Head Baker

• Full responsibility for all production in the bakery 
• Ensure production plan is clearly communicated and followed 
• Ensure adequate staff cover is maintained to meet production demands 
• Full responsibility for flour, ensuring deliveries are checked and flour is stored correctly 
• Manage, develop and motivate the bakery team, ensuring they are fully trained
• Able to work night hours  

Monitor the quality and suitability of ingredients, prepared dough and production ensuring consistency during the baking process 

Review the suitability and location of equipment needed to ensure quality products is achieved, making recommendations for changes or any capital expenditure needs

To plan organize and direct the workload of the Bakery.

To know, understand and be able to cover all sections within the production area, thus setting high standards and an example to the team

Oversee and direct the mixing, dividing and shaping process, coaching others on how to work to Blackbird standards, using a ‘hands on’ approach

To ensure the quality of products are in accordance with the company standards.

To ensure and maintain the overall quality of the products made, combining high quality with wastage control.

To maintain awareness of customer needs and ensure that these are met wherever possible.

Passionate about People Development:

Assist in Employee Relations, giving guidance to team in consultation with Business Manager.

Develop a positive, direct and open relationship with all the team, and encourage good and fair working relationship throughout all areas through two-way communication

Manage the development of key members of the team and implement a succession plan

Actively encourage and support initiatives that promote the retention of employees

Promote clear communication channels and cascade information to whole team

Ensure all team members’ personnel files are complete and up-to-date on EMS

To participate and contribute towards the staff’s training programme in order that the Bakery team is motivated and achieves excellent results as well as ensure training compliance is achieved at 100%.

Health and Safety and Standards: 

To ensure all areas within the bakery are at all times, kept clean and maintained to the agreed high standards of cleanliness and hygiene.

To ensure that the bakery team works cleanly, safely, and hygienically at all times.

To ensure all the team wears the correct uniform and maintains the highest levels of personal hygiene.

To ensure all faulty equipment is repaired and kept in good working order.

To ensure all accidents are reported to the Technical Manager and recorded in the accident book.

To ensure all food items are stored correctly and that stock rotation is rigidly adhered to.

To ensure compliance with all legal requirements regarding the health and safety of food hygiene.

To organize, record and control the temperatures of all refrigerated units within the Bakery.

General Duties:

Responsible for overseeing and checking flour deliveries ensuring products are correctly stored

To ensure the entire bakery team follows measurement and recipe controls along with the correct storage methods.

To ensure all wastage is recorded and control any potential over use

To adhere to the wage portion and agreed staff rota of the budget allocated to the Bakery area.

A Portrait of a Blackbird Person – the behaviour we expect

Good Communication – Smiling, always friendly, use polite tone of voice, ask questions

Attitude and behaviour – showing passion, energy, speed, and have a can-do attitude, flexibility

Teamwork – one team – helping others, showing respect, having good product knowledge, working to high standards, and quality focused

One Family Blackbird, Business Focus – thinks of impact on others, listens to feedback, acts on it, not accepting of poor standards, cares about business, communicates ideas, continuous improvement

Inspirational Leader, Direct Reports -  Treats everyone equally, gets others to grow with them, sets the example, has credibility, has empathy, is trustworthy, gives freedom and trust, a role model

Blackbird  Buddies – No compromise on standards, uses simple, clear language, is able to get attention, is naturally enthusiastic, involves others, their style is always the same level, lets others know its ok to make mistakes, revises and checks on progress, helps set clear goals, is a natural coach, builds confidence in others

Blackbird Ambassador (Standards) – Checks everything is to standard, quality focussed, reviews plans and organises resources, conscious about details, tries to get it right first time, always does their best, wants to achieve excellence, sets priorities 

Assist with the creation, development and change of recipes as required

Involved in product development for NPD and marketing initiatives

Make recommendations for improving the way we operate, monitoring and correcting the way we work

In consultation with the Technical Manager, periodically review the products available and suggest improvements or alternatives.

Participate in all company training, management development and legislative training

Must have 2-3 years bread baking experience and knowledge of baking artisanal breads

Ideally previous team management or supervisory experience of at least 1 year

Passionate approach to food that has been reflected in prior positions

Health & Safety and Food safety level 2 required

Personal Profile

A good sense of taste, smell, and touch are important

Team Builder and motivator

Flexible with strong work ethics

Hands on team player

Time sensitive, able to meet tight production deadlines

Excellent people skills, able to build relationships

Self motivated, able to thrive in a fast paced and expanding business

Customer orientated

High integrity