Dynamic General Manager

Walker's Doughnuts; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Walker's Doughnuts is seeking a commercially sharp General Manager to drive operational excellence across our bakery production facility and franchise network. You will lead support teams, forge new market opportunities, and shape growth as we scale toward 100 locations and beyond.

You will manage end-to-end profitability, quality, and compliance while partnering with the Managing Director on strategic direction and expansion plans.

Qualifications

• Hands-on experience in commercial or industrial bakery production.

Responsibilities

• Operational Leadership
• Production, Quality Control & Food Safety
• Product Development - recipe and formula development, scale-up and range innovation
• Supermarket, Grocery & Buying Group Development - building relationships and putting new products in front of buyers
• Wholesale & Business Development
• Financial & Strategic Management

Skills

Bakery production

Leadership

Retail sales & buyer relations

P&L management

Food safety compliance

Negotiation

Franchise / QSR experience

Job description

We are looking for a commercially sharp, hands-on General Manager with real bakery experience to take us from strength to strength - driving operational excellence, leading our franchise network, production facility and support teams, and taking our products into new markets as we scale towards 100 locations and beyond. This is not a desk job. You will be as comfortable on the bakery floor talking dough temperatures, yields and recipe tweaks as you are in front of a supermarket buyer presenting a new range. You understand how a product gets from a test batch to a pallet, and how to sell it once it gets there. You will take end-to-end responsibility for the operational performance of the business - profitability, compliance and quality across the production facility and franchise network - while working directly with the Managing Director on growth and strategic direction.

Key responsibilities

• Operational Leadership
• Production, Quality Control & Food Safety
• Product Development - recipe and formula development, scale-up and range innovation
• Supermarket, Grocery & Buying Group Development - building relationships and putting new products in front of buyers
• Wholesale & Business Development
• Financial & Strategic Management

About you

• Hands-on experience in commercial or industrial bakery production - you know your way around doughs, ovens, fryers and production schedules
• Practical understanding of bakery recipes, formulation and new product development
• A track record of selling into supermarkets, independent grocers, buying groups or foodservice, with relationships you can bring with you
• Demonstrated success growing revenue in a food manufacturing or wholesale business
• Strong grasp of production, logistics and food safety compliance (HACCP, retailer audit standards)
• Financial literacy with experience managing P&L, costings and budgets
• Experience in franchise, QSR or retail food is highly regarded
• A hands-on leadership style suited to a founder-led, fast-growth business
• Exceptional interpersonal, coaching and negotiation skills

About us

We are a fast-growing, much-loved bakery and food brand with 30+ buzzing locations, a world-class product range and customers who can't get enough of us. Behind it all sits our own production bakery, where every product starts.

A comprehensive package aligned with experience and demonstrated hands-on success, including performance-based bonuses linked to KPIs.