Cafe Manager

  ABOUT COMMONWEALTH JOE

Commonwealth Joe Coffee Roasters (CWJ) is a DMV-based coffee company delivering award-winning cold brew where people work, live, and play. We have a flagship cafe located in Arlington, VA, a roastery and brewery located in Beltsville, MD, and a remote corporate team. At Commonwealth Joe, we are committed to redefining the coffee experience by delivering award-winning cold brew coffee across the U.S. Our dedication to innovation and excellence drives us to continually explore new ways to serve our customers and communities.

At Commonwealth Joe, we believe in making amazing coffee approachable and accessible to all. We are a group of passionate coffee lovers with diverse backgrounds and interests. However, one thing we all share in common is our mission to live out Commonwealth Joe's company values in every interaction we have with each other, our customers, and our community. Learn more about our company values, here.

SUMMARY 

The Café Manager is the leader of the retail store and the primary point of contact for the café team. This role demands a self-starter who is proactive, resourceful, and adept at making sound decisions under pressure. The Café Manager acts with urgency to address dynamic challenges, whether coordinating timely repairs for critical equipment, resolving unexpected staffing issues, or stepping in to ensure operations run smoothly. With a hands-on approach and strong leadership, they prioritize professionalism, open communication, and exceptional customer engagement. The Café Manager fosters a high-performing team and a welcoming environment while embodying Commonwealth Joe’s core values of excellence, humility, teamwork, and continuous learning.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned.  

• Accountable for the monthly and quarterly financial, product, and brand objectives at the store.
• Leads and directs the team to develop goals, align priorities, and execute initiatives in line with the financial, product, and brand objectives.
• Maintains strong communication pathways through regular team meetings.
• Maintains close, trusting relationships with subordinates, and facilitates honest, open communication across team members.
• Surmounts daily challenges at the retail store, ever-present and ready to help the team.
• Develops and maintains operational checklists and procedures at the retail store.
• Manages monthly COGS targets through inventory management, intelligent purchasing, data analysis, waste management, and other techniques.
• Monitors and achieves performance metrics, such as sales targets, customer satisfaction reviews, labor cost percentages, and shrinkage reduction, ensuring alignment with overall business goals.
• Manages monthly labor targets through schedule management, raising deployment, working behind the bar, and other techniques.
• Ensures the café is adequately staffed at all times, proactively managing call-outs or unexpected staffing challenges, including stepping in to fill roles as needed.
• Oversee recruitment, onboarding, and training, emphasizing a culture of learning and craftsmanship.
• Manages and coordinates staff training and development with the Education team.
• Fosters open communication through regular team meetings and individual check-ins, creating a transparent and trusting environment.
• Accountable for maintaining high-quality standards, speed of service, and team effectiveness.
• Works with the Cafe Director and other teams to creatively engage the community, online and offline, deepening relationships with regular customers, welcoming new customers, and building relationships with neighboring businesses.
• Coordinates and performs regular equipment maintenance (including preventative maintenance) and ensures timely repairs for any issues that arise, working closely with both the team and contractors.
• Minimizes shrink and spoilage by implementing inventory controls, monitoring product freshness, and promoting efficient usage practices.
• Proactively plan for holidays, events, and seasonal initiatives to drive customer engagement.
• Maintains a high degree of professionalism and customer experience while on and off shift.
• Knowledgeable and capable of performing any role within the retail environment.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

Manages all employees working in the Cafe.  Is responsible for the overall direction, coordination, and evaluation of this department. Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization’s policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems. 

EDUCATION and EXPERIENCE

• High School or GED required.
• Management experience with at least 2 years of experience leading teams.
• Experience working in a retail and/or service industry environment.  Experience working in a Café preferred.
• High attention to detail and high standards for quality and presentation
• You are an excellent verbal and written communicator, capable of connecting with a large variety of skill sets and perspectives.
• ServSafe certified

OTHER QUALIFICATIONS

• Passionate about coffee, hospitality, and delivering exceptional experiences
• Has a “can do” mentality, and seeks the best solution to achieve objectives 
• You are a quick learner, deeply analytical, detail-oriented, and a problem solver.
• Balances attention to detail with the ability to maintain visibility into the big picture.
• Ability to prioritize multiple responsibilities effectively. 
• Attentive to details with patience and determination to explore the problem and all of its elements through to a solution. 
• Open availability to address unforeseen needs, such as maintenance issues or team call-offs, ensuring the café operates smoothly.

COMPUTER/TECHNOLOGY SKILLS

• Experience working with Microsoft Office
• Familiarity with point-of-sale (POS) systems and inventory management tools.
• Experience with employee scheduling platforms (e.g., When I Work) is a plus.

PHYSICAL AND OTHER DEMANDS 

While performing this job's duties, the employee's physical demands may include moving, pushing, pulling, lifting, bending, twisting, standing for long periods, talking, and listening. 

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate, with frequent fast-paced work conditions.

The Café Manager is expected to work in the café 40 hours per week and spend 24-30 hours per week on-shift behind the bar. This is an in-person role requiring direct engagement with the team and customers to ensure smooth operations and a strong leadership presence. Remote management is not permitted.