Head Barista/Manager — Founding Team (Café + Children's Studio)
Kitsilano, Vancouver, BC · Full-time · $55,000/year base · performance bonus upside
This is a build-it-from-scratch role for an experienced café operator. You'll set up and run the café, lead the team, own the numbers, and — for at least the first six months — serve as Head Barista, setting the espresso standard yourself before training a dedicated barista to take it over. It's a senior, hands-on seat with real autonomy: you'll build the operation, not inherit it.
You'll partner closely with our Education Lead, who runs the programming side. The two of you lead your own domains as equals and keep the studio running as one seamless space.
Who we're looking for
- 4+ years in café operations, including management-level responsibility
- Strong head-barista ability — you can set the espresso standard and train a team to it (SCA welcomed)
- Comfortable owning the numbers: labour, cost control, scheduling, and vendors
- Calm under a rush, steady with people, and energized by building something from nothing
- FoodSafe Level 1 and Serving It Right (or willing to obtain before opening)
Compensation & benefits
- Base salary: $55,000/year, paid bi-weekly
- Performance bonus upside of up to $10,000–$12,000/year, TBD
- Pre-opening build phase paid hourly at the equivalent of your base
- Health spending account, commuting allowance, paid time off, and professional development
- 20% discount on Particles programming · free coffee and food on shift
How to apply
Send your resume and a short answer to this scenario — it tells us more than a cover letter could:
It's a busy weekday morning. The café is slammed with a line out the door, and at the same time a class of children is arriving for check-in and the front desk is unattended. You have one barista on, and you. Walk us through how you'd handle the next ten minutes.
Pay: From $55,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Discounted or free food
- Flexible schedule
- On-site parking
- Store discount
Work Location: In person
