Commercial Sales & Operations Manager [Bakery]

Reports to: Managing Director

Location: Hackney / Production Sites / WFH (as required)

Hours: 40 hours per week (Full Time)

Salary: Circa £55,000 per annum, dependent on experience

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and interviews may take place before the closing date. We encourage early applications, as the role may be filled once a suitable candidate is identified.

Role Purpose

Luminary Bakery is entering a phase where commercial growth must be delivered alongside operational discipline. The Commercial Sales & Operations Manager is a senior, hands‑on role responsible for driving revenue growth while ensuring the customer and fulfilment engine operate smoothly, accurately and with care. This role exists to move Luminary from reactive sales to intentional, structured commercial growth: winning new business, increasing repeat orders and ensuring that every order delivered reinforces trust in the Luminary brand — without senior leadership needing to intervene day‑to‑day. This is a commercial leadership role with clear KPIs, operational authority and accountability for outcomes.

Core Focus of the Role

• Sales & Revenue Growth
• Customer Operations & Fulfilment Leadership

Key Responsibilities

1. Sales & Commercial Growth
   • The post holder is personally accountable for driving revenue growth across Luminary’s B2B and direct‑to‑consumer channels.
   • Proactively generate new sales through structured outbound activity, including corporate orders, standing orders, wholesale accounts and repeat B2B customers.
   • Own and actively manage a live sales pipeline, tracking leads, follow‑ups, conversions, lost opportunities and forecasted revenue.
   • Convert inbound enquiries into confirmed, profitable orders through confident quoting, follow‑up and closing.
   • Reactivate dormant or lapsed clients and increase order frequency and value from existing customers.
   • Lead seasonal and campaign‑based sales activity (e.g. Christmas, International Women’s Day, Easter), translating business priorities into focused sales actions.
   • Work closely with the team to ensure clear handover of high‑value, complex or strategic accounts.
   • Apply strong commercial judgement, balancing pricing, margins, production capacity and long‑term customer value.
   • Manage key accounts and supporting monthly & quarterly business reviews (QBRs).
   • Prepare and share simple, regular sales reporting covering pipeline health, wins, risks and short‑term forecast.
2. Customer Operations & Fulfilment Leadership
   • The post‑holder owns the end‑to‑end customer order journey, from confirmation through to delivery, across all sales channels.
   • Oversee customer operations across e‑commerce, corporate, wholesale, weddings and events orders.
   • Line‑manage the Customer Service team, packers and weekend customer service cover, providing clear direction and accountability - as well as the delivery driver(s).
   • Set and uphold standards for customer communication, response times, tone, accuracy and professionalism.
   • Ensure orders are accurately processed, invoiced, packed, labelled and dispatched in line with agreed timelines.
   • Act as the point of accountability when issues arise, resolving problems quickly, calmly and professionally.
   • Coordinate closely with Production, Fulfilment and Delivery partners to manage capacity, cut‑offs and operational constraints.
   • Ensure CRM, order platforms (e.g. Shopify, Wherefour) and tracking systems are accurate, up to date and consistently used.
3. Systems, Process & Continuous Improvement
   • Design, implement and improve systems that support scale, efficiency and repeat sales.
   • Identify operational bottlenecks that restrict sales growth and take ownership of resolving them.
   • Ensure clear, consistent handovers between Sales, Production and Fulfilment teams.
   • Build simple, robust processes that enable the Customer Service team to perform confidently and consistently.
4. Leadership, Standards & Culture
   • Lead with clarity, authority and care, setting expectations and following through.
   • Create a calm, organised and accountable working environment within Customer Service and Fulfilment.
   • Support and develop direct reports through regular check‑ins, clear feedback and practical coaching.
   • Act as a role model for Luminary’s values, professionalism and commitment to social impact.

Skills & Experience Required

Essential

• 4+ years in sales operations, business development, or a similar commercial role.
• Proven experience in B2B sales, ideally within food, hospitality, retail or FMCG.
• Demonstrable ability to generate sales through outbound activity and close deals.
• Experience managing or leading a small team.
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage competing priorities.
• Commercial awareness, including pricing, margins and capacity considerations.
• Confident communicator, comfortable engaging with customers, suppliers and internal teams.

Desirable

• Experience working in a bakery, food production or e‑commerce environment.
• Familiarity with CRM and order management systems (e.g. Shopify, Wherefour, Airtable or equivalents).
• Experience working in a mission‑led or values‑driven organisation.

Personal Attributes

• Commercially driven and comfortable working to KPIs.
• Proactive, resilient and solutions‑focused.
• Calm under pressure and confident making decisions.
• Highly organised, structured and detail‑oriented.
• Values‑led and aligned with Luminary’s social mission.

Why Join Luminary Bakery

Luminary Bakery is an award‑winning social enterprise using baking as a vehicle for social change. Every sale directly supports training and employment opportunities for women facing barriers to work. This role offers the opportunity to:

• Play a pivotal role in Luminary’s next phase of growth.
• Hold genuine ownership and influence over revenue and operations.
• Work in a purpose‑driven business where commercial success directly enables social impact.

Luminary Bakery is committed to equity, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from candidates of all backgrounds.