Pastry Lead

Avoca Ireland; Bray; On-site; EUR 60,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Staff discount

Employee Assistance Program

Pension Scheme

Cycle Scheme

Job summary

Avoca Ireland’s Production Unit in Bray seeks a Pastry Lead to oversee the pastry and bakery operations, guiding a team of about 17 staff and reporting to the Head Chef and Executive Chef. You will ensure safe, efficient, and consistent production aligned with Avoca’s quality standards.

You will drive product development, manage SOPs and HACCP compliance, and support seasonal tastings, launches and events while maintaining excellent product quality and cost control.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in a large-scale pastry, bakery or food-production environment is essential.
• Previous experience successfully managing, motivating and developing a production team is essential.
• Strong professional pastry and bakery knowledge, supported by practical production experience.
• Excellent knowledge of pastry and bakery processes, product quality and high-volume production.
• Experience in NPD, recipe development, product specifications and SOPs.
• Good commercial understanding of product margins, labour costs, waste and yields.
• Strong leadership, communication and organisational skills.
• Ability to plan production, solve problems and meet demanding deadlines.
• Strong understanding of HACCP, allergens, food safety and health-and-safety requirements.
• Ability to communicate effectively and build positive working relationships at all levels.
• Ability to work collaboratively with operational, quality and commercial departments.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a wider team.
• Professional, dependable and results-focused approach.
• Passion for pastry, bakery, product quality and customer service.
• Flexible approach to working hours and duties during key seasonal periods.
• Willingness to undertake additional training as required.

Responsibilities

• Manage the daily running of the pastry and bakery production department.
• Lead, support and develop a team of approximately 17 employees, including the Bakery Supervisor.
• Plan daily production and allocate responsibilities effectively across the team.
• Ensure production targets, customer orders and delivery deadlines are achieved.
• Monitor staffing levels, attendance, performance, training and productivity.
• Ensure the department is appropriately staffed to meet production requirements.
• Promote strong communication, teamwork and accountability within the department.
• Work closely with the Head Chef, Bakery Supervisor and Executive Chef to support the overall performance of the Production Unit.
• Manage and maintain the pastry and bakery NPD schedule in partnership with the Executive Chef and relevant departments.
• Support the development, trialling, costing and successful launch of new pastry and bakery products.
• Oversee the transition of new products from development into full-scale production.
• Ensure new products are practical, scalable, commercially viable and consistently achievable in production.
• Participate in key product tastings, seasonal launches and food-promotion events.
• Develop, review and maintain Standard Operating Procedures for pastry and bakery products and processes.
• Ensure the team is trained and signed off on all relevant SOPs.
• Ensure all products are manufactured according to their approved recipes and specifications.
• Monitor product quality, appearance, taste, weight, yield and presentation.
• Ensure products are within specification before being released for distribution.
• Investigate product-quality issues and implement corrective actions where required.
• Work with the Quality and Technical teams to ensure product specifications remain accurate and up to date.
• Work closely with OPX to review product margins, labour requirements, yields, waste and production efficiency.
• Identify opportunities to improve product margins without compromising quality.
• Control ingredient usage, waste, overproduction, product giveaway and unnecessary labour costs.
• Provide accurate production information to support product costings and commercial decisions.
• Maintain high standards of food safety, hygiene and housekeeping throughout the department.
• Ensure compliance with HACCP, allergen controls, traceability procedures and Avoca food-safety policies.
• Ensure production, cleaning and food-safety records are completed accurately and on time.
• Work with the Quality team to address non-conformances and implement corrective actions.
• Ensure pastry and bakery equipment is operated safely and maintenance issues are reported promptly.
• Promote a strong food-safety and health-and-safety culture within the team.
• Carry out any other reasonable duties relating to the efficient operation of the department and Production Unit.

Skills

Team leadership

Communication

Organisational skills

Problem solving

Food safety

Attention to detail

Education

HACCP training

Leadership/people-management qualification

Job description

Pastry Lead - Avoca Production Unit

The Pastry Lead will be responsible for the leadership and daily management of the pastry and bakery operation within the Avoca Production Unit.

The role will manage a team of approximately 17 employees, supported by a Bakery Supervisor, and will work closely with the Head Chef under the direction of the Executive Chef.

The main focus of the role is to ensure that all pastry and bakery products are produced safely, efficiently and consistently to Avoca's approved quality and product specifications.

This is a full-time, Monday-to-Friday position throughout the year. Flexibility will be required during key seasonal periods, particularly Christmas, and for important product tastings, launches, promotional activities and food events.

Job Responsibilities

• Manage the daily running of the pastry and bakery production department.
• Lead, support and develop a team of approximately 17 employees, including the Bakery Supervisor.
• Plan daily production and allocate responsibilities effectively across the team.
• Ensure production targets, customer orders and delivery deadlines are achieved.
• Monitor staffing levels, attendance, performance, training and productivity.
• Ensure the department is appropriately staffed to meet production requirements.
• Promote strong communication, teamwork and accountability within the department.
• Work closely with the Head Chef, Bakery Supervisor and Executive Chef to support the overall performance of the Production Unit.
• Manage and maintain the pastry and bakery NPD schedule in partnership with the Executive Chef and relevant departments.
• Support the development, trialling, costing and successful launch of new pastry and bakery products.
• Oversee the transition of new products from development into full-scale production.
• Ensure new products are practical, scalable, commercially viable and consistently achievable in production.
• Participate in key product tastings, seasonal launches and food-promotion events.
• Develop, review and maintain Standard Operating Procedures for pastry and bakery products and processes.
• Ensure the team is trained and signed off on all relevant SOPs.
• Ensure all products are manufactured according to their approved recipes and specifications.
• Monitor product quality, appearance, taste, weight, yield and presentation.
• Ensure products are within specification before being released for distribution.
• Investigate product-quality issues and implement corrective actions where required.
• Work with the Quality and Technical teams to ensure product specifications remain accurate and up to date.
• Work closely with OPX to review product margins, labour requirements, yields, waste and production efficiency.
• Identify opportunities to improve product margins without compromising quality.
• Control ingredient usage, waste, overproduction, product giveaway and unnecessary labour costs.
• Provide accurate production information to support product costings and commercial decisions.
• Maintain high standards of food safety, hygiene and housekeeping throughout the department.
• Ensure compliance with HACCP, allergen controls, traceability procedures and Avoca food-safety policies.
• Ensure production, cleaning and food-safety records are completed accurately and on time.
• Work with the Quality team to address non-conformances and implement corrective actions.
• Ensure pastry and bakery equipment is operated safely and maintenance issues are reported promptly.
• Promote a strong food-safety and health-and-safety culture within the team.
• Carry out any other reasonable duties relating to the efficient operation of the department and Production Unit.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in a large-scale pastry, bakery or food-production environment is essential.
• Previous experience successfully managing, motivating and developing a production team is essential.
• Strong professional pastry and bakery knowledge, supported by practical production experience.
• Excellent knowledge of pastry and bakery processes, product quality and high-volume production.
• Experience in NPD, recipe development, product specifications and SOPs.
• Good commercial understanding of product margins, labour costs, waste and yields.
• Strong leadership, communication and organisational skills.
• Ability to plan production, solve problems and meet demanding deadlines.
• Strong understanding of HACCP, allergens, food safety and health-and-safety requirements.
• Ability to communicate effectively and build positive working relationships at all levels.
• Ability to work collaboratively with operational, quality and commercial departments.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a wider team.
• Professional, dependable and results-focused approach.
• Passion for pastry, bakery, product quality and customer service.
• Flexible approach to working hours and duties during key seasonal periods.
• Willingness to undertake additional training as required.

Education

• A relevant pastry, bakery, culinary or food-production qualification is preferred.
• HACCP and food-safety training is required.
• A recognised leadership or people-management qualification would be an advantage.

Why work with us?

• Staff discount
• Employee Assistance Program
• Pension Scheme
• Cycle Scheme

Avoca is an equal opportunities employer