Production Operations Manager - Commercial Bakery

Lead the Next Chapter of Three Established Chicago Bakery Brands

Ideal Bakery Enterprises operates Ideal Bakery, Oak Mill Bakery, and Jarosch Bakery—three well-established Chicago-area bakery brands known for quality, craftsmanship, and tradition. Together, our operations include commercial production facilities and retail bakery locations serving customers throughout the region.

As part of an exciting new chapter under new ownership, we are investing in our people, facilities, and operations while preserving the traditions that have made our brands successful. We are seeking an experienced Bakery Operations Manager to lead production operations, improve efficiency, strengthen team performance, and support the continued growth of our organization.

This is an excellent opportunity for a hands-on operations leader who thrives in a fast-paced food manufacturing environment and enjoys building strong teams, improving processes, and maintaining high standards of quality and food safety.

Position Summary

The Bakery Operations Manager is responsible for the overall performance of our commercial bakery production operations. This individual will oversee daily manufacturing activities, production planning, staffing, food safety, quality assurance, inventory, equipment utilization, cost control, and continuous improvement initiatives.

Working closely with ownership and department leaders, the Bakery Operations Manager will identify opportunities to improve productivity, reduce waste, enhance product consistency, and create an organized and accountable production environment.

This is a highly visible leadership role with the opportunity to make a meaningful and lasting impact across three established bakery brands.

Key Responsibilities

Operations Leadership

• Oversee daily production activities across multiple bakery departments.

• Ensure production schedules are completed safely, efficiently, and on time.

• Balance labor, equipment, materials, and production capacity to meet customer demand.

• Monitor daily production performance and resolve operational challenges promptly.

• Maintain high standards for product consistency, quality, presentation, and customer satisfaction.

• Establish clear expectations and accountability throughout the production operation.

Team Leadership and Development

• Lead, coach, and mentor production supervisors, department managers, and team leads.

• Foster a culture of accountability, teamwork, professionalism, and continuous improvement.

• Conduct performance evaluations and provide regular coaching and feedback.

• Support hiring, onboarding, training, employee development, and succession planning.

• Partner with Human Resources on employee relations, performance management, attendance, and workforce planning.

• Improve communication between production departments, supervisors, and senior leadership.

Production Planning and Scheduling

• Develop and oversee production schedules based on customer orders and business needs.

• Ensure staffing levels are aligned with production requirements.

• Coordinate workflow between departments to improve efficiency and reduce delays.

• Monitor production capacity and identify potential bottlenecks.

• Adjust schedules and resources as needed to meet deadlines and changing priorities.

Operational Improvement

• Analyze production data and operational performance metrics.

• Identify opportunities to improve labor efficiency, production flow, and equipment utilization.

• Reduce waste, downtime, rework, and unnecessary production costs.

• Develop and implement standard operating procedures.

• Lead continuous improvement and process optimization initiatives.

• Support the introduction of new equipment, technology, and production methods.

Food Safety, Sanitation, and Quality

• Ensure compliance with applicable FDA, OSHA, GMP, HACCP, and food safety requirements.

• Promote a strong culture of food safety and sanitation throughout the facility.

• Ensure sanitation procedures and quality standards are consistently followed.

• Investigate quality concerns, production errors, and customer complaints.

• Implement corrective and preventive actions when necessary.

• Maintain accurate production, safety, sanitation, and quality records.

Inventory and Cost Management

• Monitor ingredient usage, production yields, and material waste.

• Partner with Purchasing to maintain appropriate inventory levels.

• Help prevent ingredient shortages and unnecessary overstock.

• Review production costs and identify opportunities for savings.

• Assist with operational budgeting and expense management.

• Support accurate inventory counts and product traceability.

Equipment and Maintenance Coordination

• Work closely with Maintenance to minimize equipment downtime.

• Ensure production equipment is properly used and maintained.

• Identify equipment needs and recommend repairs, replacements, or upgrades.

• Support preventive maintenance planning.

• Ensure equipment-related issues are communicated and resolved promptly.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with Ownership, Human Resources, Sales, Purchasing, Maintenance, Distribution, Customer Service, and Retail Operations.

• Coordinate production priorities based on customer demand and business needs.

• Support new product launches, seasonal production, and special projects.

• Help develop operational strategies that support company growth.

• Communicate production results, challenges, and recommendations to senior leadership.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Minimum of five years of leadership experience in commercial bakery manufacturing, food manufacturing, or high-volume food production.

• Experience managing supervisors and large production teams.

• Strong knowledge of production planning, scheduling, labor management, and workflow coordination.

• Demonstrated success improving productivity, efficiency, quality, and operational performance.

• Strong leadership, communication, organizational, and decision-making skills.

• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced production environment.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and production or inventory management systems.

• Bachelor’s degree in Operations Management, Food Science, Business, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent relevant experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Commercial bakery manufacturing experience.

• Experience overseeing multiple production departments or facilities.

• Bilingual English and Spanish.

What We Are Looking For

The ideal candidate is:

• A hands-on leader who is comfortable spending significant time on the production floor.

• Skilled at developing supervisors and building strong production teams.

• Calm and decisive in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

• Data-driven and focused on measurable improvement.

• Experienced in managing change while maintaining employee engagement.

• Highly organized and capable of balancing immediate production needs with long-term operational goals.

• Committed to food safety, employee safety, product quality, and customer satisfaction.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to stand and walk for extended periods.

• Ability to work in hot, cold, refrigerated, and production environments.

• Ability to occasionally lift up to 40 pounds.

• Ability to move throughout production and storage areas.

• Flexibility to work early mornings, evenings, weekends, or holidays based on business needs.

Why Join Us?

This is an opportunity to become part of a respected bakery organization with a rich history and an exciting future. The Bakery Operations Manager will play an important role in shaping operations across Ideal Bakery, Oak Mill Bakery, and Jarosch Bakery.

Our ownership team is committed to investing in growth, operational improvement, employee development, and the continued success of our brands. This role offers the opportunity to bring new ideas, improve systems, develop teams, and make a meaningful impact throughout the organization.

Compensation and Benefits

• Competitive salary based on experience.

• Performance-based bonus opportunity.

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance.

• Paid vacation and holidays.

• Professional development and advancement opportunities.

• Collaborative and supportive leadership team.

Ideal Bakery Enterprises is an equal opportunity employer. We consider applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected status.