Head Baker - Night-Shift Lead for Award-Winning Breads

Daylesford Organic is a pioneering organic farm and lifestyle brand renowned for its unwavering commitment to sustainability, quality, and ethical practices. For more than 20 years, Daylesford has blended traditional farming techniques with innovative methods to produce award-winning organic food, beverages, and home goods.

We champion environmentally conscious agriculture, offering everything from fresh produce grown in its 28-acre Market Garden to artisan breads, dairy products, and handcrafted meals prepared on the farm. In addition to its organic farm shops, Daylesford operates cafés, wellness services, and a variety of events, creating an immersive experience centred on health, sustainability, and community wellbeing.

As Head Baker, you will lead a small team of dedicated artisan bakers responsible for producing a wide range of award-winning organic breads and viennoiserie, including our accolade of Britain’s Best Sourdough 2025, from our in-house bakery at our Cotswolds Farm. Reporting to the Executive Baker, you will guide the team in crafting exceptional products that uphold Daylesford Organic’s renowned standards of quality and craftsmanship.

In this role, you will oversee daily production, manage schedules, and ensure full compliance with food safety and quality certifications such as SALSA and the Soil Association. You will also drive innovation, champion continuous improvement, and support the achievement of key financial targets. With a focus on operational efficiency, team development, and an unwavering commitment to customer satisfaction, you will play a pivotal part in ensuring the seamless delivery of outstanding baked goods to our Farm Shops, cafés, pubs, and hotels.

Responsibilities

• Lead the night-shift baking team in producing organic breads and viennoiserie for our Farm Shops, cafés, and Bamford Collection pubs/hotels, seven days a week.
• Maintain the award-winning quality standards of all Daylesford Organic baked goods.
• Drive continuous improvement and support the Executive Baker in developing new products to agreed timelines.
• Support implementation of food safety and traceability processes in line with the Daylesford Quality Management System, SALSA, and Soil Association standards.
• Schedule and allocate staff according to business needs and issue rotas in good time.
• Participate in annual HACCP reviews.
• Ensure cleaning schedules are consistently followed.
• Maintain a safe, compliant working environment for staff and visitors.
• Adhere to internal Technical Team requirements and external audit standards, identifying and resolving any food safety issues.
• Manage daily recipes, stock counts, and production records to ensure financial accuracy.
• Achieve order fulfilment above 98% through effective scheduling, staffing, and raw-material management.
• Oversee night-shift production with care and diligence to minimise waste.
• Support delivery of the Bakery’s financial (EBITDA) targets through careful cost control.
• Line-manage, develop, and motivate the night-shift Bakers.
• Complete all people-related administration and processes promptly.
• Train, coach, and support team members through performance reviews and personalised development plans.
• Ensure all staff complete required mandatory training.
• Proactively propose and implement equipment, process, or staffing improvements to enhance efficiency.

Perks & Benefits

• Discounts: We offer a range of discounts on our products, treatments, and dining experiences from day one.
• Volunteering Days: Employees are offered one paid day per year to volunteer with a charity of their choice.
• Private Medical: We offer subsidised private medical insurance through Bupa.
• Pension Scheme: Pay up to 9% of your salary into your pension each month; we contribute up to 4.5%.
• Life Assurance: We offer life assurance cover, equivalent of up to a year of your annual salary.
• Mental Health Support: Our Employee Assistance Programme provides 24-hour support, seven days a week.