Our Client is a multi- national food logistics and facilities provider. Founded in 1957 its headquarters are in Europe and are renowned as a market leader and an innovative distributor of wholesale food products and food logistics concepts. They are experts in the handling of customs procedures, cross border transactions and dealing with local cultures, languages and bureaucracy.

They distribute food products across all temperature spans including fresh produce and also deliver soft drinks and bottled water. They have sites in Europe, Africa, Middle East and Near Asia, a fleet of 40 foot multi : temperature trucks and vans delivering to sites on a daily basis, many of which are difficult to reach or in dangerous areas!

Over the years the business has developed from food logistics to include the provision of complex service solutions. They now provide catering operations- both military feeding and commercial catering, they operate bakeries, coffee shops, hairdressing and beautician salons and PX / Duty Free retail stores which sell groceries, electrical and other duty free items etc. They also have a Site Services Division which provides construction of buildings and offices, general facilities management, fuel management, vehicle and plant maintenance services.

Our client is currently seeking an accomplished Bakery Manager to take responsibility for our client?s state of the art industrial bakery in Kabul, Afghanistan.

The role:
Overall the role involves taking the full management and operational responsibility for our client?s state-of-the-art industrial bakery in Kabul, Afghanistan producing bread, rolls and pastry products for 40.000 people daily. The successful candidate will manage and direct 50 -80 staff involved in the bakery operations in order to meeting agreed daily production targets and agreed performance standards. You will order raw materials and supplies, and implement Quality Assurance procedures to ensure consistent quality standards are maintained throughout all of our client?s bakery operations.
The key tasks will be:
§ Manage inventory levels of all raw materials and supplies in order to meet customer requirements and maximize profits and operational efficiency.
§ Schedule employee working hours and effectively use staff resources and supplies to meet production targets.
§ Prepare, maintain, and track records concerning raw material inventories, bakery output, and work processes to calculate gross monthly profit according to Company policy.
§ Direct, oversee, and evaluate staff and determine training needed by bakery employees.
§ Maintain a safe and clean environment to ensure our client?s health and safety and quality requirements are met.
§ Liaise with our client?s principal customers and attend planning meetings.
§ Manage planned preventive maintenance (PPM) programme for all bakery equipment to the extent necessary to minimize downtime and maintain production targets.
§ As the need arises, visit other remote site locations to advise on bakery operations and assist in procurement and installation of new bakery equipment.
§ To set high standards of baking in the day to day running of the operation
§ Ensure areas of responsibility meet the approved organisation quality audits.
§ Organise and record food safety and health & safety training for all staff.
§ Prepare and receive weekly provisions in line with budgets.
§ Ensure bakery products are ready on time and presented to our client?s standards.
§ Ensure all staff have their entitled time off and leave ensuring the operational needs are met.
§ To ensure that all security procedures are adhered to.
§ To recommend and discuss with the Catering Services Manager any improvements to the system/procedures which may be beneficial to our client?s operations.
As in any successful management position, the development and motivation of the team around you is essential.

Knowledge and Skills:

You should be an energetic and accomplished English speaking Bakery Manager / Head Baker. You should be highly self motivated with the ability to communicate and motivate a varied team. You should have experience of managing a modern bakery and your experience should be supported by vocational bakery qualifications and preferably a food safety qualification.

Experience of working in a retail bakery operation, contracted catering services, in a military environment or for a leading international facilities management provider would be ideal, as would experience of working in post conflict areas, remote sites, on oil rigs or in other arduous environments.

You will have an excellent understanding of commercial bakery operations and specifically a high degree of knowledge on food hygiene including HACCP, food handling and food presentation concepts and knowledge of popular catering and bakery products. e.g. croissants, cakes, pastries, sweets and patisserie products etc.
You should be numerically and financiall