Operations Manager - Bakery

Operations Manager McCloskey’s Bakery is built on a family passion that dates back to 1940. Through each generation that followed, we have become an integral part of the north-east community, thanks to our tremendous teams, delicious products, and strong ethos.

Reporting to Chief Executive Officer, the successful candidate will have responsibility for a 24/7 production operation, which includes production, maintenance and dispatch and store operations. You will provide leadership to a team of over 150 employees, supporting their development, continuous improvement, and success.

This role operates as part of the site senior leadership team and will have responsibility for helping to develop, implement and actively drive site initiatives while maintaining the company vision of consistently producing high quality products.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day operations across production, dispatch, and store areas to ensure efficient, high-quality output
• Deliver and track clear KPIs for each area; use data to drive improvements in performance, yield, and waste reduction
• Manage cost of production, including labour, materials, and utilities, to meet budget targets
• Drive high quality and hygiene standards throughout the bakery and ensure readiness for all customer audits
• Support the introduction of new products and ensure seamless operational integration
• Ensure accurate and timely completion of documentation and shift paperwork
• Champion health & safety across the site; complete risk assessments and lead proactive safety initiatives
• Manage the timely purchasing of ingredients and packaging for bakery
• Build strong communication links with Line Leaders and Deputies; provide regular coaching and support
• Lead and support employee training to ensure capability across all areas and shifts
• Set clear expectations for performance, hold individuals accountable, and drive a culture of ownership and results
• Lead a continuous improvement program to drive operational site efficiencies and staff engagement across the site
• Lead and own the site maintenance agenda to ensure operational excellence
• Collaborate with senior leadership to deliver on site strategy and customer service targets
• Lead root cause problem-solving and implement effective, lasting solutions
• Key Attributes
• Proven management experience in a similar operations leadership role, ideally in bakery or food manufacturing (min. 4-5 years)
• Strong knowledge of health & safety, food quality, hygiene, and audit standards
• Proven familiarity with LEAN manufacturing and a track record of delivering process improvements
• Ability to lead large teams, coach frontline leaders, and build accountability
• Strong organizational, communication, and time management skills
• Financial awareness and ability to manage cost controls across the operation
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, hands-on environment with shifting priorities
• Driven, results-focused, and committed to supporting team success Working pattern: The site is operational 24 hours per day, 365 days a year.
• Standard working hours are 40 hour per week, 8 hours per day.
• This is 5 days over 7 contract, meaning you will work 5 days across any 7-day period, with flexibility required for shift scheduling.
• Please note this is not an exhaustive list and is subject to change.