Doughnut Excellence Manager

Placed Australia; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Placed Australia is seeking a full-time Doughnut Excellence Manager in Coolaroo, Victoria to lead the central doughnut production facility. You will oversee the production team, ensure product quality and food safety, and coordinate order fulfilment for the store network.

You will plan rosters, monitor progress against targets, coach staff, and drive improvements in efficiency and waste reduction while maintaining compliance with food safety and traceability standards.

Qualifications

• Must hold a Diploma in Hospitality Management or a relevant diploma‑level qualification (or at least 3 years of relevant work experience).
• At least 1 year of relevant work experience in commercial food production, bakery operations, or a related supervisory role.
• Bakery‑related qualification or equivalent commercial baking expertise to oversee product standards and coach staff.

Responsibilities

• Direct the doughnut production team, establish daily priorities and delegate work.
• Plan staff rosters and labour coverage according to production requirements.
• Identify recruitment and capability needs and communicate to senior management.
• Lead onboarding, coaching and performance reviews.
• Address performance issues and escalate formal matters when appropriate.
• Establish and maintain product specifications, SOPs, and quality checkpoints.

Skills

Leadership

Roster planning

Quality control

Food safety

Communication

Problem solving

Staff coaching

Traceability

Education

Diploma in Hospitality Management

Job description

Placed.au is looking for a full-time Doughnut Excellence Manager for our client in Coolaroo, Victoria. This role is responsible for leading and managing the doughnut production team at a central production facility, maintaining product quality and food safety standards, coordinating production requirements, and ensuring the reliable fulfilment of orders for the company's network of stores.

Job Description:

People Leadership and Team Performance

• Direct the doughnut production team, establish daily priorities, delegate work, and hold employees accountable for product quality, production output, and safe work practices.
• Plan staff rosters and labour coverage according to production requirements.
• Identify recruitment, staffing coverage, and capability needs and communicate these to senior management.
• Lead staff onboarding, skills development, coaching, and performance reviews.
• Address employee performance issues within delegated authority and **escalate** formal matters when appropriate.

Product Excellence and Quality Assurance

• Establish and maintain approved product specifications, standard operating procedures, and quality checkpoints to ensure consistency across the doughnut range.
• Review quality results and investigate recurring defects or rejected batches.
• Direct corrective actions, staff retraining, and process changes where required.
• Ensure the production team complies with food safety procedures, allergen controls, hygiene, traceability, and product-handling requirements.
• Maintain appropriate quality and compliance records.

Production Planning and Store Supply Requirements

• Translate consolidated store orders into team priorities, staffing allocations, and daily production plans in coordination with relevant colleagues.
• Monitor production progress against agreed quantities, product mix, and dispatch cut-off requirements.
• Reprioritise team activities and resolve production shortfalls or delays.
• Ensure completed products meet release criteria.
• Provide accurate production counts and handover information to the dispatch function.

Performance, Resource Control and Continuous Improvement

• Monitor team productivity, labour utilisation, ingredient use, rework, and wastage against approved standards.
• Identify performance variances and implement corrective measures.
• Maintain performance and compliance reports for senior management, highlighting product-quality trends, staffing constraints, and improvement opportunities.
• Recommend and implement approved improvements to training, workflows, quality controls, and product-launch readiness.
• Drive improvements in production consistency, efficiency, and waste reduction.

Management and Operational Coordination

• Exercise day-to-day managerial authority over task allocation, roster planning, staff coaching, production priorities, and quality-related corrective actions within company delegations.
• Work with senior management on staffing, budgets, and significant changes to procedures.
• Provide technical demonstrations where required for training and production problem-solving.

Qualifications/Attributes

• Must hold a Diploma of Hospitality Management or a relevant diploma‑level management qualification, or at least three (3) years of relevant work experience may substitute for the formal qualification.
• Must have at least one (1) year of relevant work experience in commercial food production, bakery operations, or a related supervisory or management role.
• A bakery‑related qualification or equivalent commercial baking expertise sufficient to oversee product standards and coach specialist production staff.
• Demonstrated experience leading a commercial food‑production team, including rostering, coaching, performance management, and quality oversight.
• Sound knowledge of food safety, allergen management, hygiene, and product traceability.
• Strong leadership, team coordination, and staff development skills.
• Ability to plan production activities and manage staffing according to changing production requirements.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills, with the ability to investigate defects and implement corrective actions.
• Experience monitoring productivity, ingredient usage, rework, wastage, and production performance.
• Strong reporting, organisational, and communication skills.
• Commitment to maintaining consistent product standards, reliable production output, and food safety compliance.

Salary Range

$70,000 – $95,000 p.a. excluding superannuation.