Head of Food Operations (Pâtisserie Focus)

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.

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.