Competitive triathletes and passionate bakers, Pam Weekes and Connie McDonald left their careers to open a small bread shop in New York City in 1995 — Levain Bakery.
One day, they baked a BIG chocolate chip walnut cookie as energy for triathlon training. At Levain, a batch of these 6-ounce cookies flew off the shelves, and an icon was born. The cozy shop on West 74th Street became a neighborhood favorite and a destination for epicurious visitors from around the world, hungry for “the cookie.”
From the start, Pam, Connie, and the team baked everything fresh on-site each day, donating the day’s leftovers to charity — and we still do, nearly 30 years later. Today, Levain has bakeries across the country (with more to come!), plus ecommerce gift boxes to treat cookie lovers in every state.
Our Vision: To give rise to lifelong memories
Our Mission: To bring together people who treat their work and the craft of baking and all who come to visit with great care.
Every day, we strive to embody our company’s five core values:
- Welcome All- We are all in it together
- Work Hard and Be Kind- We pull our weight, we do our best, and take care of each other
- Lead with Heart- We operate with empathy and integrity
- Rise Up- We take initiative to make things better
- Savor It- We are present and find the fun!
THE ROLE: COMMISSARY TEAM LEADER
The Commissary Production Team Leader will supervise the daily cookie dough production for all of Levain’s west coast locations and ensure every one of our world-famous cookies is the best quality possible. The Commissary Team Leader motivates team members to achieve production standards in quality, efficiency, and productivity.
What We’re Looking For:
- Strong communication & interpersonal skills; team-oriented with a positive attitude
- Maintain a high level of professionalism and care: be adaptable, flexible, and patient
- Be open to feedback and committed to continuous improvement
- Ability to continuously motivate and inspire team members and set a positive example for the team
- Ability to remain calm under pressure in a fast-paced environment when troubleshooting issues: be consistent, patient, and even keeled
- Results-oriented approach with the ability to deliver against daily production schedules
- Detail-oriented with passion and patience for creating consistent, high-quality products
- Proven leadership and supervisory skills with the ability to optimize team performance and development
- Embody and promote the values and standards of Levain Bakery
Job Responsibilities:
Leadership & Team Supervision
- Lead with curiosity and compassion by showing care for your co-workers and build meaningful connections that broaden your perspective
- Display a strong sense of teamwork: inspire and supervise all commissary staff
- Supervise all production, sanitation, maintenance, and shipping operations to achieve quality, labor, and product standards
- Provide constructive feedback and coaching to team members to help them improve
- Facilitate open, clear, and effective verbal and written communication with team members, bakery retail leaders, and management
- Continuously train, coach, and develop to improve product knowledge with your team and inspire improvement in production skills
Production & Coordination
- Understand the full production process and maintain a schedule that ensures high output and consistent product quality
- Supervise daily operations to ensure all SOPs are strictly followed
- Prepare and coordinate bakery deliveries, manage invoices, and maintain production spreadsheet
- Ensure the production room is properly set up each day; oversee prep activities
- Accurately weigh and portion cookie dough to meet our 6-ounce standard
- Portion dough manually to ensure consistent shaping
- Mix cookie dough using mixing equipment and follow exact recipes to produce consistent, high-quality batches
- Implement and oversee quality control procedures that ensure product consistency
- Support accurate inventory and ensure supplies are appropriately stocked (FIFO)
- Oversee deliveries of ingredients, paper products, and chemicals
Workplace Safety & Compliance
- Directly supervise and ensure all employees adhere to all food safety, sanitation, hygiene, and uniform standards
- Actively identify and prevent unsafe practices; report concerns to management
- Report production or equipment concerns to management in a timely manner
Requirements:
- Minimum 1-3 years in food operations or production facilities, with 1 year supervisory experience preferred
- Open availability: ability to work mornings, nights, weekends, and holidays
- Ability to work 50 hours per week
- Ability to lift/push up to 55+ pounds, including overhead
- Stand/walk for an 8-hour shift (excluding a ½ hour break); some locations require walking up and down stairs
- Read and communicate in English, both verbally and in writing
- Competency in Microsoft Office applications, especially Excel
Compensation & Benefits
- $21-24/hour + 10% bonus
- Health, Vision, Dental Insurance
- Employer-funded Healthcare Reimbursement Account
- Additional supplemental benefits: Commuter Benefits, Employee Assistance Program, Bike-Share Reimbursement
- 14 Weeks Fully Paid Parental Leave
- Three Weeks of Paid Time Off
- 401K with 3.5% Company Match
We are committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplace where all employees feel valued and empowered to contribute their unique perspectives.