Assistant Bakery Manager

The Assistant Bakery Manager supports the Bakery Manager in leading daily bakery operations, maintaining product quality and freshness, delivering excellent customer service, and developing a strong bakery team. This position helps ensure the department is clean, well-stocked, properly merchandised, and operated safely and efficiently.

Key Responsibilities

• Assist the Bakery Manager with the overall operation and performance of the Bakery Department.
• Provide leadership, direction, and support to bakery associates throughout the workday.
• Help train, coach, and develop associates on department procedures, product standards, food safety, sanitation, and customer service.
• Ensure bakery products are prepared, packaged, labeled, displayed, and rotated according to established standards.
• Monitor product freshness, quality, presentation, and availability throughout the department.
• Maintain attractive, full, and properly merchandised displays that promote sales and meet customer expectations.
• Assist with production planning to ensure appropriate quantities of bread, cakes, pastries, desserts, and other bakery products are available.
• Help manage inventory levels, ordering, receiving, product rotation, and shrink.
• Monitor out-of-stocks and adjust production or ordering as needed.
• Provide friendly, knowledgeable service and assist customers with product questions, special orders, and department requests.
• Support cake orders and other customer-specific bakery requests to ensure accuracy and timely completion.
• Maintain department cleanliness and ensure equipment, work areas, displays, coolers, and storage areas meet sanitation standards.
• Ensure associates follow food safety, personal hygiene, temperature control, and safe food-handling procedures.
• Promote safe working practices and immediately address potential safety hazards.
• Assist with associate scheduling and daily work assignments based on business and production needs.
• Help monitor labor and productivity while ensuring adequate coverage for customer service and production.
• Support department sales, profitability, shrink, and operational goals.
• Conduct department walks and identify opportunities related to merchandising, conditions, cleanliness, freshness, and in-stock performance.
• Assist with opening and closing responsibilities as assigned.
• Take responsibility for department operations in the Bakery Manager's absence.
• Partner with store leadership and other departments to support overall store priorities and events.
• Perform additional duties as assigned based on business needs.

Leadership Expectations

• Lead by example and demonstrate a positive, professional attitude.
• Create an environment where associates feel supported, respected, and accountable.
• Provide clear expectations and follow up on assigned tasks.
• Recognize strong performance and provide appropriate coaching when improvement is needed.
• Encourage teamwork and effective communication within the department.
• Maintain a strong sense of urgency while balancing production, merchandising, and customer service needs.
• Support the Bakery Manager in building a knowledgeable, dependable, and customer-focused team.

Customer Service

• Greet and assist customers in a friendly and professional manner.
• Help customers locate products and provide information regarding bakery offerings.
• Assist with special orders and ensure customer requests are communicated accurately.
• Respond professionally to customer concerns and work toward timely solutions.
• Maintain department conditions that reflect high standards for freshness, quality, cleanliness, and presentation.

Food Safety & Sanitation

• Follow and reinforce established food safety and sanitation procedures.
• Ensure proper product rotation and date management.
• Monitor refrigeration, storage, preparation, and display conditions.
• Ensure work surfaces, utensils, equipment, and production areas are properly cleaned and sanitized.
• Maintain proper personal hygiene and food-handling practices.
• Immediately communicate food safety, equipment, or sanitation concerns to appropriate leadership.

Qualifications & Skills

• Strong customer service and communication skills.
• Ability to lead, coach, and motivate a team.
• Strong organizational and time-management skills.
• Ability to prioritize multiple responsibilities in a fast-paced environment.
• Basic understanding of bakery production, merchandising, inventory, and food safety practices.
• Ability to follow established procedures and maintain consistent quality standards.
• Dependable, flexible, and able to work effectively with limited supervision.
• Willingness to learn new processes and take on increased leadership responsibilities.

Physical & Scheduling Requirements

• Ability to stand and walk for extended periods.
• Ability to bend, reach, lift, carry, push, and pull merchandise or supplies as required.
• Ability to safely work around bakery equipment, ovens, refrigeration, and food-production areas.
• Ability to work in varying temperatures associated with bakery production and storage areas.
• Must be available to work a flexible schedule based on business needs, which may include mornings, evenings, weekends, and holidays.

· Access to up to 50% of your earned wages before payday, via our partnership with Stream