Head Baker

Reporting to the Production Bakery Operations Manager, the Head Baker is a hands-on position that is responsible for assisting in managing production and staff within the Bakery Production Department.

• The Head Baker assists the Production Bakery Operations Manager regarding management of Woodlands house made bakery products such as best-in-class breads, sweet and savory pastries, cakes, pies and other baked goods.
• Lead production of seasonal and holiday related items.
• Assist in determining if current/future sourced products should be converted to made in-house. The goal is to always provide the best possible products available to our customers regardless of sourced or house made.
• Work alongside as well as supervise staff regarding the preparation of bakery products while maintaining quality assurance standards and consistency of finished products.
• Maintain department organization and cleanliness
• Assist in developing and implementation of training programs to effectively train current and new staff regarding proper baking techniques including weighing, sifting, fermenting, mixing, decorating, etc.
• Maintain production to meet in-store product demands of all Woodlands stores.
• Order raw products and properly cost out products to ensure proper in-store pricing.

• Oversee inventory control in order to manage shrink.

Requirements:

• Advanced understanding of bakery work flow
• Advance knowledge and practice of baking concepts
• Able to prioritize work and handle multiple concurrent tasks
• Understanding of classical baking techniques
• At least 5 years of experience in the preparation of a wide array of bakery products.
• Strong interpersonal/communication skills
• Must be able to produce breads and pastries that are on-par with a top-quality bakery.
• Bilingual in Spanish preferred

Physical Demands and Essential Job functions:

To successfully perform the essential functions of this position, including the preparation of bakery products and cleaning of machinery such as Hobart mixers and ovens, the employee must regularly meet the following physical demands (with or without reasonable accommodation):

• Standing & Walking: Must be able to stand and/or walk for the duration of a standard 8-hour shift (excluding legally required meal and rest breaks) on hard commercial kitchen floors.
• Lifting & Carrying: Must regularly lift, carry, maneuver, and dump bulk ingredients, heavy doughs, and supplies weighing up to 50 pounds from floor level to waist/chest height independently.
• Pushing & Pulling: Must be able to forcefully push and pull fully loaded commercial baking racks and carts (weighing in excess of 200 pounds) across the bakery floor.
• Bending & Reaching: Requires frequent bending, stooping, kneeling, and reaching into deep commercial ovens, bottom shelves, and walk-in refrigerators.
• Repetitive Motion: Requires sustained and repetitive use of hands and wrists for kneading, shaping dough, piping, filling, and decorating cakes and other baked goods.
• Manual Dexterity: Must have hand-eye coordination and manual dexterity to safely operate commercial bakery equipment (mixers, scales, slicers) and handle delicate finished products.
• Temperature Variations: Frequent exposure to extreme heat from commercial ovens and cold temperatures from walk-in freezers and coolers.

• Pace: Must be able to prioritize work and handle multiple concurrent tasks in a fast-paced, time-sensitive manufacturing environment to meet daily production schedules and expiration date requirements.

Education and Experience:

• Formal bakery training required (as apprentice or through culinary school)
• A minimum of 5 years baking experience.

Who Are We?

Woodlands Market is a leader in gourmet retailing, service and innovation in the grocery industry. We are a flourishing Marin County-based employer who believes in supporting our community in many ways. One of these ways is to employ talented individuals from within our communities and surrounding areas. We currently operate grocery stores in Kentfield, Tiburon and San Francisco. We also operate a Pet Shop in San Francisco as well as an off-site kitchen in San Rafael. We engage approximately 330 individuals on staff, many of whom have come to us with an in-depth knowledge of the specialty food industry. These members of our extended Woodlands family and their commitment to community, food, service and to each other are what set us apart from other grocery stores.

Who Are We Looking For?

At Woodlands Market, we are delighted to be able to share our passion for food and fresh produce with our customers. If you thrive in a fast-paced environment and are looking to continue your career alongside an awesome team, then join the family!

Benefits of working at Woodlands Market include:

• Competitive wages
• Comprehensive Health/Dental/Vision Insurance*
• Full-time employees receive a generous benefits package including Health/Dental/Vision Insurance, 401(k), paid vacation and paid holidays
• Holiday premium pay for time worked on recognized holidays
• 35% employee store discount
• $50 subsidy towards non-slip shoes every 6 months.
• Awesome, team-oriented environment
• Opportunities for growth and development

Pay range: 25-30