Job Description

Welcome to Hovis. We are the proud guardians of over 130 years of baking experience that make up our iconic and much-loved brand. We produce bread and bakery products created with Hovis goodness at the heart of each. We deliver around 1.3million loaves, every day of the week throughout the UK and Ireland, where we also make Mothers Pride and Ormo products.

We are 2,800 people working within 8 bakeries, 1 flour mill, and 2 regional distribution centres across the UK. Our success is a result of the hard work of our people; they are experts in their field whether it’s baking, manufacturing, logistics, engineering, or the many departments within the central functions team based in our head office in High Wycombe. We are a values-led business and expect our colleagues to live, breathe, and embed Quality, Accountability, and Trust into their ways of working.

About the Role

We’re looking for a strong people and process leader to join a fast-paced bakery manufacturing environment as our Head Baker. This is a highly visible operational leadership role that sits between production, process improvement, and technical operations.

You’ll lead from the front, spending the majority of your time on the shop floor, driving standards, supporting teams, and working closely with senior site stakeholders to deliver operational excellence across bakery manufacturing.

This role would suit someone with experience in high-volume food or FMCG manufacturing who is confident operating in a fast-moving environment and influencing at senior level.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage bakery process operations across the manufacturing function
• Drive performance, quality, consistency, and continuous improvement on the shop floor
• Build strong relationships with senior stakeholders across site operations, technical, engineering, and leadership teams
• Support process optimisation, problem solving, and operational decision making
• Champion food safety, quality, and manufacturing standards
• Work collaboratively with NPD and technical teams to support product launches and process implementation
• Coach and develop operational teams to improve capability and performance
• Use data and operational insight to identify opportunities for efficiency and improvement

About You

We’re looking for someone who can combine operational presence with strong stakeholder management capability.

You will likely have:

• Experience within fast-paced manufacturing environments, ideally food, bakery, FMCG, or similar
• Strong operational leadership experience with a hands-on approach
• Confidence engaging and influencing at Site Lead / Senior Leadership level
• Experience working cross-functionally between operations and technical teams
• A track record of driving continuous improvement and operational performance
• Exposure to NPD, process implementation, or product launches would be advantageous as well as project management experience
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills
• A proactive, resilient, and solutions-focused mindset

Benefits Baked In

All colleagues can choose from a wide range of benefits in addition to salaries, based on their individual needs.

• Three levels of pension scheme to choose from - employer contribution of up to 7.5%
• Aviva DigiCare+ Workplace App includes: 'at home' Annual Health Check, Digital GP consultations, Nutritional Consultations, Second Medical Opinions and much more
• Enhanced parental leave (and flexibility where possible to suit your needs)
• Access to funded physiotherapy sessions
• Wellbeing support and campaigns to help you stay active and healthy, be financially prepared, and support your mental wellbeing
• Opt in plans for money back towards the cost of opticians, dentist, physiotherapist and more
• A benefits platform for all, Hovis Choice:
• £££ Savings and cashback offers on day-to-day spending
• Eyecare vouchers
• Cycle to work scheme