We’re looking for an experienced Head Barista to lead the coffee and customer experience at our Edinburgh roastery tasting room.

The tasting room is an important expression of Obadiah. It gives customers the opportunity to experience the coffees we source and roast in the same place they are produced, served with care, consistency and a high level of hospitality.

As Head Barista, you will take responsibility for the day-to-day running of the tasting room on Fridays and Saturdays, maintaining a consistently high standard of coffee preparation, customer service and presentation.

About the Role

You will be responsible for leading a small team and ensuring the tasting room represents Obadiah and our coffee offering exceptionally well.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Preparing and serving espresso and filter coffee to a consistently high standard
• Dialling in coffees and maintaining beverage quality throughout service
• Leading and supporting a small barista team during service
• Setting clear standards for coffee preparation, workflow, cleanliness and hospitality
• Creating a warm, knowledgeable and attentive experience for every customer
• Speaking confidently about the coffees we serve, including origin, variety, processing and flavour
• Helping customers understand and explore the wider Obadiah coffee range
• Maintaining the presentation and cleanliness of the bar, equipment and tasting room
• Managing opening and closing procedures
• Monitoring stock and communicating requirements to the wider roastery team
• Helping train and develop other members of the tasting room team
• Providing feedback on service, coffee quality and the overall customer experience
• Representing Obadiah and our approach to coffee with professionalism and care

About you

We’re looking for someone who is already an accomplished barista and is comfortable taking ownership of a small hospitality operation.

You should:

• Have significant previous experience working as a barista in a high-quality specialty coffee environment
• Have strong espresso preparation and milk-texturing skills
• Be confident dialling in and troubleshooting coffee throughout service
• Have a good understanding of filter coffee preparation
• Have a developed palate and genuine interest in specialty coffee
• Be comfortable communicating coffee in an approachable and engaging way
• Have previous experience supervising, leading or mentoring other baristas
• Be highly organised and able to maintain standards during busy periods
• Have excellent attention to detail
• Be naturally hospitable and enjoy engaging with customers
• Be reliable, self-motivated and comfortable taking responsibility for the tasting room

Previous head barista or supervisory experience would be particularly valuable, although we would also consider an experienced barista who is ready to take the next step into a leadership role.

What matters to us

Technical ability is important, but this position is about more than making excellent coffee.

We want the tasting room to feel considered, welcoming and approachable. The right person will care about the small details of service and presentation and understand how these contribute to the overall experience of Obadiah.

They will take pride in serving our coffees at their best, enjoy sharing them with others, and be able to lead a small team in maintaining those standards consistently.

About Obadiah

Obadiah is a specialty coffee roastery based in Edinburgh, sourcing and roasting distinctive coffees from producers around the world.

Our work is centred around thoughtful sourcing, careful roasting and presenting coffees in a way that is refined, approachable and true to their individual character.

The tasting room sits within our Edinburgh roastery and provides a direct connection between the coffees we roast and the people who drink them.

How to apply

Please send us your CV along with a short introduction telling us about your experience, your approach to coffee and why you are the right candidate for the role of Head Barista at Obadiah.