Assistant Head Barista

Prologue is an independent bookshop at Weir Mill in Stockport, complete with a bar, speciality coffee shop and dedicated event space. A new concept for the North, in a huge, dedicated unit, Prologue is fast becoming the go-to destination for book lovers, coffee drinkers and culture seekers across the region.

We’re now looking for an experienced Assistant Head Barista to join our team and help take our café to the next level.

The café is the heartbeat of Prologue during the day: somewhere people come to read, work, meet friends and spend time. This is a senior role with real ownership. You’ll help lead our coffee programme and daytime café offering, run the café day to day, and play a key part in shaping where it goes next.

We’re a young business with big ambitions, and this role comes with genuine room to grow. If you’re an accomplished barista who’s ready for more responsibility and wants to help build something special, we’d love to hear from you.

For this role we are looking for someone to join us full-time. As Prologue is an all-day venue, weekend work will be required, as may evening shifts. Coffee, wine and cocktails are all served from the same bar, so from time to time you’ll also make cocktails, pour wine and help run evening drinks service.

• Help lead the coffee and daytime café programme, taking ownership of quality and standards on the coffee side
• Run the café day to day, leading shifts and taking full charge when the Head Barista isn’t in
• Deliver consistently excellent coffee quality and service standards across the café
• Dial in espresso and keep coffee quality optimal throughout the day
• Work with our coffee supplier on coffee selection, recipes and developing our offering
• Develop and evolve our drinks menu and daytime food offering, including pastries, cakes and light bites
• Build, refine and document the workflows, standards and systems that keep the café running smoothly
• Train and mentor the team on coffee skills, setting the standard on every shift
• Manage stock levels and ordering for coffee, milk, food and café supplies
• Help manage relationships with our bakery and café food suppliers
• Keep food displays attractive, well-stocked and maintained throughout the day
• Maintain high standards of food safety, hygiene and stock rotation
• Look after the coffee bar and equipment, monitoring performance and arranging maintenance when needed
• Deliver warm, welcoming service and help create a café atmosphere people want to return to
• Operate our point-of-sale system and keep service smooth during busy periods
• Work closely with the bookselling and bar teams to create a seamless experience across the space
• Pick up drinks service when needed, including wine, cocktails and beer during busy evenings and events
• Bring ideas that improve the café experience and contribute to the wider direction of Prologue’s food and drink offering

What you’ll need

This is a senior role, so we’re looking for someone with:

• At least 3 years’ experience as a barista in a speciality coffee setting
• Previous experience in a supervisory or leadership role, such as Senior Barista, Supervisor or Assistant Manager
• Expert espresso skills: confident dialling in, adjusting recipes and diagnosing extraction issues
• Excellent milk texturing and latte art, consistent even at the busiest times
• Experience training and developing other baristas
• Hands-on experience with stock management and ordering
• A strong working knowledge of food safety and hygiene (Level 2 Food Hygiene or above)
• Experience in a busy, high-volume café or hospitality environment
• Confidence making cocktails and serving wine and beer, or a willingness to learn (we’ll train you on our drinks menu)

Person description

Beyond experience, it’s the person that matters most to us. These core traits and behaviours are a good indicator of being a fit for our team across all roles:

• You care deeply about great coffee and hospitality
• You’re also partial to a good book
• You’re a great communicator who connects easily with people from all walks of life
• You’re motivated to maintain and improve systems, standards and experiences
• You’re kind, friendly and enjoy creating welcoming spaces
• You’re a self-starter who takes ownership and initiative
• You enjoy supporting and helping others improve
• You have excellent attention to detail
• You bring creativity and ideas to the table
• You’re comfortable giving and receiving feedback
• You’re a quick learner who enjoys developing your craft
• You’re happy to roll up your sleeves and help wherever needed
• You’re professional and dependable
• You stay calm and focused under pressure
• You’re comfortable using modern technology and systems