Shift Lead | Boston

Blank Street · Boston, Massachusetts

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Role at a Glance

Pay: $19.50/hr + tips. Location: Boston, MA (on-site). Schedule: Full-time, 30–40 hrs/week across 4–5 days — must include at least 2 peak days (Fri/Sat/Sun). Shifts fall within 6:30 AM–9:00 PM. Core requirement: 2+ years in a customer-facing leadership role. Benefits include barista certification, paid sick and vacation leave, and health benefits (eligibility-based).

What This Role Is About

As a Shift Lead at Blank Street's Boston location, you're the person who holds the floor together. That means running smooth operations, supporting newer team members, and ensuring every customer interaction reflects the brand. This isn't a supervisory role you fill from a distance — you'll be behind the bar crafting drinks, handling store open and close procedures, and making real-time calls on customer issues. It suits someone who thrives on pace and accountability and wants genuine leadership experience inside a cafe environment.

About Blank Street

Blank Street is a specialty coffee and matcha brand operating across multiple cities with a focus on making high-quality beverages efficient and accessible. The concept is built around consistency, speed, and attention to detail — a combination it treats as the differentiator in urban cafe markets. The company is in active growth mode; its listings reference internal advancement paths, which signals investment in employees who want to develop within the brand rather than rotate out.

What You'll Own Day-to-Day

  • Prepare and serve coffee and matcha beverages to company standards while bringing genuine warmth to every customer interaction
  • Support the General Manager and training team in onboarding new hires — covering recipe adherence, uniform standards, and maintaining a positive team atmosphere
  • Open and close the cafe location safely and responsibly, ensuring cleaning duties are completed at the start, throughout, and at the end of each shift
  • Resolve minor customer complaints on the spot using a calm, solutions-focused approach
  • Partner with store-level operations and marketing efforts to grow foot traffic, increase daily sales, and cultivate a loyal neighborhood customer base

Must-Have Requirements

  • At least 2 years of experience in a customer service role that included direct leadership or supervisory responsibility
  • Must be 18 years of age or older
  • Physically able to lift items weighing 25 lbs or more and remain on your feet for extended periods
  • Full-time availability: 30–40 hours per week across 4–5 days, including at least 2 of the three peak days (Friday, Saturday, Sunday)
  • Available to work any shift within the 6:30 AM–9:00 PM window; weekend and holiday availability preferred
  • Must be legally authorized to work in the United States — Blank Street uses the federal E-Verify system for all new hires

Preferred Qualifications

  • Genuine enthusiasm for coffee, matcha, and cafe culture — not just equipment familiarity, but real interest in the craft
  • Prior experience in high-volume, fast-paced service environments where multi-tasking under pressure is routine
  • A history of building repeat-customer relationships and contributing to a loyal local clientele

Skills That Matter in This Role

This is a frontline lead position, not a back-office one. The non-negotiable skills are operational: managing a shift without close supervision, communicating clearly under pressure, training team members quickly, and making sound judgment calls on customer issues in real time. Coffee and equipment knowledge is explicitly flagged in the job description — it reads as a genuine requirement, not a preference. Multi-tasking in a high-volume environment is the baseline; the lead layer adds training ownership and store-level performance responsibility on top of that.

Pay and Compensation

The listed base rate is $19.50 per hour, plus tips. This is the employer-stated figure — JobForMe does not adjust or estimate compensation. In a high-traffic urban cafe, tip income is a meaningful component of total weekly earnings, though it will vary by shift timing, location volume, and season. No commission structure or performance bonus is mentioned in this listing. Total take-home will be variable week to week due to the tip component.

Benefits and Perks

  • $19.50/hour base pay plus tips
  • Structured barista accreditation and training program
  • Paid sick leave
  • Paid vacation time (subject to eligibility criteria)
  • Health benefits package (subject to eligibility criteria)
  • Complimentary Blank Street coffee and branded merchandise
  • Internal advancement opportunities within a growing company

Location and Work Setup

This is a fully on-site role at a Blank Street cafe in Boston, Massachusetts. No remote or hybrid arrangement is available — every shift requires physical presence at the location. Visa sponsorship is not offered; candidates must already be authorized to work in the U.S. before their start date. No relocation assistance is referenced in the listing.

Frequently asked questions

What does the Shift Lead earn at Blank Street in Boston?

The role pays $19.50 per hour plus tips. Tips are variable and will depend on shift timing and customer traffic volume. No other compensation components are listed in this posting.

What schedule is required for this position?

This is a full-time role requiring 30–40 hours per week across 4–5 days. You must be available for at least two of the three designated peak days — Friday, Saturday, and Sunday — and be able to work any shift between 6:30 AM and 9:00 PM. Weekend and holiday availability is preferred.

Do I need prior barista certification to apply?

No certification is listed as a prerequisite. Blank Street offers an in-house barista accreditation and training program for employees. That said, the job description does flag strong coffee and equipment knowledge as important, so genuine interest in the craft will strengthen your application.

Does Blank Street offer opportunities to move into more senior roles?

Yes. The listing explicitly states that advancement opportunities exist for interested employees as the company continues to grow. No specific promotion timelines or title pathways are outlined in the posting.

Is visa sponsorship available for this role?

No. All candidates must already be authorized to work in the United States before their start date. Blank Street uses the federal E-Verify system to confirm work authorization for every new hire.

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