Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Barista and All Rounder

🎯 Role Definition

The Barista and All Rounder is a multi-skilled café team member responsible for consistently preparing high-quality espresso-based beverages and light food items, delivering warm and efficient customer service, maintaining café presentation and hygiene, and supporting back-of-house stock and operational tasks. This position requires strong coffee-making technique, POS and cash handling accuracy, flexibility across shifts, and a collaborative, customer-focused attitude.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Café Crew / Barista Trainee
Hospitality Assistant / Front of House Staff
Retail Sales or Food Service Attendant

Advancement To:

Senior Barista / Head Barista
Shift Supervisor / Team Leader
Café Manager or Multi-site Supervisor

Lateral Moves:

Kitchen All-Rounder / Food Prep Specialist
Catering Coordinator
Events or Hospitality Sales Assistant

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Prepare espresso-based drinks, filter coffee, cold brews and specialty beverages consistently to recipe specifications, ensuring taste, temperature and presentation meet brand standards on every service.
Steam, texture and pour milk to create latte art and maintain consistent microfoam for cappuccinos and lattes while adapting recipes to customer preferences (alternative milks, sugar-free syrups, etc.).
Operate and maintain espresso machines, grinders and coffee equipment including routine calibration, backflushing, grinder setting checks and preventative minor repairs to ensure reliable performance.
Accurately take orders in-person and via POS systems, process payments (cash, card and mobile payments), issue receipts and reconcile takings at end of shift following cash handling procedures.
Manage opening and closing duties: prepare service stations, restock consumables, sweep and mop floors, sanitize contact surfaces and secure premises according to checklist and closing protocols.
Prepare simple food items and sandwiches, toasties and bakery products to quality and hygiene standards; follow portion control, food plating and allergen procedures.
Monitor and rotate stock (FIFO), record inventory levels, receive deliveries, check product quality and report shortages or discrepancies to the manager to avoid wastage and out-of-stock situations.
Maintain kitchen and front-of-house cleanliness and sanitation to comply with food safety regulations (e.g., HACCP, local health codes), including temperature logs for refrigerators and hot-holding equipment.
Provide friendly, efficient and proactive customer service: welcome guests, respond to inquiries about menu items, dietary requirements and make recommendations to enhance the guest experience.
Upsell and promote seasonal menu items, loyalty programmes and retail products (beans, merchandise) to increase average transaction value while maintaining a genuine, service-oriented approach.
Handle customer complaints and concerns calmly and professionally, escalate to the shift supervisor or manager when necessary and ensure follow-up to maintain customer satisfaction and retention.
Train and mentor junior baristas and casual staff on beverage preparation, station setup, hygiene and customer service best practices to build team capability and consistency.
Adhere to beverage quality control procedures: taste testing, shot timing, extraction monitoring and continuous improvement feedback to maintain a consistent product across shifts.
Prepare and pack catering orders, online pick-ups and pre-orders accurately and on time, coordinating with colleagues to manage demand during peak periods and special events.
Assist with shift rostering needs by providing availability, covering shifts where possible and contributing to a flexible schedule to support business needs.
Maintain clear, up-to-date menu knowledge and ingredient lists, proactively communicate changes (promotions, out-of-stock items) to customers and team members.
Conduct routine cleaning and minor maintenance of utensils, glassware, grinders and filters; liaise with external technicians for major servicing when required.
Follow health and safety procedures including safe lifting, chemical handling, proper glove use and maintaining a hazard-free workplace; report incidents or near-misses immediately.
Support point-of-sale reporting and basic daily paperwork: tip reconciliation, daily sales reports, waste logs and temperature checks for audits.
Support visual merchandising of retail products and seasonal displays in the café to drive retail sales and improve customer awareness of offerings.
Collaborate with management on product feedback, new menu trials and customer trends to contribute ideas that improve service, efficiency and profitability.
Work efficiently under pressure during busy service periods to minimise wait times while maintaining accurate orders and high product standards.
Coordinate with suppliers and delivery drivers to accept stock, sign delivery dockets and manage storage efficiently to preserve product quality.
Foster a positive, team-oriented environment by participating in daily briefings, sharing workload, and communicating proactively with colleagues about service flow and priorities.

Secondary Functions

Assist with basic administrative tasks such as inventory spreadsheets, supplier price comparison and small purchasing orders under manager supervision.
Support local marketing efforts and promotions by helping prepare social media content, sampling events or in-store promotions when requested.
Participate in periodic inventory audits and contribute to accuracy improvements in stock tracking and ordering processes.
Cross-train in complementary roles including light baking, bar services or retail merchandising to increase operational flexibility.
Help coordinate and staff catering or off-site events, including packing equipment, brewing large batch coffee and ensuring service standards are met off-premises.
Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives by giving feedback on workflow, equipment needs and training gaps to improve service speed and quality.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Professional espresso extraction and milk texturing skills; ability to calibrate grinders and adjust extraction times for consistent shots.
Proficiency with common POS systems and payment processing (cash handling, reconciliation, contactless and mobile payments).
Basic food preparation and sandwich/toastie assembly skills with knowledge of portion control and plating consistency.
Strong knowledge of food safety, hygiene standards and temperature control procedures (HACCP awareness preferred).
Inventory management fundamentals: stock rotation (FIFO), order taking, receiving deliveries and basic stock reconciliation.
Machine cleaning protocols: backflushing, descaling schedules, filter cleaning and minor preventative maintenance.
Accurate cash handling, daily takings reconciliation and basic numeracy for cash-ups and sales reporting.
Allergen awareness and the ability to communicate ingredient information to customers accurately.
Ability to prepare large-batch brews and cater for events, including logistics for off-site service and packaging.
Basic merchandising skills for retail coffee sales, product display and upsell techniques.

Soft Skills

Exceptional customer service orientation with a friendly, patient demeanor and strong communication skills.
Ability to multitask and prioritise tasks under pressure during peak trading periods.
Team player mentality with willingness to support colleagues and adapt to changing shift needs.
Strong attention to detail to ensure consistent product quality and accurate order fulfilment.
Problem solving and initiative: handle customer concerns, equipment hiccups or supply issues calmly and efficiently.
Time management and reliability with punctuality for rostered shifts.
Positive attitude and resilience in a fast-paced, high-volume environment.
Coachability and eagerness to learn new recipes, techniques and product knowledge.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

High school diploma or equivalent (required)

Preferred Education:

Certificate II/III in Hospitality, Barista Certificate or Coffee Training accreditation (preferred)
Food Safety / Safe Food Handling Certificate (preferred)

Relevant Fields of Study:

Hospitality Management
Culinary Arts / Food Preparation
Retail or Customer Service training

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 1 - 3 years working in cafes, coffee shops or hospitality environments

Preferred: 2+ years experience as a barista or café all-rounder with demonstrated expertise in espresso machine operation, POS handling, stock control and customer-facing service