Job Overview: 

The Bakery Manager is responsible for leading the daily operations of the bakery department to drive sales growth, achieve profitability goals, maintain exceptional product quality and presentation, and deliver a positive shopping experience for customers. This role provides leadership and direction to bakery associates, ensures effective execution of production and merchandising standards, manages labor and inventory performance, and creates a safe, engaging, and productive work environment.
The Bakery Manager partners closely with Store Leadership and cross-functional teams to execute company programs, seasonal initiatives, and operational priorities while ensuring department standards for food safety, cleanliness, service, and overall customer satisfaction are consistently achieved.

Job Responsibilities: 

Core Responsibilities (NOTE: Should equate to 70% of overall job responsibility allocation)

Leadership & Talent Development
•    Lead, coach, and develop bakery associates to achieve department goals while creating an engaging, inclusive, and positive work environment. 
•    Provide daily direction, assign responsibilities, and communicate priorities to ensure effective execution of department tasks. 
•    Train associates on bakery processes, food preparation, customer service expectations, merchandising standards, and company policies. 
•    Provide ongoing feedback, coaching, and recognition to support associate performance and development. 
•    Monitor associate productivity and ensure effective utilization of labor hours. 
•    Create daily and weekly work plans that align staffing, production needs, and business priorities. 
•    Partner with Store Leadership to identify talent opportunities, address performance concerns, and support succession planning. 
•    Promote teamwork and collaboration within the bakery department and across store teams. 
•    Model company values, leadership behaviors, and exceptional customer service expectations. 

Customer Experience
•    Create a welcoming bakery environment that delivers exceptional service and meets customer expectations. 
•    Ensure bakery associates provide friendly, knowledgeable, and efficient service to every customer. 
•    Engage with customers, answer product questions, provide recommendations, and support suggestive selling opportunities. 
•    Assist customers with special orders, cake orders, product requests, substitutions, and service needs. 
•    Ensure accurate completion of customer orders and follow-up on customer requests. 
•    Maintain attractive, full, and organized displays that enhance the shopping experience. 
•    Support product sampling and customer engagement opportunities to drive excitement and sales. 
•    Resolve customer concerns professionally and ensure a positive customer experience. 

Operations & Merchandising
•    Plan and execute daily bakery operations to achieve sales goals, production needs, and department standards. 
•    Develop production plans and work schedules based on sales projections, promotions, seasonal needs, and customer demand. 
•    Execute company merchandising standards to maximize sales, product variety, and gross profit. 
•    Maintain bakery cases, displays, and sales areas to ensure products are fresh, full, clean, organized, and visually appealing. 
•    Monitor product quality, freshness, rotation, and availability to meet customer expectations. 
•    Execute seasonal promotions, holiday programs, resets, and merchandising initiatives. 
•    Perform and oversee bakery production activities, including baking, decorating, food preparation, stocking, and display building. 
•    Monitor product movement and inventory levels to ensure appropriate ordering and in-stock conditions. 
•    Partner with vendors to support approved displays, product quality, promotional execution, and issue resolution. 
•    Collaborate with other departments to execute store-wide promotions and cross-merchandising opportunities. 
•    Communicate department performance, opportunities, and action plans with Store Leadership. 

Financial & Inventory Management
•    Manage bakery department performance by achieving sales, labor, shrink, and profitability goals. 
•    Analyze sales trends, labor performance, production needs, and operational results to make informed business decisions. 
•    Create labor schedules that align staffing levels with business needs while maintaining productivity expectations. 
•    Monitor sales per labor hour and adjust work assignments to maximize efficiency. 
•    Manage inventory processes including ordering, receiving, invoicing, pricing, and product control. 
•    Ensure accurate receiving practices, including verification of invoices, credits, transfer slips, and purchase records. 
•    Monitor inventory levels, product movement, and shrink opportunities to minimize waste and improve profitability. 
•    Complete and maintain accurate inventory records and required reporting. 
•    Review gross profit performance and department reports to identify opportunities and implement solutions. 
•    Partner with Store Leadership and pricing teams to ensure accurate pricing, signage, and promotional execution. 

Safety, Compliance & Store Leadership
•    Ensure compliance with company policies, procedures, and operational standards. 
•    Maintain a safe working environment by following and enforcing safety practices, proper equipment usage, and workplace standards. 
•    Ensure compliance with food safety, sanitation, cleanliness, and product handling requirements. 
•    Monitor proper food preparation, storage, temperature control, and product rotation practices. 
•    Ensure outdated, damaged, or unsafe products are removed according to company guidelines. 
•    Maintain department conditions that support food safety, customer satisfaction, and operational excellence. 
•    Promote a culture of safety, accountability, and compliance among bakery associates. 
•    Partner with Store Director, Assistant Store Director, and other department leaders to support store goals and initiatives. 
•    Participate in store meetings, leadership discussions, and operational planning. 
•    Serve as a trusted department leader who contributes to overall store success.  
Performs other duties as assigned.
 

Job Requirements: 

Education/ Certifications: 
•    High school diploma or equivalent required. 
•    Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Business, Retail Management, Supply Chain, or a related field preferred. 
•    Forklift or powered equipment certification, or ability to become certified, as required. 
•    Food Safety Certification (ServSafe or equivalent) preferred where applicable.

Experience: 
·    Minimum of 2 years of retail leadership, grocery operations, or department management experience preferred. 
·    Experience leading, coaching, and developing associates in a fast-paced retail environment. 
·    Experience managing merchandising, labor, inventory, pricing, and financial performance. 
·    Previous experience serving as a Manager on Duty or equivalent leadership role is preferred.

Knowledge/Skills/ Abilities
•    Demonstrated ability to lead, motivate, coach, and develop high-performing teams. 
•    Strong performance management, delegation, and conflict resolution skills. 
•    Ability to influence others and build collaborative relationships across departments. 
•    Strong understanding of retail operations, merchandising, inventory management, labor planning, and financial performance. 
•    Ability to analyze business metrics and develop action plans that improve sales, profitability, and operational execution. 
•    Passion for delivering exceptional customer service and creating a positive shopping experience. 
•    Ability to resolve customer concerns with professionalism and sound judgment. 
•    Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills. 
•    Strong organizational, planning, time management, and prioritization abilities. 
•    Effective problem-solving and decision-making skills in a fast-paced environment. 
•    Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook). 
•    Ability to operate retail equipment, including pallet jacks, powered equipment (where certified), box cutters, compactors, flatbeds, and other department tools. 
•    Ability to learn and utilize company inventory, scheduling, and reporting systems.
•    Good judgment is required for this position as there may be times when direct supervision may not be immediately available.

Work Environment:  

Onsite Role: 
•    This position requires the associate to perform all duties at one of our UNFI locations, such as a distribution center or office.

Physical Environment/Demands: 
•    Work is performed primarily in a retail grocery environment with occasional travel to other company locations for meetings or business needs. 
•    Frequently stand, walk, bend, reach, stoop, kneel, twist, and perform repetitive motions throughout the workday. 
•    Frequently lift, carry, push, and pull products and equipment consistent with grocery operations. 
•    Safely operate department equipment, including hand jacks, power jacks (where certified), flatbeds, compactors, box cutters, and cleaning equipment. 
•    Ability to work a flexible schedule, including mornings, evenings, weekends, holidays, and peak business periods. 
•    Ability to work a flexible schedule, including evenings, weekends, holidays, and peak business periods.