Job Title: Bakery Operations Manager
The Homemade Brownie Company Ltd is a small, family-owned business producing award-winning gluten-free chocolate brownies. The team currently produce around 700,000 brownies per year, selling direct to end customers at events and online as well as wholesale to cafes, coffee shops and retailers. Located in Basingstoke, Hampshire, we currently have a team of 10 full-time and 8 part-time employees based out of our small bakery/office unit.
We’re growing quickly and are looking for an experienced Bakery Operations Manager to lead the day-to-day running of all production operations. This is a critical role for the business, responsible for ensuring smooth, efficient and consistent operations throughout our bakery as we continue to expand. We’re known for our product quality and we need someone who understands how to scale production without sacrificing what makes our products exceptional.
Overview:
As our Bakery Operations Manager, you’ll oversee our entire operations function — managing production output, leading a growing team and ensuring our standards are met every single day. You’ll play a key role in improving systems and processes, increasing efficiency and working with the Managing Director to support long-term business goals.We’re looking for someone who thrives in a fast-paced environment, can lead from the front and understands what it takes to run a high-performing food production facility.Our bakery operation covers baking, finishing, cutting, packing and dispatch – you will be responsible for all areas.
Key Responsibilities:
Production Management:
* Oversee daily baking and production processes, ensuring brownies are prepared according to company recipes and standards.
* Manage production schedules to meet fluctuating order demands and maintain inventory levels.
* Ensure timely fulfilment of all customer and wholesale orders.
Team Leadership and Development:
* Lead, train and motivate the existing team of 6, fostering a positive work environment and encouraging skill development.
* Organise and delegate tasks efficiently, ensuring all team members fulfil their roles and responsibilities.
* Conduct performance reviews, provide feedback and identify areas for improvement.
* Plan and manage staffing levels, leading the hiring process for new workers to support growth and seasonal workers as required.
Process Improvement:
* Continuously evaluate our processes, identifying opportunities for improvement in efficiency and cost-effectiveness within equipment, staffing, materials, stock management and scheduling.
* Implement best practices to enhance productivity, streamline operations and improve workflow.
* Lead the business’ production scale-up as required to meet increased demand.
Quality Control:
* Improve company process and quality standards to support training and quality checks.
* Conduct regular quality checks to maintain consistency and ensure all products meet company quality standards.
* Implement and monitor quality assurance processes to improve product shelf life, texture and presentation.
Health, Safety and Hygiene Compliance:
* Maintain high standards of cleanliness and sanitation, ensuring the bakery complies with all food safety regulations (HACCP, local food hygiene regulations) and adheres to all required standards of our SALSA accreditation.
* Regularly conduct health and safety checks and ensure the team follows best practices to maintain a safe working environment.
* Keep up-to-date records of hygiene checks and necessary documentation for audits and inspections.
New Product Development (NPD):
* Lead the development of new brownie flavours, variations, seasonal offerings and our expansion into other product ranges, staying in line with current market trends and customer preferences.
* Work closely with the team to test and refine recipes, ensuring new products meet quality standards and production efficiency.
* Manage the rollout of new products, including production planning and scaling recipes for commercial production.
* Lead improvement projects on existing products, including shelf-life extensions, recipe re-formulations and waste reduction initiatives.
Business Monitoring and Collaboration:
* Track key operational metrics including output, labour efficiency, yield, wastage and downtime, providing regular reporting to the Managing Director.
* Work closely with the office team (covering Finance, Purchasing, Sourcing, Stock Management, Logistics, Marketing, Sales and Customer Services) to ensure smooth coordination across all departments
Qualifications & Experience:
* Experience: Minimum of 2 years’ experience in production management or a similar role in food production.
* Management: Excellent organisational and leadership skills, with the ability to lead and develop a small team effectively.
* Knowledge: Strong understanding of baking processes, food safety standards, quality control and product development.
* Continuous Improvement: Focused on routinely challenging processes and implementing regular improvements to strengthen practices and increase efficiency.
* Attention to Detail: Keen eye for maintaining product quality, consistency and cost efficiency.
* Communication: Strong communication skills to liaise with the team effectively.
* Ambition: Desire to work for a small, fast-growing company and grow quickly with them.
Benefits & Schedule:
* Permanent role with expected start during October (negotiable depending on notice period)
* 40 hours per week: Monday to Friday 8:30am – 5:30pm with an hour for lunch
* Located at Sterling House, Stroudley Road, Basingstoke, RG24 8UG
* Salary of £40,000 per year
* 5% bonus based on business and production objectives
* 21 days holiday per year + Bank Holidays
* Company pension scheme
* Employee discounts
* On-site parking
* Applications (CV and covering e-mail) to adam@homemadebrownie.co.uk by 12th September
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