Senior Head Baker
8 days ago
West Norwood
Location: South London Salary: £45,000 to £55,000 pa depending on experience Working Pattern: Five days out of seven, including weekends Shift Pattern: Rotating day and night production shifts, typically between 14:30 and 02:30 Future Development: Longer term progression into a pure day shift leadership role as the bakery operation evolves This respected London bakery business, producing premium bakery products for hospitality, cafés and retail customers, is looking to appoint a Senior Head Baker to lead its bakery production function within a Central Production Unit. This is a senior, hands on leadership role for someone with strong bakery production experience who can bring together craft, quality, people management and operational structure. This is not a hospitality bakery role. Candidates must have experience within bakery production, whether that is a Central Production Unit, wholesale bakery, retail bakery production, artisan production bakery, food manufacturing bakery environment or another high volume bakery setting. The business is looking for someone who still values proper bakery craft, but who is also ready to lead a team, improve standards, strengthen processes and help shape a more organised, scalable and sustainable bakery operation. What You’ll Be Doing Lead the bakery production team across daily production activity Take ownership of production standards, output, consistency and quality Ensure products are produced to specification and delivered on time Maintain strong standards across bread, sourdough and wider bakery production Support the team during busy production windows Lead by example through strong technical knowledge and hands on involvement Manage, support and develop bakers across the team Train and coach the team to improve skill, confidence and consistency Improve shift handovers, production communication and daily organisation Support rota planning, holiday cover and staffing requirements Help implement stronger process, planning and team structure Monitor dough quality, fermentation, proving, baking and finished product standards Oversee flour ordering, ingredient control, deliveries and storage standards Maintain excellent food safety, hygiene and housekeeping standards Work closely with senior management to improve operational control and production reliability What’s In It for You A senior leadership opportunity within a respected South London bakery business The chance to lead a busy bakery production function within a Central Production Unit The opportunity to work with premium bakery products supplied to hospitality, cafés and retail customers A hands on role where craft, quality, leadership and process all matter Real influence over team structure, standards, planning and ways of working Longer term development towards a pure day shift leadership position The opportunity to help build a more structured, consistent and sustainable bakery operation Your Background Strong bakery production experience, this is essential Experience leading or supervising bakers within a production environment A strong technical understanding of bread and bakery production Good knowledge of sourdough, fermentation, dough handling and bake quality Experience working to production plans, quality standards and output requirements Comfortable working in a fast paced bakery production setting Experience managing people, standards, communication and daily production activity The ability to improve structure, process, consistency and ways of working A strong understanding of food safety, hygiene and production discipline Comfortable working across a rotating shift pattern, including nights and weekends initially You may have experience in a Central Production Unit, wholesale bakery, retail bakery production, artisan bakery with meaningful production scale, food manufacturing bakery environment, multi site supply bakery operation or high volume bakery production setting. Hospitality only bakery backgrounds are not suitable unless supported by clear bakery production experience. Join a Business That Invests in You This is a rare opportunity for a senior bakery production professional to join a respected South London bakery business at an important stage of development. You will have the chance to take ownership of a key production function, lead a team, protect premium bakery standards and help shape how the operation develops over the next stage of growth. If you are a hands on bakery production leader who can balance craft, quality, people and process, we would love to hear from you
