Area Trainer at Merit Coffee LLC – Austin, Texas

Position Summary
The Area Trainer plays a critical role in delivering a consistent, high-quality coffee and hospitality experience across all caf? locations. This role is responsible for executing training programs, developing barista and leadership skills, ensuring product and equipment standards are met, and reinforcing Merit Coffee’s culture of excellence. The Area Trainer partners closely with Cafe Managers, District Leadership, and the Roastery team to standardize training, elevate product execution, and continuously improve operational performance across the market.
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Key Responsibilities
Training & Development
• Conduct weekly visits to all assigned cafes to support training execution and reinforce standards.
• Lead 5-Day New Hire Training programs, ensuring consistent onboarding and skill development.
• Facilitate Milk, Espresso, and Shift Lead training programs for baristas and leadership team members.
• Ensure all cafe staff demonstrate strong product knowledge and confidence across the full menu.
• Develop and utilize creative training techniques to enhance coffee knowledge and palate development, including cuppings, comparative brew methods, and green coffee education.
• Provide ongoing coaching and feedback to Cafe Managers to strengthen training effectiveness at the store level.
Product Quality & Consistency
• Dial in all coffees and ensure beverages consistently meet company quality standards.
• Observe and improve bar flow, cleanliness, bar etiquette, and overall station execution.
• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency and execution across all stations and implement necessary adjustments.
• Standardize and elevate product consistency across all caf? locations.
Hospitality & Guest Experience
• Observe cafe operations and coach teams on hospitality standards in alignment with company expectations.
• Support Cafe Managers in reinforcing service culture and guest experience best practices.
Equipment & Quality Control
• Ensure all cafe equipment is properly calibrated and functioning correctly, including grinders, batch brewers, pour-over modules, and espresso machines.
• Partner with the Director of Quality Control & Equipment to troubleshoot equipment issues as needed.
Communication & Collaboration
• Distribute coffee updates and product knowledge materials to caf? teams.
• Lead training sessions on new coffees, menu updates, and seasonal offerings.
• Provide Caf? Managers and teams with clear talking points for customer engagement on coffee and product offerings.
• Serve as a consistent link between cafe operations and the Roastery to ensure alignment on quality and execution.
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Qualifications
• Strong background in specialty coffee, barista training, or multi-unit caf? operations.
• Demonstrated experience training and coaching teams in a fast-paced, customer-facing environment.
• Deep understanding of espresso preparation, milk texturing, brew methods, and coffee quality standards.
• Ability to evaluate workflows, identify gaps, and implement improvements effectively.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills.
• Highly organized, self-directed, and comfortable working across multiple locations.
• Willingness and ability to travel regularly between cafe locations.
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What Success Looks Like
• Consistent product quality and execution across all cafe locations.
• Confident, well-trained teams who demonstrate strong product knowledge and hospitality.
• Improved efficiency, bar flow, and operational consistency.
• Strong partnership with Cafe Managers and Operations Leadership.
• A training program that scales with the growth of the business while preserving quality and culture