Job Summary
The SweetSide is an established specialty cake and dessert bakery in Seattle’s Maple Leaf neighborhood. For more than 15 years, we have created custom cakes, wedding cakes, cookies, pastries and desserts for celebrations throughout the Seattle area.
We are looking for an experienced baker and capable leader to oversee daily bakery production, guide our bakery staff and help take greater ownership of our day-to-day operations.
This is a hands-on position. The Baker / Bakery Manager will be responsible for independently completing our morning bakeoff, including a rotating selection of cookies and pastries. They will also work alongside the team to prepare cake batters, fillings, buttercreams and other bakery components.
Beyond production, this person will organize workflow, provide impeccable customer service, provide clear direction to employees and help establish systems that allow the bakery to operate with less daily involvement from the owner.
What You’ll Do
- Independently complete the bakery’s morning bakeoff
- Bake and finish a rotating daily selection of cookies and pastries
- Ensure the dessert counter is stocked on time with fresh, consistently prepared products
- Lead and participate in daily baking and production
- Prepare cake batters, cookies, pastries, fillings, buttercreams and other bakery components
- Review upcoming orders and create clear, realistic production plans
- Assign work and provide daily direction to bakery employees
- Monitor production and adjust priorities as needed
- Ensure orders are completed accurately, efficiently and on schedule
- Maintain consistent recipes, portions, quality and presentation
- Monitor ingredients and supplies and communicate purchasing needs
- Help manage inventory and minimize unnecessary waste
- Maintain food-safety, sanitation and organizational standards
- Train, support and provide constructive feedback to bakery employees
- Communicate with decorators and other team members about order details and deadlines
- Identify production problems early and take the lead in resolving them
- Help document recipes, procedures and bakery operating systems
- Work closely with the owner while gradually assuming greater responsibility for daily bakery operations
Who We’re Looking For
You are a strong professional baker who enjoys bringing organization and leadership to a busy kitchen. You are comfortable arriving in the morning, assessing the day’s needs and completing a bakeoff independently and on schedule.
You understand that bakery management requires both planning and participation. You are willing to jump into production, but you can also see the full workload, establish priorities and keep the team moving forward.
You are dependable, calm under pressure and comfortable making decisions. You take pride in producing consistent work and helping the people around you succeed.
Required Qualifications
- Professional baking or pastry-production experience
- Experience managing time-sensitive daily production
- Strong working knowledge of scratch baking methods
- Confidence producing cookies and a variety of pastries
- Ability to follow and consistently reproduce established recipes
- Experience managing multiple products, orders and deadlines
- Strong organization, communication and problem-solving skills
- Ability to give clear direction and work respectfully with different personalities
- Dependability, punctuality and excellent attention to detail
- Ability to work independently during early morning hours
- Ability to work efficiently in a fast-paced production environment
- Current Washington State Food Worker Card, or ability to obtain one
- Ability to stand for extended periods and safely lift up to 50 pounds
- Availability for early mornings and some weekends
Preferred Qualifications
- Previous bakery, pastry-kitchen or food-production leadership experience
- Experience supervising, training or scheduling employees
- Experience with custom cakes, wedding cakes or celebration desserts
- Experience with laminated doughs or other pastry production
- Experience with Swiss meringue buttercream
- Familiarity with inventory management and production-cost awareness
- Experience developing or improving kitchen systems and procedures
Formal culinary or pastry education is welcome but not required. We value demonstrated skill, experience, dependability and leadership.
Hours and Schedule
This is a full-time position averaging approximately 32–40 hours per week.
The schedule will include early mornings to complete the bakery’s morning bakeoff, along with some weekends, particularly during wedding season, holidays and other high-volume periods.
Applicants must be comfortable with a production-driven schedule that may vary based on order volume and seasonal needs.
Compensation and Benefits
- $27-34 per hour, depending on relevant baking and management experience
- Paid sick leave
- Employee bakery discount
To Apply
Please send your résumé and a short introduction explaining:
- Your professional baking experience
- Your experience producing cookies and pastries
- Any experience leading or managing a bakery or kitchen team
- Why this position at The SweetSide interests you
- Your general schedule availability
Photos or a portfolio of your baking work are welcome but not required.
The SweetSide is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome applicants with different backgrounds and experiences who share our commitment to quality, teamwork and excellent service.
Pay: $27.00 - $34.00 per hour
Benefits:
- Employee discount
- Paid time off
Work Location: In person
