Head Baker - Bread Production Plant

About the role

The Head Baker oversees all bread production operations in a commercial bakery plant, ensuring efficient production, consistent product quality and adherence to food safety standards. The role covers recipe development, product sizing and costing support, production planning, inventory management and leading the bakery production team. The position is full time, based in Mlongongo.

Key responsibilities

• Plan and run daily bread production schedules according to customer demand and sales forecasts, allocating resources and monitoring workflow to keep productivity high and downtime low.
• Develop, review and standardize bread recipes, including ingredient measurements, baking procedures and product specifications, and work with management on new products.
• Support costing by monitoring ingredient use and recommending pricing adjustments.
• Ensure products meet quality standards for taste, texture, appearance, freshness and shelf life, and carry out routine quality checks.
• Enforce food safety regulations, HACCP, GMP and hygiene standards, and investigate quality issues.
• Supervise, train and coach production staff, monitor performance and foster teamwork and accountability.
• Monitor inventory of flour, yeast, ingredients and packaging, coordinate stock replenishment with procurement and keep accurate production and inventory records.
• Keep equipment safe and running, inspect it regularly, coordinate preventive maintenance and report faults promptly.

Required profile

• Diploma or degree in Food Science, Bakery Technology, Culinary Arts, Food Production or a related field.
• At least 5 years of experience in commercial bread production, including at least 2 years in a supervisory or leadership role.
• Experience in a high-volume bakery or food manufacturing environment is highly preferred.
• Professional baking certification is an added advantage.

Required skills

• Strong knowledge of commercial bread production processes and baking techniques.
• Recipe formulation and product development.
• Knowledge of food safety standards, HACCP, GMP and hygiene regulations.

Applications are made by sending a CV to the employer's recruitment contact; interviews are held on a rolling basis until the position is filled.