Head of Food & Bakery Operations (Pâtisserie Focus)
Location: South Lanarkshire
Salary: £40,000 - £50,000
Relocation Package Offered
An established food manufacturing and retail business is entering a new growth phase, with plans to scale a premium artisan bakery and café offering across retail, wholesale and foodservice channels.
The business is focused on building a high-quality, pâtisserie-led proposition supported by strong operational discipline, consistent product standards, and scalable production.
Role Purpose
To lead and develop all bakery and food operations, with a primary focus on pâtisserie and Viennoiserie excellence. The role will ensure consistent delivery of premium products while scaling production, driving innovation, and embedding operational best practice.
This is a hands-on leadership role with full ownership of production, product development, team capability and operational performance.

Key Responsibilities
Operational Leadership

Lead all day-to-day production activity, with a core focus on pâtisserie and laminated pastry operations.
Develop and manage production plans to meet demand across retail, wholesale and foodservice channels.
Design and implement efficient, scalable production processes, particularly for high-volume pastry output.
Manage capacity planning, including labour, equipment and production flow.
Drive improvements in productivity, waste control and cost efficiency.

Pâtisserie & Viennoiserie Leadership

Take full ownership of pâtisserie and Viennoiserie production standards.
Lead the development and execution of laminated pastry (croissants, Danish, brioche, etc.) at a premium level.
Oversee creation of desserts, patisserie lines and seasonal offerings.
Establish consistency in quality, finish, flavour and presentation across all products.
Ensure artisan techniques are maintained while enabling scalable production.

Product Development & Innovation

Lead pâtisserie-led innovation aligned to a premium brand position.
Develop and standardise recipes to ensure consistency and scalability.
Introduce seasonal collections and elevate the product range to differentiate in the market.
Balance creativity with operational feasibility and cost control.

People & Capability

Build and lead a high-performing pastry and bakery team.
Coach and upskill team members in pâtisserie, Viennoiserie and finishing techniques.
Set clear expectations and manage performance against operational KPIs.
Create a culture focused on craftsmanship, precision and continuous improvement.

Quality, Safety & Compliance

Ensure high standards of food safety, hygiene and compliance across all operations.
Maintain and enforce HACCP, GMP and internal quality systems.
Implement rigorous quality control processes, particularly for delicate and high-spec pâtisserie products.
Lead audit readiness and continuous compliance improvement.

Systems & Scale

Support the development of scalable production systems suited to pâtisserie manufacturing.
Implement standard operating procedures and controls to maintain consistency at scale.
Contribute to the development of central production capability and future expansion.

Skills & Experience Required

Strong background in pâtisserie and Viennoiserie at a senior level.
Advanced technical expertise in laminated pastry, desserts and premium baked products.
Proven experience scaling pâtisserie production while maintaining high quality.
Leadership experience within a fast-paced bakery, food manufacturing or hospitality environment.
Strong understanding of production planning, process design and efficiency.
Experience in product development and recipe standardisation.
Solid knowledge of food safety, hygiene and compliance standards.
Hands-on, detail-oriented approach with a passion for craftsmanship and quality.

Apply Now

Head of Food Operations (Pâtisserie Focus)

Head of Food Operations (Pâtisserie Focus)