Job Description

Coffee Lead, WatchHouse USA

Watch House is an award winning, specialty coffee group originating from London. With 14 UK Houses, and a rapid USA roll out ahead, the company continues to grow at pace with exciting opportunities for those wishing to build a career in hospitality. The business offers best in class product, creates beautiful locations, and prides ourselves on being a people first business.

WatchHouse 5th Avenue will be our flagship location in the US, paving the way for many more houses to follow. We are looking to build a team of exceptional coffee minds, ready to take their next step in an expanding company, with fantastic growth opportunities ahead.

The role in short:

The Coffee role at Watch House is integral in the journey as the organisation positions itself for its next phase of growth in New York and beyond. Reporting directly into the Operations Director and the UK Head of Coffee, the role oversees the complete seed to cup process, as well as leading in house coffee operations and training.

Coffee role is required to work closely and collaboratively with the Senior Leadership Team, to support the Operations Director in specific aspects of the current business as well as working on new ways to improve our current performance, product, and profit.

The Coffee lead will be key to the growth of Watchhouse within New York, from openings support, shift management, quality control and training, through to roasting, production, and profiling.

You will play a critical role in ensuring the excellent quality of the drinks we serve – From roast profiles through to dine in coffees. You coach and manage your coffee team, educate, and excite the wider watchhouse team in best-in-class coffee knowledge, roast exceptional coffees for our US Houses and customers, maintain the equipment and machines, provide unparalleled hospitality to build our customer base, and cultivate and positively foster the WatchHouse culture.

Directly reports into: Operations Director, USA

Direct reports, line manager of: Lead Baristas, Barista team, roastery team, and junior coffee roles.

Key Responsibilities:

● You are always a positive example for your team and the wider business. As the Coffee lead you manage the personal development of your coffee team (alongside the House Manager and operations Director) you’ll:
○ Hold a 1-2-1 catch up with each of your coffee team monthly.
○ Hold inspiring and engaging coffee related meetings or trainings for your team as and when required.
○ You’ll actively manage the PDPs of your coffee team alongside the House Manager.
○ Create and maintain a culture of coffee excellence across all NYC houses.

● Quality and standards of all coffees, retail and e-commerce sold across the USA, from initial roast through to purchase.
● Ensuring all teams are aware of current drinks offerings, standards and have a strong working knowledge of WatchHouse Coffee.
● Day to day management of the bar team, roastery team and dispatch team.
● Management of the house & roastery stocks, and e-commerce inventory.
● Training & Development of the coffee team, take a proactive approach in identifying opportunities for progression and highlighting training needs across the estate.
● Production roasts all coffees for the various Watch House coffee channels (cafés, retail and subscription) to agreed profiles.
● Run a fully operational roastery section and be responsible for the overall operations regarding production and dispatch across our cafés.
● Create and maintain strong brand partnerships between roasters, suppliers, and customers.
● Ensuring USA Roastery Operation, and the coffee operations within Houses is with in Health and Safety and Fire Safety laws.
● Liaising with the UK Head of Coffee, UK Roastery Manager and US operations director to ensure targets are achieved.

The role in more detail:

MAINTENANCE AND SAFETY
● Responsible for day-to-day equipment maintenance and cleanliness.
● Accountable for keeping an up-to-date record of cleaning and Health and Safety and Fire Safety checks and be compliant with DOH regulations.
● Training all WatchHouse Baristas and general team on coffee & equipment safety.

SCHEDULING AND OPERATIONS
● Managing Schedules, ordering and timelines for the roastery. Ensuring any annual leave are filled 4 weeks in advance.
● Managing inventory and stock take accuracy, from green coffee within the roastery to in house coffee stock. Effective ordering and stock management.
● Responsible for running best in class coffee operation, meeting watchhouse Brand standards, and ensuring a fast-paced quality service to all watchhouse guests.
● Planning the daily/weekly and monthly production schedule, planning in profiling, and QC to the schedules. Considering feedback and support in the development of profiles.

General Aspects of the Role
● To assist in recruitment for the coffee team, identifying the needs of specific job roles with the ability to plan. As and when roles are successfully recruited for, ensure that all staff are trained to company standards, continue to assist staff to develop within their roles.
● Lead a high performing Coffee team.
● Liaise with suppliers and counterparties to ensure these are well managed and successful.
● To have excellent organizational skills, a good eye for detail, and to upkeep brand standards across all aspects of the role.
● Any ad-hoc duties as outlined by the Operations Director as and when required for the business.

Key to this role:

● 3+ years in working in specialty coffee shops, at Head Barista level or above.
● Roastery experience is preferred but not essential. This skillset will be taught and developed over the next 12 months.
● Outstanding Coffee Knowledge, industry experience and knowledge of New York competition.
● Proven experience managing teams of 5 or more.
● Holds and up to date NYC food handlers permit.
● Always well-presented, well-spoken and an ambassador of the brand.
● Hands on, active and ability to lift 40lbs or more, and work on their feet for up to 7-9 hours per day.
● Proactive and diligent, striving for the best.
● Positive, upbeat, and bringing personality and soul to the role- a real people-person who is a team player through and through, calm under pressure and is comfortable having difficult conversations if needed.
● Someone who works brilliantly with others and puts the needs of the team and company at the forefront of everything they do – always willing to adapt to the needs of the business.
● A patient and caring coach, encouraging and supportive of others.
● Meticulous about cleanliness, brand standards and safety management. Detail oriented.
● Always humble and hungry to learn more – striving for excellence.
● Passionate about hospitality, specialty coffee + food and inspiring others to be the best in class.

How to Apply

Job Categories: Roaster. Job Types: Full-Time. Salaries: 40,000 - 60,000.

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