Bakery Operations Lead - Manufacturing & Growth

Konnect Fastening Systems Nz; Auckland; On-site; NZD 62,000 - 76,000; Full time

Job summary

WHEATZ BAKERY LIMITED is seeking an experienced, hands-on Bakery Manufacturing Manager to lead our bakery production operation, supplying cafés, restaurant chains and retailers.

You will own production strategy, budgeting, scheduling and quality across all shifts, driving cost efficiency, food safety and readiness for new product launches.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Food Technology, Food Science, Manufacturing or related field.
• With no formal qualification, at least 5 years of relevant experience in food or bakery production.
• A Level 4+ qualification in food production/bakery trades highly regarded.
• Demonstrated experience managing a full bakery or food production team across multiple shifts.

Responsibilities

• Determine and implement production strategy and schedules across all shifts for wholesale and branded outlets.
• Own the production budget and cost performance, including labour, ingredients and wastage.
• Control maintenance, capital equipment purchasing, and quality/food safety standards across the facility.
• Coordinate health & safety requirements and ensure H&S compliance.
• Direct bakers and production staff, including rostering, training, performance management and hiring decisions.
• Partner with marketing and sales on demand forecasts and new product development.

Skills

Leadership

Rostering

Food safety

Quality control

Budgeting

Education

Bachelor's degree in Food Technology

Bachelor's degree in Food Science

A Level 4+ in food production/bakery

Job description

WHEATZ BAKERY LIMITED is seeking an experienced, hands-on and commercially minded Bakery Manufacturing Manager to lead our bakery production operation, supplying Bakery products to cafés, restaurant chains and specialty retailers, as well as our own branded bakery outlets.

About the role – Key tasks and responsibilities

This is a hands-on, physically active role suited to someone comfortable with the demands of a commercial bakery production environment, including early morning starts and flexibility across shifts to meet production schedules. This role owns production strategy, output, cost, quality and staffing outcomes for the entire bakery production operation, across all shifts and all product lines. Reporting directly to the Director, the Bakery Manufacturing Manager holds full accountability for the performance of production, and works closely with the Marketing Specialist and other business functions to align production capacity with demand and new product launches.

In this role, you will:

Determine and implement production strategy and schedules across all shifts, for both wholesale supply and our own branded bakery outlets.

Own the production budget and cost performance, including labour, ingredients and wastage, adjusting processes and resourcing to meet cost and quality targets.

Control equipment maintenance, capital equipment purchasing, and quality/food safety standards across the production facility, including production and compliance records.

Coordinate occupational health and safety requirements and take ownership of H&S compliance and outcomes across the facility.

Direct all bakers and production staff across all shifts, including rostering, training, performance management and hiring decisions.

Partner with the Marketing Specialist and sales on demand forecasts, new product development and launch readiness across wholesale and retail channels.

Report to the Director on production performance, capacity and growth opportunities.

Terms and Conditions:

Employment Type: Full time, permanent

Hours: minimum 35 hours per week, maximum 45 hours per week

Pay Rate: $45 – $55 per hour depending on the quality of your experience

Work location: Auckland City

Start Date: Immediate or by agreement

Applicants must have either:

Qualifications: Bachelor's degree major in Food Technology, Food Science, Manufacturing or a closely related field

Experience: With no formal qualification, at least 5 years of relevant experience in food or bakery production

A Level 4 or higher qualification in food production/bakery trades will be highly regarded in addition to work experience.

Demonstrated experience managing a full bakery or food production team across multiple shifts, including staff performance, rostering, food safety and quality control, is highly desirable.

Experience in a supply/production role serving wholesale foodservice or retail channels will be highly regarded.

Work experience in NZ will be highly regarded.

If this sounds like you and you\'re ready for a new chapter in your career we would love to hear from you.