Cafe Job Coach - HPL

Position Overview

The Café Job Coach supports daily operations of the Futures Café while serving as a primary job coach for adult consumers and students with disabilities. This role focuses on coaching, training, and mentoring individuals to develop café, barista, and customer service skills that support workplace readiness, confidence, and independence in a fast-paced café environment. Reporting to the Culinary Director, the Café Job Coach provides hands-on instruction, supervision, and support across customer service, food and beverage preparation, sanitation, and café operations. The position balances direct café responsibilities with individualized job coaching, behavioral supports, documentation, and adherence to food safety and quality standards to promote meaningful employment outcomes.

Position Details:

Status: Non-Exempt, Hourly (Part-Time; schedule determined during interview process)

Hours: Based on program and production needs

Rate:

Skills & Abilities

• Strong interpersonal, communication, and coaching skills.
• Ability to multitask and prioritize in a busy café environment.
• Strong attention to detail and customer service.
• Dependable, reliable, and professional.
• Effective oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment and manage conflict appropriately.
• Ability to learn, model, and teach safe café and food service skills.

Key Responsibilities

Café Operations

• Support daily café operations to ensure a clean, safe, organized, and customer-focused environment.
• Take and fulfill customer orders accurately, paying close attention to preferences, dietary needs, and special requests.
• Prepare and serve beverages and prepared foods following established recipes and procedures.
• Bake pre-made items such as rolls, biscuits, scones, and cookies.
• Assist with preparation of breakfast sandwiches, wraps, daily lunch specials, and heating soups.
• Perform café-related food and beverage assembly tasks efficiently and safely.
• Maintain cleanliness and sanitation of all café, kitchen, and customer-facing areas.
• Perform café-related business transactions and basic operational documentation.
• Follow all Federal and State health codes and ServSafe food safety standards.
• Model safe knife skills, equipment use, and proper food handling practices.
• Perform additional café-related duties as assigned by the Culinary Director.

Job Coaching & Consumer Support

• Coach and support consumers with disabilities in learning café job tasks, including customer service, food and beverage preparation, cleaning, safety, and workflow organization.
• Provide clear, step-by-step instruction tailored to individual learning styles and support needs.
• Supervise consumers during café shifts, reinforcing professional workplace behavior, teamwork, and customer interaction.
• Break down job tasks into manageable steps and support skill development through modeling and repetition.
• Observe performance, document progress, and collect data using appropriate instructional strategies.
• Promote independence, dignity of risk, and strengths-based support.
• Maintain a calm, respectful, and supportive presence in a busy café environment.
• Follow individual consumer plans, evaluation guidelines, and behavior supports.
• Communicate progress, concerns, and needs to supervisors and case managers in a timely manner.
• Maintain positive working relationships with families, coworkers, funding sources, employers, and community partners.
• Assist with onboarding and training of new consumers as needed.

Certifications & Requirements

• Must pass a background check.
• Ability to tolerate standing and walking for extended periods (up to 5 hours).
• Ability to lift equipment and supplies weighing up to 50 pounds.
• Must be well groomed and able to maintain professional appearance.
• Ability to operate agency vehicles and transport consumers as needed.

Working Conditions & Physical Demands

• Ability to work in a busy bakery and production kitchen environment.
• Frequent lifting of kitchen equipment and supplies up to 50 pounds.
• Exposure to heat, noise, repetitive tasks, and potential workplace hazards.
• May be required to lift and/or restrain consumers or respond to physically aggressive behaviors.
• Ability to meet physical, sensory, and environmental demands of a commercial bakery setting.

Disclaimer

This job description outlines the primary responsibilities of the position and is not intended to be all-inclusive. The incumbent may be required to perform additional job-related duties as assigned. Futures Inc. is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.

Education & Experience

• Experience in human services, special education, counseling, youth work, or a related field preferred.
• Barista or café experience preferred.
• Experience working with individuals with disabilities strongly preferred but not required.