Barista - London

About Origin  

We’ve come a long way since 2004—and we’re just getting started.   

As one of the longest-standing independent coffee roasters on UK shores, the love of coffee fuels everything we do. We work to challenge the expected, crafting tangible experiences and products that are impactful and progressive. We work hard, and with integrity, to shape and share exceptional coffee, fairly, with all. As an B Corp accredited coffee roaster, we’re not here to jump on bandwagons. No greenwashing. No jargon: an inclusive, global community, listening and speaking up for the future we believe in.   

We build, nurture, and champion relationships at the source, celebrating farmers, cooperatives, and producers. We support direct trade, traceability, and quality. From crop, to cup, every step of our journey is considered; we’re proud to be held accountable, always striving for better ways to do business, placing people and planet before profit.  

Dedicated, curious, driven, and open-minded, we’re not afraid to push boundaries and shape positive change. With a growing team of award-winning coffee professionals, a world-class coffee programme, six coffee shops, an ever-evolving product range, we continue to work hard to create inclusive spaces within Origin as well as everywhere we go, where conversations can grow. We move fast yet stay grounded, cutting paths through the noise, and have a lot of fun along the way. We’re here for ideas, rolling up our sleeves, and sharing new perspectives. Opportunities are on the table—yours to shape, with full support.   

Join us in pursuit of coffee excellence.  

The role overview  

Located in either Charlotte Road, in Shoreditch or The British Library at King's Cross this role will join an exceptional team of baristas who pride themselves on delivering outstanding quality and without compromise. As one of many customer facing roles for Origin, the focus is to serve our coffee with an ultimate level of confidence, an extension of our excellence and part of the Origin team continuing to drive standards.  

People come first, and this role is as much about face-to-face communication and relationships as it is barista skills. Passion comes from your expertise in speciality coffee and love of customer service. Depending on the day of the week or time of day, you will be working with your talented colleagues or holding the fort. Being behind the bar is where you shine with a sense of pride in yourself and your work environment; here you’ll make anyone’s interaction with you an experience, supporting our ambition to build customer loyalty.    

We have a rigorous career pathway and so you will be expected to demonstrate your skill level, we will work with you and take you on your career journey, developing and investing you. We love continuous improvement and anyone who works for us we discuss what this looks like for you.  

The role responsibilities  

Integral to the success of our award winning and renowned London coffee shops, you will: 

• deliver an informed, passionate, and enthusiastic approach to communicating speciality coffee to all customers   
• make recommendations based on customer preferences   
• prioritise and deliver exceptional customer service   
• understand the day-to-day operation and upkeep of all coffee machinery, including the ability to dial in; you will be working with La Marzocco espresso machines  
• contribute towards the recipe creation for single origin coffees; espresso, pour over and batch filter   
• develop and maintain excellent latte art skills   
• demonstrate outstanding filter knowledge and a range of brew techniques supported by an eye for detail, we want to see meticulous quality control   
• have a high level of cleanliness throughout service in all areas of the café, including the cleaning down of machines, working areas and public spaces throughout the day. 
• responsible for stock supply including the communication of re-ordering supplies   
• opening and closing duties for the café   
• represent the brand as an origin ambassador; we’re industry leaders and you’re responsible for showing our customers what that looks like  

Requirements

About you  

To be successful in this role, these are the things that matter the most:    

•  a daily can-do attitude whilst remaining calm and collected   

• a love for communication and building relationships – you are customer facing and an Origin ambassador: every interaction counts  
• careful and diligent – even meticulous – with a good dose of common sense   
• modestly confident and personable, good humoured and trustworthy   
• happy working independently, being the sole person managing the day-today running of a café as well as working as part of the wider retail team  
• informal but 100% professional   

Essential qualities to have 

• Extensive speciality coffee knowledge including all brewing techniques    
• An acute eye, with meticulous attention to detail, and an ability to identify anomalies and mistakes    
• An ability to recognise the opportunity to upsell, increase revenue, and improve customer service   
• Exceptional customer facing skills    
• Highly organised and efficient whilst working under pressure   
• Demonstrable experience of working in the speciality coffee industry   
• Demonstrable experience of exceptional customer service and front of house   
• A strong verbal communication style    
• Demonstrable experience of working independently and as part of a team led by core values and business objectives.  

Desirable qualities to have  

• Passion and expertise for and in speciality coffee   
• Communication and relationship-building skills   
• Adaptability and independence   
• Professionalism and modest confidence   
• Attention to detail and diligence   
• Team collaborator and motivator  
• Organisational and efficiency skills   
• Alignment with Origin values.   

Benefits

Competitive Salary
£13.15 per hour.

Nature of contract and working pattern

Permanent, full-time and part-time. Origin Coffee supports flexible working options for the right candidate who can meet both the role and the needs of the business.

Base

London - The British Library in King's Cross & Charlotte Road in Shoreditch.

Holidays

26 days including your birthday off, as well as 8 bank and public holidays.

Pension

Employer (5%) and Employee (3%) pension contribution, employees can increase their contribution.

Mental Health and Physical First Aid Training

We provide our employees with a toolkit for both preventing and addressing mental health crises in and out of work, providing genuine support, safety and happiness in the workplace.

Enhanced Maternity, Paternity, Adoption, IVF Journey Leave and Pay

We recognise the importance of family and provide enhanced pay to support all parents and their journey to becoming one.

Transitioning at Work Policy

We want everyone at Origin Coffee to feel comfortable to be themselves at work. We are committed to promoting equality and diversity supporting our colleagues who identify as trans and providing support through any transitioning process.

Financial Wellbeing Support

We have partnered with Wagestream, a financial well-being provider that offers financial coaching, money management, debt advice, and individual-tailored advice.

Employee Assistant Programme

A comprehensive suite of support from an (EAP) including help with physical, mental, and financial wellness at work.

Continued Professional Development

We invest in all our employees by supporting personal development and encouraging you to broaden your experience and learning potential, led by you.

SCA Training

Everyone who works for Origin can embark on the SCA training programme. Depending on your readiness to learn you can dip your toe in or immerse yourself fully. It’s quite addictive!

An Employee Referral Scheme

Once you join Origin, you’ll want to introduce like-minded people to us. When you do, they settle in and pass their probation, you earn £200.

Other

Time off for volunteering, cycle to work scheme, free coffee at work and to take home, discounts in all our cafés and on our merchandise and partners. And of course, regular social and team events serving exceptional food, drink, and of course, amazing coffee!

FOR MORE INFORMATION about Origin Coffee including our enhanced benefits, please visit our careers page.

Hiring Process

• Initial phone screening call (30 mins)
• Capabilities and culture-fit interview onsite or remote, depending on location and availability (1-1.5 hours)

Support

If you have a medical condition or an individual need for an adjustment to our process, and you believe this may affect your ability to be at your best, please let us know so we can talk about how we can best support you and make any adjustments that may be needed.