Morning Cafe Manager

About this position

WINNER is opening its new flagship location at the Alloy Block in Downtown Brooklyn, and we're building our team!

We're looking for an experienced, hands-on Morning Café Manager to lead our morning grab-and-go cafe operation and help bring the WINNER experience to life at our newest location.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a growing Brooklyn hospitality group at a major new opening. The Morning Café Manager will take ownership of the daily morning operation, ensuring that the café opens smoothly, the team is prepared, and every guest receives the warm, thoughtful hospitality that defines WINNER.

We're looking for someone who loves the energy of a busy morning, takes pride in creating an organized and welcoming environment, and knows how to bring out the best in a team.

WINNER is a Brooklyn-based hospitality group built around fresh, high-quality food, genuine hospitality, and welcoming neighborhood spaces. Our collection includes a lively American café, a wine bar, a butcher shop, and our Prospect Park kiosk.

WINNER Downtown BK is our new flagship location. We're looking for people who are excited to help build something from the ground up.

Our restaurants are energetic, thoughtful, and deeply rooted in hospitality. We care about the details—from the food and service to the way our teams communicate and work together.

The Morning Café Manager is responsible for overseeing the daily morning grab-and-go operation, from opening and team preparation through breakfast and lunch service.

This is a hands-on leadership role that requires a strong presence on the floor and a thorough understanding of café operations. You'll oversee the front-of-house team, coordinate closely with culinary and bakery departments, maintain service standards, and ensure the café is consistently clean, organized, well-stocked, and ready for guests.

You'll be responsible for setting the tone for the day, creating a positive and productive work environment, and ensuring that the morning operation runs efficiently and successfully.

Working closely with WINNER leadership, you'll help implement the systems, standards, and culture that will define the Downtown BK location.

Lead the Morning Guest Experience

• Set the tone for the day by delivering warm, welcoming, attentive, and genuine hospitality.

• Maintain a visible, active presence on the floor throughout service.

• Ensure guests receive friendly, efficient, and knowledgeable service.

• Oversee the flow of counter service, ordering, payment, pickup, and guest interactions.

• Ensure food, coffee, and other offerings are presented consistently and meet WINNER standards.

• Address guest questions and concerns with empathy, professionalism, and good judgment.

• Identify opportunities to improve the guest experience and build lasting neighborhood relationships.

Oversee Daily Café Operations

• Take ownership of the morning operation, ensuring the café is fully prepared and ready to open on time.

• Lead daily opening procedures, including staff readiness, floor setup, equipment checks, music, lighting, cleanliness, and service stations.

• Ensure the café is properly stocked with food, beverages, packaging, supplies, and other service essentials.

• Oversee counter service and maintain efficient ordering, payment, and pickup procedures.

• Monitor service flow, ticket times, and guest volume, adjusting priorities and staffing as needed.

• Maintain consistent standards throughout breakfast and lunch service.

• Coordinate smooth shift transitions and communicate outstanding needs to the next leadership team.

• Ensure closing and handoff procedures are completed properly.

Lead & Develop the Team

• Supervise, support, and develop morning front-of-house employees.

• Provide clear direction, coaching, and real-time feedback.

• Help recruit, onboard, and train new employees on WINNER standards, service procedures, POS systems, and hospitality expectations.

• Create daily assignments and ensure employees understand their responsibilities.

• Manage attendance, punctuality, breaks, and shift coverage.

• Reinforce standards around appearance, communication, cleanliness, service, and teamwork.

• Recognize strong performance and identify opportunities for employee development.

• Foster a respectful, accountable, and collaborative team culture.

Coordinate Food, Beverage & Bakery Operations

• Work closely with culinary and bakery leadership to ensure smooth coordination between production and service.

• Ensure food and bakery offerings are properly stocked, displayed, labeled, and presented.

• Monitor product availability throughout service and communicate shortages or changes promptly.

• Ensure proper handling, storage, rotation, and presentation of all products.

• Communicate daily specials, menu changes, product information, and ingredient or allergen information to the team.

• Help minimize waste through thoughtful inventory management and product rotation.

• Ensure the team is knowledgeable about WINNER's food, beverage, and bakery offerings.

Manage Labor & Daily Business Performance

• Oversee morning staffing levels and ensure appropriate coverage for anticipated business volume.

• Prepare or assist with staff schedules and coordinate shift coverage.

• Monitor labor during service and make adjustments as needed.

• Monitor daily sales, transaction volume, and overall business performance.

• Understand how staffing, service speed, product availability, and operational decisions affect revenue and profitability.

• Monitor comps, voids, discounts, refunds, and other POS adjustments.

• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, increase sales, and reduce unnecessary expenses.

• Communicate operational challenges, staffing needs, and business trends to the General Manager.

Maintain a Clean, Organized & Safe Café

• Maintain consistently clean, organized, and welcoming guest-facing and service areas.

• Ensure opening, ongoing, and closing cleaning procedures are completed.

• Monitor service stations, equipment, supplies, and storage areas.

• Oversee receiving, organizing, and storing deliveries as assigned.

• Reinforce proper food handling, labeling, dating, and product rotation.

• Ensure compliance with food safety, sanitation, allergen, health department, and workplace safety standards.

• Monitor equipment condition and report maintenance needs promptly.

• Respond appropriately to accidents, injuries, spills, and other safety concerns.

Communicate & Collaborate

• Maintain clear, proactive communication with the General Manager, culinary leadership, bakery team, and other department heads.

• Provide thorough shift notes and communicate important operational updates.

• Identify recurring operational challenges and recommend practical solutions.

• Help establish consistent systems and procedures for the morning operation.

• Support special events, catering orders, and other operational needs as assigned.

• Adapt to changing business needs while maintaining WINNER's standards.

We're looking for someone who:

• Has 2+ years of progressive hospitality, restaurant, or café management or supervisory experience.

• Understands the demands of early-morning operations and enjoys working morning shifts.

• Has a strong understanding of counter service, coffee service, food presentation, and guest experience.

• Is comfortable leading a team in a fast-paced environment.

• Is organized, proactive, dependable, and highly attentive to detail.

• Takes ownership of the daily operation and can work independently.

• Communicates clearly, professionally, and effectively across departments.

• Enjoys coaching, training, and developing employees.

• Understands basic labor management, scheduling, sales, and restaurant operating metrics.

• Is comfortable using POS systems and scheduling and communication platforms.

• Can remain calm, professional, and solutions-oriented during busy service periods.

• Takes pride in maintaining high standards for cleanliness, food safety, and organization.

• Is available to work early mornings, including weekends and holidays, as business needs require.

• Has a Food Protection Certificate, or is willing to obtain one as required.

In this role, success means:

• The café opens on time, fully staffed, stocked, clean, and ready for service.

• Guests consistently receive friendly, efficient, and genuine hospitality.

• Morning service runs smoothly, even during high-volume periods.

• The team feels supported, well-trained, and accountable.

• Food, coffee, and bakery offerings are consistently available and presented to WINNER standards.

• FOH and BOH communicate effectively and work collaboratively.

• Labor and supplies are managed thoughtfully.

• Food safety, sanitation, and company standards are consistently maintained.

• Operational issues are identified and addressed proactively.

• Leadership can rely on the Morning Café Manager to take ownership of the morning operation and lead the team confidently.

This is more than a management position at an established restaurant. You'll be joining the opening team of WINNER's new flagship location and helping shape the culture from the beginning.

You'll have the opportunity to:

• Be part of an exciting new opening in Downtown Brooklyn.

• Take ownership of the morning café operation.

• Help build and develop a new team.

• Work alongside an experienced hospitality leadership group.

• Grow with a Brooklyn-based company with multiple concepts and locations.

• Help establish the standards, systems, and culture of a flagship WINNER location.

• Competitive salary

• Health Insurance reimbursement program

• Paid time off

• 401(k) retirement plan

• Transit benefits

• Employee dining discounts

• Opportunities for professional growth within a growing hospitality group

If you're an experienced café or restaurant leader who loves mornings, takes pride in great hospitality, and knows how to build a strong team, we'd love to hear from you.

Location and commute

Brooklyn, NY .

Plan your route with Google Maps. Travel times and transportation options vary; confirm the work location with the employer before commuting.

How to apply

Review the vacancy and complete the application on the employer or recruitment partner’s website. Requisition ID: WJ-3222348093.