Store Team Lead

About Us:Groundwork Coffee specializes in batch-roasted, certified organic coffees and artisanal teas. From our humble roots as a rare book store and cafe back in 1990, Groundwork would go on to become one of the first certified organic coffee roasters in Southern California, as well as the largest organic coffee roaster in Los Angeles. A truly local pioneer in fair trade and fairly traded coffee and tea sourcing, we remain committed to sustainable business practices, including maintaining direct relationships with growers and importers who promote responsible coffee and tea production. From the ground up, Groundwork is steadfast in its commitment to the values of quality, sustainability and community. 

Position Overview

The Store Team Lead models Groundwork core values and educates and inspires their team to always create a welcoming, inclusive, and clean environment for the community. Reporting to Retail Leadership, the Store Team Lead implements Groundwork standards and initiatives and collaborates to improve store performance. Store Team Leads are leaders that demonstrate passion; taking the lead in communicating Groundwork's values to inspire our team members and cultivate a cafe culture that consistently provides unequaled quality and exceptional service for all team members and guests.

Role Priorities

RETAIL OPERATIONS

• Lead team in prioritizing serving guests above other tasks in the store and demonstrate that guests are welcomed and appreciated; guests are helped with a sense of urgency.
• Enable the Shift Leader and Assistant Team Lead to control product freshness and quality, act as a role model for proper adherence to Groundwork's standards.
• Maintain and prioritize cleanliness and organization in all areas of the store. Ensure that the store reflects the quality of the Groundwork brand.
• Utilize Service Fundamentals tools and company audits to measure and coach the team on quality standards and hold the team accountable for quality.
• Ensure all store equipment is regularly maintained and calibrated.
• Respond to equipment issues in a timely fashion.
• Enable the Shift Lead and Assistant Store Team Lead to execute the daily shift planning and deployment of staff to ensure that all team members work effectively together to provide superior guest service.
• Lead team in keeping proper stock levels in place and performing regular inventories.
• Use and train management team on Groundwork ordering practices and ordering tools.
• Ensure waste management is recorded and coach the team on ordering based on information.
• Use sales reports to properly plan schedules two weeks in advance.
• Consistently rely on sales reports and cost management reports to hit store performance goals.
• Collaborate with Retail leadership on store performance goals and implement and trainstaff regarding initiatives and goals.

COMMUNICATION

• Inspire others to share Groundwork's values, demonstrate passion and take the lead in communicating said values.
• Uphold the company's hospitality values and communicate these values to the team.
• Recognize and reward positive performance and accomplishments.
• Recognize and respond to performance issues with honest and direct communication while enforcing Groundwork's disciplinary guidelines.
• Work with Learning & Development to ensure that training, coaching, and development of staff are consistent, inclusive, and meet Groundwork's standards.
• Identify individual's need for growth, conduct coaching conversations, and build development plans that drive results.
• Communicate professionally and accurately with HR regarding disciplinary actions, performance check ins, and general inquiries. 

• Actively communicate issues that arise at the store level in a timely fashion and utilize store communication platforms appropriately.

PROACTIVITY

• Engage, encourage, and enforce team members to grow their knowledge and hospitality skills.
• Look ahead and use ordering tools to prepare for inventory management and store needs

• Actively search for and identify areas for store improvement and implement initiatives.
• Collaborate with Retail Leadership to set store goals and communicate outcomes of action taken towards these goals.
• Stay informed of industry trends and dedicate time to improve self as well as team members.
• Looks to past finances and community events to predict business trends and promote business development.
• Actively assess scheduling needs and recruit accordingly. Communicate these needs to HR and Retail Leadership in a timely and appropriate fashion.

Roles Qualification, Required Education & Experience

• Valid ServSafe certification or equivalent Food Handlers card.

• 1 year of managerial experience is highly preferred.
• 2 years of experience in the coffee industry.
• Must be able to perform math computations (add, subtract, divide, and multiply).
• Must be able to perform basic computer tasks for operation and can navigate operation applications.
• Ability to work and think independently and make quality decisions.
• Ability to read, follow, analyze and interpret instructions and/or documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals.
• Can work 30 hours a week including weekends.
• Fluent in spoken and written English.

Competency - Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Adapting to Change: Quickly grasps the underlying reason for change and can shift gears comfortably.
• Willingness to learn & provide direction: Continually searches for ways to expand personal knowledge of industry trends and products.
• Skills & Knowledge: Has experience handling or willingness to learn how to handle minor technical or functional bar equipment. Understands industry and product trends to enhance guest experience.
• Time Management: Uses time effectively and efficiently. Concentrates efforts on important priorities.
• Action-Oriented: Seizes opportunities and works hard. Full of energy when it comes to things that are typically viewed as challenging.
• Takes Initiative: Makes decisions and takes action in a timely manner - sometimes with little direction, incomplete information, and under tight deadlines and pressure.
• Integrity and Trust: Is direct and truthful. Presents the truth in an appropriate and helpful manner. Keeps confidence and admits mistakes. Does not misrepresent for personal gain.
• Hospitality: Spends the extra effort to create a welcoming environment and put others at- ease. Practices empathy and is aware of and patient with the team and guests. Always has the guests in mind and uses first-hand customer information for improvements. Builds effective relationships with guests to gain their trust and respect.
• Effective Communicator: Can communicate clearly, respectfully, and succinctly; effectively relays messages both verbally and in writing.
• Self-Awareness & Management: Knows personal strengths, gains insights from mistakes and actively seeks feedback. Personally committed to and actively works to continuously improve.
• Planning: Accurately scopes out length and difficulty of tasks and projects and can break down work into steps. Anticipates and adjusts for problems and roadblocks.
• Managing and Measuring Performance: Clearly assigns responsibility for tasks; sets clear objectives and measures; monitors process, progress, and results.
• Conflict Management: Sees conflict as an opportunity and finds common ground and cooperation quickly and effectively.
• Work/ Life Balance: Maintains a conscious balance between work and personal life.

Physical Demands

• This position is active and requires standing, walking (on even and uneven surfaces), bending, kneeling, stooping, crouching, crawling, and climbing
• Includes long periods of standing while working with equipment.
• The employee must frequently lift and/or move items over 50 pounds
• Wrist and arm strength and dexterity required for repetitive hand movements using equipment.
• Sometimes, one may work at a desk and in front of a computer for long periods of time.
• Vocal communication is required for expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word and for conveying detailed or important instructions to others accurately, loudly, or quickly, both in person and by telephone
• Hearing is required to perceive information at normal spoken word levels and to receive detailed information through oral communications, both in person and by telephone
• Visual acuity is required for close vision, color perception, preparing and analyzing written or computer data, visual inspection of documents and statistical data, operation of machines or equipment, determining the accuracy and thoroughness of work, and observing general surroundings and activities

Work Environment

• While performing the duties of this position, the employee works primarily busy, tight quarters, often warm/hot.
• While performing the duties of this job the employee may be exposed to fumes or airborne particles, moving mechanical parts and vibration
• The noise level in the work environment and job sites can at times be loud the
• Work is primarily indoors and at times can work in outdoor weather that can be in seasonal temperatures and various weather conditions.
• Can be a fast-paced environment which is subject to numerous schedule and priority changes and short notice activity.