Cafe Operations Manager at Sustainable Growers Rwanda: (Deadline 30 May 2023)

Sustainable Growers Rwanda (SGR) is a locally registered non-profit organization that utilizes the Relationship Coffee Institute model and invests in the training and development of coffee farmers in Rwanda and DRC to produce the highest quality coffee to be sold around the world. SGR supports women coffee farmers and their families to become more professionalized business owners and increase their market based skills to increase family incomes through a professional approach to growing and trading specialty coffee.

In 2016, SGR launched the Question Coffee Cafe, a social enterprise whose mission is to increase local consumption of specialty grade coffee grown by the women beneficiaries of the SGR training program. Q COFFEE Ltd., operates a retail café in Gishushu and another one in Kiyovu, Kigali, Rwanda that sell coffee products, coffee tours, and coffee beverages directly to customers. The retail outlets increase the visibility of women coffee growers and their coffee and has a training space for farmers, baristas, and coffee professionals to improve coffee quality from seed to cup.

POSITION: CAFE OPERATIONS MANAGER

REPORTS TO: Director of Operations

SUPERVISES: Cafe Coordinator, Senior Baristas- Kigali & Kinigi, Interns, Cleaners

LOCATION: Kigali

STATUS: Fixed Term Contract

JOB SUMMARY/PURPOSE

The Cafe Operations Manager (COM) will ensure that the Question Coffee Cafe maintains a high standard of business, quality products, excellent customer service and accurate and timely financial reporting. Responsibilities include managing day to day operations of the cafe and cafe staff, including baristas and cleaners, cafe intern management, managing POS, operating cash, ensuring appropriate and efficient record keeping, and reporting regularly to the Director of Operations.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

The responsibilities are but not limited to:

Cafe Operations & Customer Service (60%)

• Manage day to day cafe operations and staff, including training as well as oversight.
• Travel once a month to cafe locations outside Kigali and/or coordinate barista rotations
• Conduct weekly meetings with cafe and barista team
• Conduct virtual weekly check in with the barista team outside Kigali and serve as direct supervisor to all Sr. Baristas.
• Plan and conduct a taste testing of all coffee drink products sold with barista team and manage quality control issues
• Responsible for developing and testing signature, and specialty coffee/drink preparations.
• Ensure that all the coffee beverages served adhere to the company’s freshness and quality standards ensuring that they consistently reflect the company’s recipe and presentation standards.
• Develop and implement quality assurance policies and procedures, in collaboration with Directors.
• Maintain coffee knowledge on current offerings and confidently and accurately communicate product information to customers.
• Ensure proper implementation of customer service manual
• Actively participate in coffee tastings to further product knowledge and help identify any issues or deficiencies.
• Oversee cafe efficiency and growth- work fluidity, employee accountability, customer service, etc.
• Ensure all food and coffee inventory and merchandise is regularly stocked.
• Liaison with partners and suppliers for cafe merchandise, food, etc.
• Ensure coffee bar, cafe space, merchandise and retail spaces are clean and organized at all times.
• Oversee cafe cleanliness, hygiene and maintenance, including the cafe cleaners.
• Accurately monitor and record inventory including POS reconciliation
• Develop recipe book for new drinks and presentation standards for each beverage
• Advise management on any equipment needs for beverages
• Collect quarterly customer feedback on service/product offering/experience/interest
• Coordinate logistics for scheduled tours in the cafe and farm
• Train and onboard staff to lead tours and classes
• Monitor and enhance system for tourism bookings, follow-up, feedback, tools, inventory etc.

Sales and Marketing (40%)

• Create a plan to achieve monthly and quarterly sales goals
• Create innovative coffee products, identify cafe growth and expansion opportunities, diversify revenue streams and identify mutually beneficial business relationships
• Ensure accurate use of POS by Sr Baristas
• Compile, organize, analyze and report daily sales and inventory records into weekly and monthly reports
• Work with Social Media Intern to develop marketing and social media posts, showcasing exciting, fun and impactful products, upcoming events and co-op stories.
• Ensure retail space is on brand. Offer ideas to enhance the space and bring in more customers.
• Work with Cafe Accountant to reconcile monthly and quarterly sales, income and inventory reports.
• Analyze success of products/sales on on-going basis and report to Director of Operations
• Create weekly and monthly reports for management to see sales, inventory and expenses.
• Work with Finance Team to create written standard operating procedures for POS, cash handling, deposits

Additional responsibilities may be added based on company need and competency. This role will interface with SGR-LLC, Q Coffee and SGR staff and at times will support NGO initiatives for coffee growers.

REQUIREMENTS OF THE ROLE

• Experience in the coffee sector, and passion for speciality grade, women grown coffee
• 2-3 years experience in managing cafe operations and/or retail environment
• A University degree in Business, Management, Hospitality and Tourism or related fields. Bachelor’s Degree preferred.
• An entrepreneurial mindset with a willingness to add value quickly and tackle tasks with enthusiasm
• High English proficiency, Kinyarwanda and French highly preferred
• Experience with conducting trainings in a both a formal and on-the-job environment
• Experience with quality control of drink and food products
• Innovative and proactive with the energy to take the business to the next level
• Familiarity with Microsoft Office and cloud based equivalents (e.g. Google Drive)
• Desire to learn about the ins and outs of the coffee industry, and supply chain from seed to cup.

KEY DELIVERABLES

• Accurately and timely reconciled monthly reports for sales, inventory and expenses.
• Consistent, high quality coffee drinks across all baristas;
• New drinks on cafe menu, quarterly

KEY INDICATORS

• Clean, organized cafe on daily basis
• Monthly sales increase
• # of tours or classes successfully held
• Customer satisfaction score