Service Bakery Lead Associate

California Fresh Market; Pismo Beach (CA); On-site; USD 42,000 - 66,000; Full time

Job summary

California Fresh Market is seeking a Service Bakery Lead Associate to help lead the bakery team and oversee day‑to‑day operations, including cooking, prep, cleaning, and stock rotation while supervising staff to meet sales, margin, inventory, labor, and customer service goals.

You will ensure department cleanliness, price integrity, quality control, training, merchandising, and food safety, setting the example for company standards and motivating the team to maximize productivity.

Qualifications

• Minimum 1 year experience in high-volume food preparation.
• Minimum 1 year experience in retail bakery operations.
• Minimum 1 year experience in a leadership role in the food industry.

Responsibilities

• Receiving & Storage: Inspect products, rotate stock, date items, monitor waste, assist with inventory rotation.
• Department Maintenance: Keep areas clean, perform temperature checks, ensure health standards, manage sanitation and reports.

Skills

Bakery operations

Team leadership

Customer service

Quality control

Job description

As Service Bakery Lead Associate, you will assist in leading the bakery team and overseeing the day‑to‑day running of the bakery, including cooking, food preparation, cleaning, checking supplies, and rotating food stock while supervising staff to meet objectives for sales, margin, inventory control, labor, and customer service. Your role involves ensuring department cleanliness, price integrity, quality control, training, merchandising, and food safety, setting the example for all company standards and motivating the team to maximize productivity.

Receiving & Storage

• Inspect all products for quality and condition and report unacceptable items to the supplier for credit.
• Put products into designated storage areas while maintaining proper rotation and cleanliness.
• Date all products to assist in proper rotation.
• Monitor and manage daily food waste.
• Assist with inventory rotation and product storage standards.

Department Maintenance

• Ensure kitchen, displays, aisles, prep and storage areas are clean, orderly, and meet health department standards.
• Remove trash; sweep and mop sales floor and prep areas daily.
• Perform daily cooler and sales floor temperature checks.
• Maintain freshness and quality through continuous product rotation.
• Mark items down as needed to reduce losses.
• Conduct equipment checks to ensure functionality and report issues to management.

Merchandising

• Plan attractive prepared food displays using color and texture to enhance appeal.
• Replenish, rotate, and refresh food displays throughout the day.
• Attend cross‑department meetings to plan promotions and storewide merchandising opportunities.
• Build and maintain in‑store displays according to established appearance, variety, and usability standards.
• Set preparation and stocking priorities for staff to ensure full, fresh, and properly rotated inventory.
• Ensure accurate, up‑to‑date department signs.
• Visit other stores for price comparisons, products, and merchandising ideas.
• Establish food preparation standards to meet quality, pricing, margin control, and customer service goals.

Customer Service

• Assist customers with bakery questions in a prompt, friendly manner.
• Help with special orders and oversee the special orders system to ensure accurate fulfillment.
• Communicate policy changes to staff that affect customers.
• Respond to customer suggestions, comments, and complaints in a reasonable manner.
• Make customers feel valued and welcome, and refer them to other departments when necessary.
• Answer and route phone calls.

Supervision

• Assist in hiring qualified applicants following established policy.
• Provide on‑the‑job training for all staff.
• Recommend pay increases within the department.
• Take disciplinary actions as needed following established policy.
• Lead change through process, communication, and example.
• Delegate daily tasks and hold the team accountable.
• Apply thorough knowledge of recipes and food preparation procedures to manage standards.
• Identify and solve real problems and enforce core values.
• Improve team performance and oversee the cleaning/sanitation program.
• Attend management meetings and conduct department inventories according to policy.
• Maintain department logs, cleaning schedules, safety materials, and inventory documents.
• Familiarize with Health Department guidelines relevant to a grocery retail environment.
• Perform Manager on Duty shifts as assigned and other tasks assigned by management.

Requirements

• Minimum 1 year experience in high‑volume food preparation or equivalent experience.
• Minimum 1 year experience in retail bakery operations.
• Minimum 1 year experience in a leadership role in the food industry.
• Organized and consistently follows through on commitments.
• Ability to handle multiple demands and prioritize work tasks.
• Clear communication skills and active listening.
• Experience serving the public and projecting a friendly, outgoing personality.
• Prolonged standing, walking, squatting, and/or bending; ability to stand for long periods.
• Ability to work in cold, wet conditions and lift heavy boxes up to 50 pounds.
• Ability to read and interpret documents such as department manuals and reports.
• Willingness to work weekends, evenings/night, holidays, and a flexible schedule including afternoons, nights, weekends, and holidays.
• Regular, predictable attendance and willingness to learn and grow to meet changing job requirements.
• Strong problem‑solving skills and ability to remain calm under pressure.
• Basic knowledge of math, weights, and measures.
• Perform duties safely and efficiently, participate in training activities, and meet physical requirements for the job.

Additional Physical & Work Environment Requirements

The role may involve repetitive hand-to-finger motions, reaching with hands and arms, and adjusting vision to both day and night lighting. It requires ability to remain calm during high‑stress situations and to perform a variety of shifts, including nights, weekends, and holidays.