Regional Bakery Specialist

**Purpose**: Be responsible for maintaining a well-run bakery management team by ensuring smooth operations and positive customer experiences through the group’s bakery managers.

**Job Summary**

We are seeking a bakery specialist to manage our group of dynamic bakery managers. He/she will ensure health and safety protocols are being followed and will also monitor the quality and be responsible for sales, gross margin, profitability. The Bakery Specialist will also communicate company and department policies to the internal teams as well as work closely to help achieve the group’s goals.

**Essential Duties and Responsibilities**
- Manage and support retail bakery teams and initiatives.
- Assist in bakery and deli training and merchandising.
- Develop constructive and cooperative working relationships with your team and encourage mutual trust, respect and cooperation. Assist and care for co-workers and suppliers.
- Counsel and conduct disciplinary hearings when necessary.
- Direct, drive and meet sales with a goal of increased profitability growth.
- Purchasing, management and control of inventory; stock checks; exercise the first in first out principal and control wastage.
- Ensure the group’s bakery management team exercise hygiene control and maintain excellent housekeeping protocols in compliance with health departments.
- Serve as the leader, role model and coach to bakery management.
- Travel to the various locations where the group’s Spar’s are based.
- Build and maintain relationships with retail store teams.
- Input plans, conduct team meetings, advocate for retailers’ ad items.
- Share current industry trends and changes with retailers.
- Administration: Signing off on invoices, timesheets and checklists, draft duty roster.

**Competencies**
- _**Relevant preferred qualification**_.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Excellent organizational and time management skills.
- Excellent knowledge of bakery products.
- Excellent efficiency to accomplish assigned duties.
- Strong communication skills; both written and verbal.
- Strong problem-solving skills.
- Coping under pressure and setbacks.
- Basic knowledge of first aid will be advantageous.
- Knowledge of bakery operations & hygiene and safety standards.
- Operation of bakery equipment.

**Experience**
- Minimum **2 years** management experience within the retail industry.