Coffee Specialist (Seattle Coffee Gear)

Job description

**Position Overview** As a **Coffee Specialist** at Seattle Coffee Gear, you are a customer-facing product expert responsible for delivering exceptional, consultative experiences on the sales floor. You bring Seattle Coffee Gear’s passion for great coffee to life through one-on-one customer interactions and live product demonstrations, helping customers understand brewing methods, espresso fundamentals, and coffee equipment in a practical, approachable way. In this role, you focus on engaging customers in real time, listening to their needs, demonstrating products, and translating technical features into clear benefits. You play a critical role in driving sales of espresso machines, grinders, coffee makers, and accessories by helping customers understand the *why* behind great coffee and confidently guiding them toward products that fit their goals, taste preferences, and lifestyle. **Key Responsibilities** **Customer Experience & Brand Representation** · Represent Seattle Coffee Gear’s brand and culture by creating memorable, educational experiences that inspire repeat visits and customer loyalty. · Lead engaging and informative coffee brewing demonstrations that showcase our Seattle Coffee Gear’s expertise and unique competitive edge offerings. · Educate customers on a variety of brewing techniques, including pour-over, French Press, AeroPress, espresso, cold brew, and coffee art. · Guide customers in selecting coffee beans based on flavor profiles, roast levels, and origin. · Maintain a “coffee-ready” environment by ensuring quality and consistency across in-store brewing and demonstrations. **Sales & Business Performance** · Recommend appropriate coffee equipment and maintenance practices based on customer needs. · Promote and sell coffee products, equipment, and accessories through product demonstrations. · Assist the store in achieving revenue goals by driving customer engagement and conversion through education. · Consistently meet or exceed store goals by delivering exceptional customer engagement and sales. Performance is measured by product sales performance through SPH, UPT & guest feedback. **Team Engagement & Store Support** · Partner with store leaders to ensure alignment with store priorities. · Collaborate on merchandising strategies that highlight key tools and products featured in classes. **Operations & Compliance** · Ensure compliance with food safety standards, local health codes, and sanitation regulations. · Maintain accurate inventory levels, minimize shrink, and control supply and culinary expenses. · Ensure store safety and cleanliness, addressing any maintenance needs promptly. · Adhere to applicable wage and hour laws. Accurately records time worked according to SLT Policy. · Model and ensure consistent adherence to all Seattle Coffee Gear policies and standard operating procedures (SOPs). **Physical Requirements** · Ability to communicate verbally and work cooperatively with associates and customers. · Ability to remain standing for up to 4 hours at a time. · Ability to move about the store directing class participants while selling to customers and retrieving merchandise from stockroom or sales floor. · The capability to accurately perceive and differentiate variations in intensity or quality of flavors or odors, or to identify specific tastes or scents using the tongue or nose. · Ability to grab, reach, push, pull, bend, stoop, kneel, and crouch to retrieve and replenish merchandise from stockroom or sales floor. · Ability to use hands to seize, hold, grasp, turn, or otherwise to grind, tamp, steam, pour, froth, and/or demonstrate other coffee brewing techniques. · Ability to lift and/or move merchandise weighing up to 50 lbs. · Ability to ascend/descend ladders to retrieve and/or move merchandise. · Ability to operate a computer, POS system, keyboards, merchandise scanners and mouse to accomplish work. · Available to work between 12 and 16 hours per week, with a flexible schedule, including nights, weekends, and holidays. While this is the minimum availability, scheduled hours may differ based on business needs. · Regular and predictable attendance. · Ability to work in a coffee bar area with exposure to hot equipment, steam, varying temperatures, and potential airborne and physical coffee-related allergens. **Qualifications & Experience** · Must be 18 years of age or older at time of employment. · Passion for coffee and in-depth knowledge of brewing methods, coffee origins and equipment. · Ability to create engaging, hands-on experiences for customers. · Strong enthusiasm for coffee and a genuine eagerness to share knowledge with others. · Excellent communication, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities. · Passion for community engagement and delivering exceptional customer experiences. · Proficiency in Microsoft Office and retail management systems preferred.