Job Details

Job Description: Assistant Manager

Reports To: Cafe General Manager

Job Status: Full time / Hourly, Non-Exempt

About Us: ALMA ("soul" in Spanish and Portuguese) is a neighborhood coffeehouse built around the heart and community of a farmers market - rooted in community, seasonal produce from local farms and makers, and genuine hospitality. With an excellent coffee program, baked goods, savory menus, takeout, and a small beer and wine list, we aim to be a warm and welcoming spot for both locals and tourists in San Luis Obispo.

The Role: As Assistant Manager, you will play an important role in the daily operations of ALMA. This position is ideal for someone who naturally leads by example and takes pride in creating exceptional guest experiences. You'll work closely with the Cafe General Manager, providing hands-on support across the cafe's operations and team. This includes helping train and coach the barista team, supporting inventory counts and ordering, assisting with scheduling, and helping facilitate the daily rhythm of the cafe so it stays organized, stocked, clean, and running smoothly throughout service. You'll also serve as a trusted key holder and point of contact when leadership is not on site, keeping the General Manager informed and looped in along the way. The ideal candidate is passionate about coffee and hospitality, calm under pressure, highly dependable, and energized by building community through excellent service.

Our three core values shape everything we do: Authenticity, Respect, & Enthusiasm.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

Cafe Operations & Shift Leadership

• Open and close the cafe independently as a trusted key holder
• Lead shifts and support the daily flow of cafe operations
• Serve as the "go-to" person during shifts when the GM is not present
• Maintain a calm, organized, and welcoming environment during busy service periods
• Monitor workflow, ticket times, and guest experience throughout service
• Support both cafe bar and floor operations as needed to ensure smooth service
• Communicate clearly during shift handoffs regarding inventory levels, prep needs, equipment issues, and 86'd items
• Assist with scheduling to help ensure the team is properly staffed for each shift
• Keep the General Manager informed on team performance, inventory needs, and daily operations, escalating concerns as needed
• Troubleshoot operational issues in real time and escalate concerns appropriately
• Take ownership over a couple of the programs or projects that we run, reporting progress or issues to GM.

Coffee Program & Hospitality

• Prepare espresso beverages, coffee, tea, and other housemade menu items with consistency, care, and attention to detail
• Lead with warmth and genuine hospitality, creating a welcoming experience for both locals and visitors following our established Hospitality Playbook standards
• Anticipate guest and team needs to help service run smoothly and efficiently
• Help ensure drinks, food, and service consistently reflect our standards and care
• Help educate and inspire team members around coffee knowledge, seasonal offerings, and service standards
• Hold team accountable to company protocols and care standards
• Support and complete inventory counts, tracking, and ordering to help keep the cafe fully stocked and running efficiently
• Assist with seasonal menu updates, beverage rollouts, and overall product quality
• Follow and reinforce all food safety, sanitation, and health department standards

Hiring, Training & Team Development

• Help train and mentor new and existing baristas on workflow, drink preparation, guest service, and cafe standards
• Assist in screening, recruiting and hiring cafe employee candidates.
• Support onboarding and continued team development
• Helps identify candidates who can be promoted to a Lead Barista when a position opens up, following our philosophy of always building up our bench strength
• Provide real time coaching and constructive feedback with clarity and professionalism
• Know our progressive disciplinary process and best practices and be comfortable writing an employee up for policy or conduct violations in collaboration with the GM
• Help create training materials and implement training systems that help improve overall operations.
• Model reliability, accountability, strong communication, and a positive attitude
• Maintain positive, professional relationships across both FOH and BOH teams to ensure a unified "one house" environment

Required Skills and Abilities:

• 1-2 years of leadership or supervisory experience in a cafe, coffeehouse, or hospitality environment
• Genuine passion for specialty coffee, seasonal food, hospitality, and community
• Strong leadership, communication, and coaching skills with the ability to give clear feedback
• Calm, organized, and dependable in a fast-paced environment
• A natural ability to anticipate the needs of guests and the team
• Experience with training, shift leadership, scheduling, and basic operational responsibilities
• Comfortable using Toast POS and Google Suite for reporting, ordering, and inventory
• Strong attention to detail with ordering, inventory counts, and shift communication
• Solid understanding of food safety and sanitation standards
• ServSafe, SHPT, and RBS certifications required (training provided)
• Collaborative, proactive, and motivated to continuously improve the guest and team experience
• Flexible availability, including early mornings, weekends, and holidays

Physical Requirements:

• High level of stamina to work on feet for extended periods (be able to work in a standing, upright position for long periods of time up to 8 hours
• Ability to occasionally lift, move, and transport furniture, equipment, and deliveries up to 50 pounds

Disclaimer: This description includes essential functions. Additional functions and requirements may be assigned by supervisors as deemed appropriate. In accordance with California law and the Americans with Disabilities Act, requirements may be modified to reasonably accommodate disabled individuals. We are an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive and welcoming workplace for all. We welcome applicants from a wide variety of identities, ideas, perspectives and experiences and encourage people from underrepresented backgrounds to apply. ALMA offers reasonable accommodations to job applicants with disabilities.