Managing Director - Operations [Bakery]

NB: Due to the organisational importance, nature and requirements of this role, and the proximity and interaction with Luminary’s beneficiaries, it is a genuine occupational requirement under the Equality Act 2010 that the applicant for this role is female, in line with Luminary Bakery’s mission, objectives and Articles of Association.

Title: Managing Director (Operations)

Reports to: Luminary Bakery Chair, Luminary Bakery Board

Locations: Stoke Newington Café (N16), Hackney Downs Studios Production Kitchen (E8), Kings Cross (NC1) Café & Bakery and future locations as required. *Note, this role will be required on-site at one of these locations the majority of the working week. 

Salary: £70,000 per annum

Hours: Full Time, 40 hours per week

Anticipated start date: January 2027

We’re looking for an operational leader to join Luminary Bakery at an exciting time of growth. As we expand our social enterprise, you’ll play a pivotal role in driving both commercial success and social impact, helping shape Luminary Bakery’s future while empowering disadvantaged women through employment and training opportunities.

About Luminary Bakery

Luminary Bakery is an award-winning social enterprise using baking as a tool for social change. Through our cafés, bakery production kitchen and commercial trading activities, we create employment opportunities, work experience placements and apprenticeships for women who have experienced violence, disadvantage and multiple barriers to employment.

We operate a retail café in Stoke Newington, a central production kitchen at Hackney Downs Studios and are preparing to open a new café and bakery concept in Kings Cross. As we enter our next stage of growth, we are seeking an experienced operational leader to strengthen our foundations, embed operational excellence and build a business that is commercially sustainable, socially impactful and recognised for industry-leading standards.

Purpose of the Role

Luminary Bakery are a small but ambitious organisation, and we're looking for someone who wants  ownership and influence across the whole business as we enter this exciting phase of growth. The Managing Director is responsible for the overall performance, sustainability and operational success of Luminary Bakery.

This role combines strategic leadership with hands-on operational management. The successful candidate will oversee all retail, production, facilities, compliance, logistics and people functions across the business, ensuring every site operates safely, efficiently and profitably.

They will lead the next phase of Luminary Bakery's development, including the successful launch and operation of Kings Cross, the optimisation of Hackney Downs Studios production capacity, continuous improvement of Stoke Newington Café and the creation of a scalable operating model for future growth.

The Managing Director will champion a culture of accountability, quality, inclusion and continuous improvement and ensure Luminary Bakery remains a market-leading social enterprise.

Key Responsibilities

1. Leadership, Finance & Strategy

• • Lead the business and deliver the strategic objectives agreed with the Board. - acting as the senior leader and ambassador of Luminary Bakery.
  • Develop and execute annual business plans, budgets and operational priorities, translating strategic goals into measurable KPIs across all departments.
  • Maintain a high-performing leadership culture focused on accountability, ownership and collaboration.
  • Prepare board & shareholder reports, and present operational and commercial performance to directors.
  • Deliver agreed profitability, productivity and cash flow targets - work closely with the Finance Lead on budgets, forecasts and financial planning.
  • Monitor labour, food costs, waste, overheads and operational KPIs - identify opportunities for automation, efficiency and cost reduction.
  
  

2. Operations Oversight

• • Oversee the day-to-day operation of all Luminary Bakery sites, ensuring consistency, capacity management & performance across retail, production and delivery functions.
  • Drive continuous improvement in productivity, efficiency, quality and customer experience - establishing clear operating procedures and ensuring adherence across all locations.
  • Develop scalable systems capable of supporting future site openings and growth; identifying operational bottlenecks and implementing sustainable solutions.
  • Lead the development and implementation of sustainability, ESG and impact practices across the business, including assessing, initiating and managing relevant external accreditation processes such as B Corp certification.
  • Ensure production resources, labour planning and equipment utilisation are optimised - ensuring effective logistics, and developing data-led capacity planning models to support future growth.
  • Oversee procurement, supplier management and stock control systems.
  
  

3. Kings Cross Growth

• • Operational responsibility for the successful performance of the Kings Cross café and bakery - taking ownership of stabilising and embedding the operating model, maintaining high standards and addressing operational issues quickly.
  • Ensure staffing, rotas, training and service standards deliver an excellent customer experience while maintaining operational and financial efficiency.
  • Ensure Kings Cross successfully integrates Luminary's social impact objectives, including work experience, apprenticeships and graduate employment opportunities.
  • Monitor performance against agreed sales, margin, labour, customer experience and operational targets, taking action where performance is below plan.
  • Undertake competitor and market analysis and identify opportunities to grow sales, profitability, partnerships and customer engagement.
  • Capture learning from Kings Cross to improve the wider business and develop a scalable operating model for future sites.
  
  

4. Compliance, Food Safety & Facilities

• • Hold overall responsibility for Health & Safety, Food Safety and operational compliance.
  • Ensure compliance with HACCP, SALSA, allergen management and all statutory obligations.
  • Lead regular audits and continuous improvement programmes.
  • Manage facilities, maintenance, contractors and service providers across all sites to ensure safe, welcoming and well-maintained environments for staff and customers.
  • Develop robust risk management and business continuity plans.
  
  

5. People & Culture

• • Lead, coach and develop managers across retail, production and support functions.
  • Line Manage Head Baker, Sales Manager, Cafe Managers, HR Manager and Bookkeepers 
  • Maintain a culture that reflects Luminary's values of Quality, Purpose, Community and Inclusivity - fostering an environment where continuous improvement and innovation are encouraged.
  • Ensure effective performance management and team development - maintaining high levels of engagement, wellbeing and retention.

Person Specification

Essential Experience

• • Senior leadership experience within hospitality, food production, retail or multi-site operations.
  • Experience managing multiple sites and diverse operational teams.
  • Strong understanding of food manufacturing, food safety and compliance.
  • Proven experience improving operational performance and profitability.
  • Experience leading change, growth projects or site openings.
  • Strong commercial and financial acumen.
  • Experience building and developing high-performing teams.
  
  

Desirable Experience

• • Social enterprise, charity or purpose-led business experience.
  • Experience opening new hospitality locations.
  • SALSA, BRC, HACCP or equivalent food manufacturing experience.
  • Experience leading ESG, sustainability or B Corp initiatives.
  • Experience scaling businesses through systems, processes and operational infrastructure.
  
  

Personal Attributes

• • Values-led leader with high integrity.
  • Strategic thinker who is equally comfortable rolling up their sleeves operationally.
  • Calm under pressure and highly resilient.
  • Excellent communicator and relationship builder.
  • Data-driven and solutions-focused.
  • Passionate about social impact and women's empowerment.
  • Committed to continuous improvement and operational excellence.
  • Entrepreneurial mindset