Bakeries Specialist

It's fun to work in a company where people truly BELIEVE in what they're doing!

The Bakery Specialist is a senior technical specialist within Research & Development responsible for providing expert bakery science and manufacturing support across the Albany bakery network. The role serves as the critical link between product development, third-party technical partners, suppliers, and bakery manufacturing operations to ensure products, processes, and innovations are scalable, cost-effective, and capable of delivering consistent manufacturing performance.

The position requires advanced technical expertise, significant independent problem-solving capability, and influence across multiple functions and business units.

• Provide specialised baking science expertise to support manufacturing, process optimisation, quality improvement, and innovation initiatives.
• Serve as the technical authority for bakery formulations, ingredient functionality, process controls, and recipe governance.
• Support bakeries in resolving complex product and process challenges through structured troubleshooting and root cause analysis.

• Assess technical feasibility of innovation and renovation opportunities.
• Develop and optimise bakery products in line with project briefs and consumer requirements.
• Lead the transition of products from development through commercial implementation.
• Validate successful manufacturing implementation to ensure quality, consistency, and consumer satisfaction.

• Drive formulation and process improvements that improve quality, efficiency, and competitiveness.
• Lead value analysis initiatives to reduce costs while maintaining product performance and customer experience.
• Identify and evaluate emerging bakery technologies and industry trends.

• High-level expertise across multiple specialised bakery disciplines.
• Advanced understanding of bakery manufacturing, ingredient functionality, formulation science, and industrial baking processes.
• Ability to interpret complex scientific, technical, operational, and regulatory information.

• Allocates work to project participants and technical resources.
• Coordinates activities across functions.
• Provides leadership through technical expertise and influence.

The Bakery Specialist must be capable of understanding and interpreting:

• Complex scientific research.
• Technical reports and project briefs.
• Industry legislation and regulatory requirements.

• Bachelor's Degree, National Diploma, or equivalent qualification in Food Science, Food Technology, Cereal Science, Bakery Science, or a related discipline.

• Minimum 5 years' industrial bakery experience.
• Proven experience in commercial bakery manufacturing environments.
• Demonstrated expertise in bakery process optimisation and troubleshooting.

• Up to 10 years' experience in bakery manufacturing, product development, or technical specialist roles.

In accordance with the employment equity plan of Tiger Brands and its employment equity goals and targets, preference may be given, but is not limited, to candidates from under-represented designated groups.