Café Manager

Job Title: Café Manager

Location: Venice, CA

Reports to: Assistant General Manager

Hourly Rate: $30.00

Department: Food & Beverage

 

The Lighthouse, part of Whalar Group, is a first-ever creative campus and studio playground for the Creator Generation, offering Creators an I.R.L. platform to Learn, Make, and Belong. With Venice, CA already opened, and Brooklyn, NY opening in Fall 2025, and London/EMEA opening in 2026, the campuses are designed to empower and support career Creators and creative professionals, providing a dynamic environment explicitly tailored to their needs. Each campus features state-of-the-art, mixed-use content studios, and hosts impactful programming that empowers members to collaborate, learn, and grow their businesses within a thriving community. 

The Lighthouse expands opportunities and creative capabilities, offering Creators a dedicated space to co-create, connect, and lead the businesses shaping creative culture. Learn more: www.thelighthouse.com.

 

About the role:

The café at The Lighthouse is an important part of the daily rhythm of our campus, a place where members start their mornings, take meetings, connect with one another, and return to throughout the day.

We’re looking for a Café Lead who is deeply passionate about coffee, genuinely loves hospitality, and is excited to help shape an exceptional café experience within The Lighthouse.

This is a hands-on role. You’ll make incredible coffee, understand the science and craft behind it, anticipate what members and guests need before they ask, and create thoughtful hospitality touches that make people feel known and cared for.

Here’s what you’ll do day-to-day:

• Prepare consistently exceptional coffee and beverages.
• Maintain deep knowledge of coffee, extraction, equipment, technique, and product quality.
• Create a warm, highly hospitable experience for members, guests, and regulars.
• Learn member preferences and anticipate needs in a membership-based environment.
• Own café inventory, including ordering, receiving, stock levels, storage, waste control, and regular inventory counts.
• Maintain café cleanliness, organization, presentation, and readiness.
• Help establish café standards, systems, and service rituals.
• Train and support additional café team members.
• Partner with the broader team on events, programming, and member experiences.
• Assist with integrating a thoughtful, high-quality food program into the overall café experience.

Here’s what we’re looking for:

• Serious coffee expertise and genuine curiosity about the craft and science of coffee.
• Strong barista experience and confidence operating café equipment.
• Exceptional hospitality instincts: warm, observant, proactive, and detail-oriented.
• Comfort building relationships with frequent members and regular guests.
• Ability to balance speed, consistency, and high standards.
• An owner’s mentality and excitement about helping shape what the café experience at The Lighthouse can become.

The Perks:

• Medical, Dental, Vision
• PTO + Sick Time
• HSA, FSA, and Commuter + Parking Benefits
• Company Paid Life & Disability Insurance
• Voluntary Life Insurance Policy
• Voluntary Hospital and Critical Illness Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program
• 401k with Employer Matching. No Vesting Period.

Our values:

At The Lighthouse, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) isn't just a statement, it's our collective strength. Our people are our superpower. A diverse team and inclusive leadership have shaped Whalar since our inception in 2016, fueling a constant evolution of growth. We champion a culture of respect and empathy, fostering a sense of belonging that transcends demographics. We hire individuals of all backgrounds and empower them to thrive, challenge stereotypes, and actively break societal barriers. 

The Lighthouse provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. Equal opportunity extends to all aspects of the employment relationship, including hiring, promotions, training, working conditions, compensation, and benefits.