Barista - Southampton University

Role overview

Pret is seeking a full-time Barista for a 35-hour work week at its Southampton University location. The shop is at Unit 3 & Unit 6 (Part), Gower Building, Burgess Road, Southampton SO17 1TW, GBR.

Pret operates across more than 750 shops in over 20 countries, known for its food, organic coffee, and focus on growth and development. This position is a chance to join a fast-moving team where customer service, teamwork, and quality are central to the job.

What you will do

In this role, you will prepare Pret’s barista drinks by hand, including iced beverages, and serve each drink with care, speed, and consistency. You will be trained before handling customer orders, with several weeks of training designed to build your confidence, pace, and technical skills.

What Pret is looking for

Pret is looking for a strong team player who genuinely enjoys coffee and takes pride in serving customers well. The ideal person is warm, honest, generous, and happy to bring an authentic attitude to work every day. You should also value kindness, enjoy making someone’s day, and be eager to learn and improve.

Growth and culture

Pret highlights internal growth opportunities and says many managers and support centre leaders began on the shop floor. The company emphasises variety, speed, learning, and the chance to build a broad set of skills. It also promotes inclusion, belonging, and community impact through The Pret Foundation.

Pay and benefits

The hourly pay is £14.40, which includes the mystery shopper bonus. After the initial training period, shifts starting between 3am and 5am receive an additional £5 per hour.

• 28 days of annual leave, pro-rated for part-time staff
• Pension scheme
• Healthcare cash plan
• Free food and drinks during shifts
• Club Pret Membership when off shift, including 50% off food and up to 5 free barista-made drinks per day
• Loyalty award after 5, 10, 15, and 20 years of service
• Regular recognition and rewards for strong standards
• Discounts on shopping, travel, fitness, dining, technology, and more
• Flexible working hours
• Free comfortable shoes for shifts

Training and development

Pret offers learning opportunities for people looking for either short-term or long-term progression. This includes fully funded professional qualifications, Level 3 apprenticeships, and internal transfer opportunities.

Values

• Happy teams lead to happy customers
• Exceptional standards every day
• A mindset of continuous progress
• Doing the right thing

Interview process

The interview journey has two stages: a phone screening followed by a 60-minute shop-based interview with the General Manager and the team.

Additional information

Pret welcomes applications from underrepresented groups, including women, people with disabilities, neurodivergent candidates, ethnic minorities, and LGBTQ+ applicants. If adjustments or support are needed during recruitment, the company encourages candidates to let the recruitment team know.

The company also asks applicants not to use AI to complete the application, as it wants to get to know candidates directly.