap experience.
• Reinforce product knowledge and beverage craftsmanship by coaching employees on coffee origins, flavor profiles, brewing methods, espresso quality, milk texturing, and menu knowledge.

Customer Experience

• Set the standard for warm, genuine, and efficient hospitality.
• Support employees in resolving customer concerns professionally and effectively.
• Handle escalated customer issues with tact, empathy, and sound judgment.
• Coach employees on customer service, hospitality, product knowledge, and upselling.
• Maintain a clean, organized, welcoming café environment that reflects Black Cap's brand standards.

Business Performance

• Support company initiatives, promotions, and seasonal programs.
• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, guest experience, and operational performance.
• Maintain proper cash controls and loss prevention procedures.
• Communicate operational concerns, employee incidents, safety issues, and unusual events to the Operations Director and Human Resources Director.
• Collaborate with leadership across all Black Cap locations to share knowledge, maintain consistency, and support company-wide success.

Requirements

Position Expectations

• This is a full-time leadership position requiring flexibility to work mornings, evenings, weekends, holidays, and occasional overtime based on business needs.
• Managers spend the majority of their scheduled hours working alongside their team on the floor and are expected to lead by example through active coaching, delegation, and support.
• Managers are expected to effectively balance floor leadership with administrative responsibilities by exercising strong judgment, prioritization, and time management. While occasional off-the-floor administrative time may be available, managers should expect to complete many leadership and administrative responsibilities throughout the workday while ensuring the café continues to operate smoothly.
• Managers are responsible for consistently enforcing company policies, procedures, and operational standards while fostering a culture of accountability, professionalism, and continuous improvement.
• Managers are expected to provide leadership, support, and expertise across Black Cap locations as business needs require.

Required Skills

Successful Store Managers demonstrate strong:

• Leadership and accountability
• Delegation and team development
• Coaching and employee development
• Initiative and sound judgment
• Customer service and conflict resolution
• Prioritization and time management
• Sense of urgency in a fast-paced environment
• Communication and interpersonal skills
• Organization and attention to detail
• Professionalism and integrity
• Technical barista knowledge and commitment to maintaining and coaching consistent product quality
• Growth mindset and openness to feedback

Qualifications

• Minimum of two years of leadership or supervisory experience.
• Minimum of two years of customer service experience.
• Demonstrated ability to lead teams, solve problems, and make sound decisions in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to maintain Black Cap's standards for product quality, consistency, hospitality, and operational excellence.

Physical Job Requirements

• Must be able to lift and carry up to 50 lbs, including transporting items up and down stairs multiple times per day.
• Must be able to safely lift up to 50 lbs from floor level using proper lifting techniques.
• Must be able to frequently squat, bend, reach, twist, push, and pull while lifting, carrying, and moving supplies and equipment.
• Must be able to stand and walk for up to 8 hours per shift.
• Must be able to perform repetitive tasks such as reaching, grasping, stirring, tamping espresso, preparing food, stocking inventory, and cleaning throughout the workday.
• Must be able to work safely and efficiently in a fast-paced environment with frequent movement between customer service, food preparation, storage, and dishwashing areas.

Black Out Dates

It is important for all employees to be available during peak holiday times. All employees are expected to work: 

• Foliage season (September 20th- October 20th)
• December holiday season (December 26th – January 2nd)
• Presidents’ Day week
• Martin Luther King weekend
• Various summer holidays/events as deemed necessary by management

What We Offer

• Paid Time Off (PTO) and paid sick time
• Health and vision insurance options for full-time employees
• Invest EAP (Employee Assistance Program) for employees and household members
• Paid breaks and shift meal
• Free coffee drinks during shifts
• Employee discounts on food, beverages, and Black Cap merchandise
• Holiday pay on select holidays
• Paid bereavement leave
• Paid childbirth recovery leave for full-time employees after one year of employment