Job Overview: Lead Barista & Café Team Coach (Wasilla, AK)

Barnes & Noble Booksellers is seeking a dynamic Lead Barista & Café Team Coach for their Wasilla location. In this role, you are more than a coffee preparer; you are a mentor and operational anchor. You will bridge the gap between technical expertise and team leadership, ensuring that the café remains a welcoming community “gathering place” within the bookstore.

This position is ideal for a service professional who enjoys the intersection of literature and specialty coffee, and who is ready to take the next step into a coaching and supervisory role.

Key Responsibilities & Coaching Duties

Technical Leadership

Skill Mastery: Guide and mentor baristas in the technical art of drink making and food preparation, ensuring every beverage meets brand standards.
Operational Standards: Lead by example in maintaining rigorous cleanliness and organization throughout the café and service areas.
Merchandising: Oversee the presentation of the bake case and retail displays, ensuring they remain full, vibrant, and visually appealing to guests.

Team Development & Support

Customer Service Coaching: Actively coach team members on interpersonal skills, register speed, and the ability to engage in meaningful customer conversations.
Positive Environment: Create a supportive workspace where baristas feel comfortable bringing forward questions or concerns, addressing them promptly and effectively.
Resource Management: Prioritize tasks and support the team appropriately to keep shifts on track during high-traffic periods.

Qualifications & Requirements

Core Attributes

Leadership Presence: A proactive, “lead-by-example” approach with the ability to inspire and energize a team.
Flexibility: Must be responsive to the needs of the store, including availability for early mornings, late evenings, weekends, and holidays.
Passion: A genuine enthusiasm for specialty coffee, customer interaction, and the bookstore environment.

Professional Skills

Communication: Strong verbal communication skills for coaching colleagues and assisting diverse customer groups.
Problem-Solving: Ability to handle stressful situations calmly and de-escalate any customer or operational issues that arise.

Why This Role?

The Wasilla Barnes & Noble is a cornerstone for the Mat-Su Valley community. As a Lead Barista, you gain access to comprehensive retail management training, including inventory oversight, merchandising, and team psychology. This role provides a clear career path within a major national brand, offering the stability of a large corporation with the “small-town” feel of an Alaskan community hub.

Application Information

Interested candidates should apply through the Barnes & Noble Careers portal for the Wasilla, AK location. When applying, highlight any previous experience you have in mentoring others or managing retail displays. Referencing Job ID #J-18808-Ljbffr may assist in the process.

Full Job Description

Located in the heart of the Mat-Su Valley, the Wasilla Barnes & Noble serves as a primary cultural and community hub for the region. Working here involves more than just retail; it is about connecting people with ideas, stories, and information. Booksellers are expected to be high-energy, knowledgeable, and capable of managing a large, diverse inventory that ranges from the latest bestsellers to Alaskan history and educational toys.

Typical Responsibilities:

Customer Service: Actively greeting customers on the floor, providing personalized book recommendations, and assisting with the Barnes & Noble Membership program and the B&N Rewards app.
Merchandising: Shelving new arrivals daily, maintaining the “alphabetical integrity” of the stacks, and creating eye-catching displays for local interests (e.g., mushing, homesteading, or local authors).
Café Operations: Cross-training in the B&N Café to prepare Starbucks-brand beverages and baked goods while ensuring a clean and welcoming “Third Place” for customers.
Support Tasks: Processing large shipments of books and merchandise, handling cash and digital transactions at the front end, and assisting with “Buy Online, Pick Up In Store” (BOPIS) orders.
Special Events: Assisting with local community events such as Storytime, book signings, and educator appreciation days.

Qualifications:

Literary Passion: A genuine love for books and the ability to talk enthusiastically about various genres and authors with customers.
Communication Skills: Excellent interpersonal skills to handle the busy weekend rushes typical of the Wasilla shopping district.
Physicality: Ability to spend the majority of a shift on your feet, bending and reaching to shelve books, and lifting boxes weighing up to 50 lbs.
Availability: Flexibility to work a retail schedule that includes evening shifts, weekends, and peak holiday periods.

Company Benefits:

Employee Discount: One of the most competitive in retail—up to 40-50% off books and 20-30% off café items and toys.
Educational Environment: A workplace that encourages continuous learning and provides early access to upcoming titles and “Advanced Reader Copies” (ARCs).
Work-Life Balance: Accrued paid time off for both full-time and eligible part-time associates.
Growth Tracks: Opportunities to advance into specialized lead roles, such as Children’s Lead, Newsstand Lead, or Management.

To apply for this job please visit www.barnesandnoble.com.