Department
Orders / Customer Fulfillment
Reports To
Sales and Marketing Manager
Job Purpose
The Head of Department – Orders is a hands-on leader responsible for the day-to-day running of the Orders Department in a bakery production environment. This role ensures all customer orders are received, processed, and released to production accurately and on time. The position works closely with Production, Sales, and Logistics to keep the bakery running smoothly, even during peak demand and last-minute changes.
This is an operational leadership role that requires being actively involved in order processing, problem-solving, and team support, not just oversight.
Key Responsibilities
Hands-On Leadership
- Lead from the front by actively supporting the team during peak ordering periods
- Allocate daily workloads and priorities to ensure all orders are processed on time
- Train, coach, and develop team members to improve accuracy and efficiency
- Step in to process or amend orders when required to meet deadlines
- Maintain team discipline, accountability, and a strong service mindset
Order Processing & Control
- Oversee the full order lifecycle from receipt to production release and dispatch
- Ensure orders are accurate, fully priced, and aligned with customer agreements
- Manage urgent, late, and amended orders without disrupting production
- Ensure cut-off times are adhered to and clearly communicated
- Reduce rework, credits, and production waste caused by order errors
Cross-Functional Coordination
- Work closely with Production and Planning to confirm capacity and product availability
- Communicate order changes, shortages, or special requirements clearly and promptly
- Support Sales with feasibility checks and customer commitments
- Coordinate with Logistics to ensure delivery routes and schedules align with orders
Process Improvement & Systems
- Identify bottlenecks and inefficiencies in order flow and resolve them quickly
- Maintain and improve SOPs for order entry, amendments, and cancellations
- Ensure ERP/order systems are used correctly and consistently by the team
- Use data and daily issues to drive practical, continuous improvements
Customer Service & Issue Resolution
- Act as the escalation point for order-related customer issues
- Resolve complaints related to shortages, errors, or delivery problems
- Ensure clear communication with customers when issues arise
Compliance & Reporting
- Ensure full traceability and compliance with food safety and bakery standards
- Monitor daily and weekly performance metrics
- Provide clear, practical reports to management with actions and outcomes
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
The Head of Department – Orders will be measured against the following KPIs:
- Order Accuracy Rate (%) – Target: ≥ 99%
- On-Time Order Release to Production (%) – Target: ≥ 98%
- Order Entry Turnaround Time – Orders processed within agreed cut-off times
- Number of Order-Related Credits / Claims – Continuous reduction month-on-month
- Production Disruptions Caused by Order Errors – Minimized and tracked
- Customer Complaints Related to Orders – Reduction trend
- Team Productivity & Attendance – Stable staffing and low error rates
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Work Location: In person
