Bakery Trainer at Sasol

Purpose of Job

• The role is responsible for training, coaching and developing site staff to ensure compliance with recommended retail food offerings, operational procedures, adhering to food safety standards, and customer service standards. This includes delivering theoretical and practical training to site teams on menu preparation, equipment operation, food production processes, hygiene practices, stock control and overall kitchen operations. The incumbent will support franchisees and site teams in delivering a consistent, high-quality food offering that improves operational efficiency, enhances customer experience and supports retail sales growth.

Key Accountabilities

• Create menu suited to the convenience retail forecourt environment.
• Train staff on preparation methods and portion control guidelines to ensure product consistency across sites.
• Continuously review and update the menu range to maintain customer relevance.
• Support the introduction of new products and menu innovations aligned with the company’s retail food strategy.

Site Visits – Planning and Scheduling

• Draw up and submit a weekly site visit schedule containing a logical and realistic site visit plan.
• Ensure call cycle planning is followed to support operational execution across all sites.
• Conduct site visits to assess operational standards, food quality and staff competency in menu execution.
• Provide on-site coaching to improve kitchen operations and food preparation standards.

Training, Coaching and Development of Site Staff

• Train, coach and develop site staff to ensure compliance with food service standards and full operational procedures related to food production.
• Ensure the entire process supports operational efficiency and consistent product quality across all sites.
• Provide ongoing coaching and support to ensure continuous improvement in food preparation and service standards.
• Present theoretical training in a classroom environment as well as practical training on site.
• Conduct competency assessments of staff to evaluate performance and identify areas for improvement.
• Training records to be uploaded on the eLMS.

Site Opening Support

• Provide operational support during the opening of new retail sites.
• Ensure efficient and error-free implementation of the food offering.
• Conduct training for new site teams on menu execution, operational procedures and equipment usage.
• Demonstrate best practice behaviour in delivering excellent customer service.

Equipment Training and Implementation

• Train site staff on the correct, safe and efficient use of all kitchen equipment in conjunction with the equipment supplier.
• Assist with testing and evaluation of new equipment before rollout.

Food Safety, Hygiene and Compliance

• Ensure that store staff and franchisees adhere to all food safety standards.
• Train staff on food hygiene standards including proper food handling, storage and preparation practices.
• Ensure strict compliance with personal hygiene standards in the kitchen environment.
• Conduct regular operational checks to ensure compliance with company policies and regulatory requirements.

Optimising Retail Food Performance

• Assist retailers in improving site turnover through improved food offering and operational execution.
• Identify opportunities to improve product quality, workflow and operational efficiency.
• Assist in implementing food merchandising standards and planograms across retail sites.
• Support continuous improvement of operating procedures to improve operational performance.

Skills Transfer and Coaching

• Share best practices with internal teams, franchisees and site staff.
• Work in collaboration with Retail Account Managers and other internal stakeholders to ensure operational objectives are achieved.
• Maintain professional relationships with franchisees and site managers.
• Continuously seek and propose ways to improve the effectiveness of training programs.

Qualifications and Experience

• Matric and driver’s licence  Must 
• Professional Chef Qualification (NQF Level 5), Diploma : Food Consumer Science/ Food Science / Hospitality Management / Food Service Management  - advantageous. 
• Minimum 6 years’ experience in a professional kitchen environment
• Experience in retail food service, quick service restaurants, or convenience food operations is advantageous
• Experience in menu development and recipe standardization
• Knowledge of food safety systems
• Experience in staff training and operational implementation