Lead Baker - Donut & Coffee Concept | Kansas City, MO

Position Overview

A growing donut and coffee concept is seeking a Lead Baker to drive and execute a high-quality, from-scratch baking program in the Kansas City market.

This is a hands-on leadership role focused on daily production, product consistency, and team development. The ideal candidate is a strong operator who leads from the front—working side-by-side with the team while maintaining exceptional quality standards.

This is not a corporate or purely strategic role. Success in this position requires being actively involved in production, training, and execution at the store level.

Key Responsibilities

Production & Execution

• Lead daily production of:
• • Donuts and core bakery items
  • Artisan breads and bagels
  • Basic laminated pastries (croissants, danish)
  • Muffins, cookies, brownies, and other baked goods
• Ensure all products meet from-scratch quality standards
• Maintain consistency in taste, texture, and presentation
• Uphold production efficiency without compromising quality

Team Leadership

• Train, mentor, and develop in-store bakers and production staff
• Elevate overall baking skill level across the team
• Lead by example in a fast-paced, hands-on environment

Quality Control

• Ensure product consistency across the Kansas City market
• Identify, troubleshoot, and resolve production or quality issues
• Support implementation of standardized recipes and processes

Operational Support

• Assist in scaling production practices across multiple locations
• Partner with leadership on product execution and rollouts
• Maintain strong organization, cleanliness, and food safety standards

Qualifications

• 3–7 years of professional baking experience
• Strong background in:
• • High-volume production baking
  • Bread and basic pastry production
  • Donuts (preferred but not required)
• Hands-on experience with:
• • Dough handling
  • Proofing and fermentation fundamentals
  • Consistent baking execution
• Proven ability to train and lead team members
• Comfortable working early mornings and being in production daily

Preferred Experience

• Multi-unit bakery, café, or donut concept experience
• Exposure to artisan or from-scratch baking programs
• Ability to support multiple locations (light regional travel as needed)

Compensation

• Salary Range: $75,000 – $95,000
• Max Cap: ~$100,000 (based on experience and leadership capability)

Ideal Candidate Profile

• Current or former:
• • Lead Baker
  • Senior Baker
  • Bakery Manager (production-focused)
  • Pastry Lead with volume experience
• Strong #2 or hands-on leader ready to step into a broader role
• More operator than corporate strategist
• Comfortable being:
• • On the floor
  • In production
  • Training and developing teams

What This Role Is Not

• Not a corporate executive or strategy-only position
• Not focused on R&D without production involvement
• Not suited for fine dining pastry chefs without high-volume experience
• No advanced certifications required (e.g., CMB not necessary)