Our people

Meet some of our Partners

  • Ailene Ryan – Head of Operations

    Ailene has been with Starbucks since 2007. She started as a customer who enjoyed the atmosphere of her local store, the friendly team and the beverages. When she walked into the store and saw a now hiring sign she knew she had to apply!

    Ailene joined as a part time barista while studying a Bachelor of Science. She learnt Barista skills and about the history of Coffee, as well as developing strong leadership skills which enabled her to follow a management pathway into a Supervisor - ASM - Store Manager over 6 years. Ailene continued that development path and was a District Manager for five years before becoming Head of Operations in 2022.

    Her favourite thing about working for Starbucks is working for a company that values people first, seeing how our teams care for their customers and communities and how our partners are given opportunities to grow and develop in their roles.

  • Kerry – Supervisor in St Lukes, Auckland

    Kerry graduated from Air New Zealand Aviation in Customer Service and was interested in a job with more history and diversity. Kerry has been with Starbucks St Lukes since 2016 and is still enjoying learning about the history of Starbucks Coffee.

    Kerry's favourite thing about Starbucks is that every day is different. She enjoys making rapport with customers and having the ability to make their day through something that may seem so small.

    Kerry's favourite part of being a Barista and Supervisor is completing the training programs. She has gained knowledge and enjoys being able to share this with partners in store, to watch them grow.

  • Lauren – Barista in Riccarton, Christchurch

    Lauren has been with Starbucks since 2020, joining us just before Covid-19 lockdown.

    Lauren was looking for a workplace where she could grow passion and feel supported - she heard positive things from a friend and felt confident Starbucks would be a good fit.

    Lauren enjoys Starbucks because everyday she has the opportunity to meet with new and familiar faces, creating connections with people through coffee.

    Laurens favourite part of the Barista role is learning to craft new drinks and being able to share her opinion. She enjoys promoting new drinks and encouraging customers to step out of their comfort zone and try something new.

Express Interest

We are always on the lookout for people who are passionate about hospitality and want to grow their career in the industry - if you are interested in becoming a Starbucks Partner click HERE.

Our recruitment process 

You will hear back from us within 3 days of receiving your application. Here is a quick view of our recruitment process: 

  1. Express Interest or apply for a job in our Career Centre at https://starbucksnz.careercentre.net.nz/Job

  2. Phone call – The manager will contact you via phone to chat through the basics of the role and get to know you better 

  3. Interview – A face to face interview with the Manager, giving you the opportunity to ask questions you may have

  4. Consideration – The manager will complete reference checks as a final step

  5. Onboarding Offer and acceptance - you are now ready to become a Starbucks Partner!