Lead Barista (2IC) & Lead Shift Barista — Specialty

Coffee | Stitch Coffee

Are you an experienced specialty coffee professional who loves great coffee, developing people and leading exceptional service? Stitch Coffee is looking for Lead Baristas and Lead Shift Baristas to join our teams across QVB, Broadway, Sydney Fish Market and Marrickville.

We’re looking for people with strong technical coffee skills who can also lead from behind the bar — maintaining quality under pressure, coaching those around them and creating a warm, generous experience for every guest.

About Stitch Coffee

Stitch Coffee was born from the idea that coffee is like a tapestry — a weaving together of origins, people, flavours and experiences. We source specialty coffee from around the world, build meaningful relationships throughout the supply chain and continually challenge ourselves to improve how we roast, brew and serve.

But great coffee is only part of what we care about.

At Stitch, hospitality, generosity and quality go together. We want our baristas to understand coffee deeply while still remembering that the person standing on the other side of the bar comes first.

As Stitch continues to grow, we’re looking for experienced coffee professionals who want to grow with us.

Roles Available

Lead Barista (2IC)

A senior barista and emerging leader who can support the Head Barista and management team in maintaining coffee quality, developing junior baristas and leading service.

You should be confident

- Dialling in and troubleshooting espresso across different roast styles.
- Working with light and medium roast specialty coffees.
- Maintaining quality and consistency throughout the day.
- Coaching and developing junior baristas.
- Providing constructive, practical feedback.
- Taking ownership of the coffee section during service.
- Supporting the Head Barista with training, standards and quality control.
- Leading calmly and positively during busy periods.

Lead Shift Barista

An experienced specialty barista capable of taking ownership of coffee quality throughout a shift. You should be able to independently identify and correct changes in:
- Extraction
- Grind
- Recipe
- Yield
- Strength
- Acidity
- Bitterness
- Sweetness
- Body
- Overall flavour balance

You’ll be expected to recognise when something isn’t tasting right, understand why and make an informed adjustment.

What You’ll Be Doing





- Prepare and serve exceptional coffee with precision and consistency.
- Dial in espresso and monitor coffee quality throughout the shift.
- Taste coffee regularly and make adjustments as conditions change.
- Maintain Stitch's beverage quality standards during both quiet and high-volume service.
- Produce consistently high-quality milk texture and latte art.
- Support and coach junior baristas during service.
- Help identify training opportunities and improve the capability of the team.
- Work with different origins, processing methods, roast styles and brewing methods.
- Talk confidently with customers about coffee, flavour and brewing without making the experience feel overly technical.
- Help customers discover coffees they will genuinely enjoy.
- Recommend beans, brewing equipment and other retail products where appropriate.
- Maintain an exceptionally clean, organised and professional coffee section.
- Ensure grinders, brewers and other equipment are correctly maintained and calibrated.
- Work closely with our Head Baristas, roasting team and store leadership.
- Lead with urgency during busy service without allowing the customer to feel rushed.
- Take ownership when something goes wrong and help resolve it quickly.
- Contribute positively to the culture, standards and performance of the store.

What We’re Looking For

- Minimum 2 years' specialty coffee experience.
- Strong espresso dialling and sensory skills.
- Ability to diagnose and troubleshoot coffee by taste.
- Confidence working with different roast styles and origins.
- Experience with espresso, batch brew and other filter brewing methods.
- Understanding of extraction, brew ratios and brewing variables.
- Familiarity with TDS and coffee measurement is highly regarded.
- Excellent milk steaming and latte art skills.
- Experience coaching or training other baristas.
- Strong communication skills.
- Genuine curiosity about coffee and a desire to keep learning.
- Ability to remain calm, organised and positive during high-volume service.
- Solid attention to cleanliness,



detail and presentation.
- A team-first attitude and willingness to help wherever needed.
- A genuine enjoyment of hospitality and looking after people.

Experience with equipment such as La Marzocco KB90, La Marzocco Strada, TONE brewers, Übermilk, Fetco and Wally is an advantage, but full training will be provided.

The Kind of Leader We Value

Being a lead barista at Stitch isn't about being the loudest or most technically knowledgeable person behind the bar.

We value people who

- Lead by example.
- Stay composed when service gets busy.
- Help rather than blame.
- Give feedback respectfully.
- Share their knowledge generously.
- Notice when another team member needs support.
- Take responsibility for quality.
- Are open to feedback themselves.
- Care about both the coffee and the customer receiving it.

We want senior baristas who make the people around them better.

Availability Requirements

Applicants must:
- Be available to work weekends.
- Be available to work public holidays when rostered.
- Be able to start shifts from 6:00am when required.
- Have reliable transport and be able to consistently arrive on time for early starts.
- Hold valid Australian working rights suitable for the position.

Why Join Stitch Coffee?

This is an opportunity to do more than simply work behind an espresso machine. At Stitch, you'll have the opportunity to:
- Work with exceptional specialty coffees from around the world.
- Develop your sensory, brewing and technical coffee skills.
- Work closely with experienced baristas, roasters and coffee professionals.
- Coach and develop the next generation of Stitch baristas.
- Take genuine ownership of coffee quality.
- Build your leadership capability.
- Progress within a growing specialty coffee company.

For people who demonstrate strong coffee skills, hospitality, leadership and reliability, there are genuine opportunities to progress into roles such as:

Head Barista

Assistant Manager

Store Manager

Training and Coffee Leadership roles

We want people who are interested in becoming better at their craft and helping Stitch become better along the way.

Interested?

Send your resume to [email protected]. Along with your resume, tell us briefly:

What do you believe separates a great barista from an exceptional one?

We’d love to hear how you think about coffee, hospitality and leadership.

📌 Specialty Coffee Baristas To Join a Growing Stitch Team (Sydney)
🏢 ECRE
📍 Sydney