Employment

You will LOVE working for

Grasmere Gingerbread®

Join Grasmere Gingerbread® as we prepare to celebrate our amazing 170th anniversary in 2024.

Situated in the romantic village of Grasmere at the heart of the beautiful UNESCO Lake District National Park, our unique, historic, and multi-award-winning 4th generation family business has stood the test of time.

When you work for us, we consider you to be part of the family and you are a valued individual member of a friendly and close-knit team.

We work hard in our shop, bakery, mail order and admin, and also across the country as Grasmere Gingerbread® attends a host of fairs, street markets and special seasonal events.

But we have never lost sight of our Victorian family roots. The loving dedication and compassionate ethos of Sarah Nelson - who invented Grasmere Gingerbread® in 1854 - still informs everything that we do.

Join our team and you not only enjoy a competitive salary and host of in-service benefits - including as much Grasmere Gingerbread® as you can eat.

But the backdrop to your daily working life is our stunning Grasmere valley and lake, the cultural and literary heritage of William Wordsworth and Beatrix Potter, and the sweetest mountain air.

Cumbria not only offers the best of the outdoors but also many cultural experiences; Wordsworth’s and Potter’s homes are open to the public, as are many other historic houses, castles, and gardens.

We even provide an exclusive secluded garden for you to enjoy your breaks against a background of bird song as your health and wellbeing is important to us.

If you are excited to be part of our excellent team and are interested in one of our job vacancies below then please get in touch.

We look forward to hearing from you…

Current Vacancies

Days of work:                                               

5 days per week to include one day at the weekend. Exact working days to be confirmed. 

Hours of work:                                 

37.5 hours per week (exact hours to be confirmed) (1-hour lunch)

*From the first Monday in November until the first Monday in January the shop will close at 5pm and therefore half an hour less to be worked each day. From the first Monday in January until the week preceding February Half Term (wherever that may fall) the shop will close at 4:30pm and therefore one hour less to be worked each day.

Rate of pay:                                      

£13 an hour (age 23 and over)  

Bonus:                                               

An annual bonus of £1,000* Only payable on successful completion of worked employment to January 1st each year, (pro rata from employment date).

Length of contract:                          

Permanent

Main purpose of job:                       

To work as part of a small team in a specialist bakery assisting in production of Gingerbread and kitchen operation and to work in the shop providing final presentation of products through packaging and offering first class customer service through knowledge and communication to a wide range of international customers.

Main tasks of the job:                      

Bakery: Product preparation, baking, packaging, cleaning of work areas, quality control, off-loading of deliveries.

Skills and Experience:

  • Reliable and flexible.
  • Can work as part of a small team in a limited and fast paced environment.
  • Presentable for working in a food production environment and customer interface.
  • Can deliver first class customer service and quality performance.
  • Experience not necessary as full training can be given for the right candidate.

Our Provision/Benefits: We offer you the opportunity to work in the most beautiful part of the UNESCO Lake District National Park, and as part of a 4th generation friendly family business that prides itself on its social responsibility and commitment to the charitable sector, but we also offer (points 1 and 7 after 3 months probationary. Points 3 and 4 after a year’s service):

  1. Health policy with the option to add family members which offers a cash back scheme not only for health but everyday essentials and luxuries.
  2. Additional annual bonus payment(s) linked to team performance.
  3. A birthday present of a day’s pay on your birthday.
  4. £50 worth of goodies of your choice.
  5. If not resident in Grasmere, free car parking.
  6. Travel allowance of 50p per mile over and above a total daily commute of 40 miles return, to and from work.
  7. ‘My Cumbria Card’ offering discounts for regional attractions and facilities.
  8. Staff Discount.
  9. Training where necessary.
  10. Payment of out of work courses that would be beneficial to the position.
  11. Uniform – to be worn to company’s code of practice.
  12. Free refreshments and as much Grasmere Gingerbread® as you like while at work.

To note:                     

  • Be able to lift and carry
  • Special confidentially agreement to be undertaken
  • Adhere to the strict company Health & Hygiene policy

 

To apply:  Applications will ONLY be accepted on a company application form and submitted by hard-copy ‘by-hand’, by email or by post.  

For any questions, please do not hesitate to contact our People & Culture Manager, Zoe at people@grasmeregingerbread.co.uk

Application forms can be downloaded from our website under employment or please contact Zoe on the email address above.

https://www.grasmeregingerbread.co.uk/page/employment/

 

Days of work:                                               

4 or 5 days, one of the days will be a weekend day.

Hours of work:                                 

5.00am – 2.00pm (1hour break).

Rate of pay:                                      

£14 - £16 an hour – dependent on qualifications and experience.

Bonus:                                               

An annual bonus of £1,000* (only payable on successful completion of worked employment to January 1st each year, pro rata from employment date). Plus, an additional Quality Control bonus – see benefits below.

Length of contract:                          

Permanent 

Main purpose of job:                       

To deliver the ‘best gingerbread in the world’ to the customer by implementing quality methodology and procedures in established bakery operation and production. 

Main tasks of the job:                      

  • Open bakery and prepare ovens and other equipment;
  • Prepare trays of mixture to specific standard ready for baking;
  • Monitor and control ovens, setting timers and responsible for optimum bake;
  • Monitor quality and standard of ingredients;
  • Quality control throughout process including final product suitability for packaging and sale;
  • To deal with special requests and seasonal promotions e.g. chocolate decorating and bespoke shaping of gingerbread and assist in the further development of these areas;
  • Cleaning of work areas in preparation for following day;
  • Preparation of ingredients prior to mixing process;
  • Responsible key holder and ability to work independently for some of the time;
  • To contribute towards the development of production processes and quality standards;
  • Any other duties relevant to production.

Relationships;

Ultimately responsible to:               

Operations Manager

Reporting to:                                    

Bakery Manager and Bakery Supervisor                  

Liaison with:                                    

All members of the team

Essential skills:                                

  • Min of 2 years’ experience working in a bakery environment;
  • Must have a formal qualification in Baking, Patisserie or Confectionery;
  • Presentable for working in a food production environment and adhere to relevant legislation; min of Level 2 Food Safety Certificate;
  • Reliable and flexible;
  • Can work independently and also as part of a small team in a limited and fast-paced environment;
  • Can deliver a first class product through consistent quality performance to meet customer expectations and beyond.

Our Provision/Benefits: We offer you the opportunity to work in the most beautiful part of the UNESCO Lake District National Park, and as part of a 3rd generation friendly family business that prides itself on its social responsibility and commitment to the charitable sector, but we also offer (points 1 and 7 after 3 months probationary, points 3 and 4 after a year’s service):

  1. Health policy with the option to add family members which offers a cash back scheme not only for health but everyday essentials and luxuries;
  2. Additional annual bonus payment linked to Quality Control performance;
  3. A birthday present of a day’s pay on your birthday;
  4. £50 worth of goodies of your choice;
  5. If not resident in Grasmere, free car parking;
  6. Travel allowance of 50p per mile over and above a total daily commute of 40 miles return, to and from work;
  7. ‘My Cumbria Card’ offering discounts for regional attractions and facilities;
  8. Staff Discount;
  9. Uniform, with laundry provision - to be worn to company’s code of practice;
  10. Free refreshments and as much Grasmere Gingerbread® as you like while at work.

To note:

  • Be able to lift and carry;
  • Special confidentially agreement to be undertaken;
  • Adhere to the strict company Health & Hygiene policy.

To apply:      

We DO NOT accept CVs attached to an application form – forms must be completed fully to be considered.

Applications will ONLY be accepted on a company application form and submitted by hard-copy ‘by-hand’, by email or by post.  

Application forms can be downloaded from our website under employment.

https://www.grasmeregingerbread.co.uk/page/employment/

If you have any questions or queries, please do not hesitate to contact Zoe Evans, HR Manager on people@grasmeregingerbread.co.uk

Meet our present team on our Staff page;

www.grasmeregingerbread.co.uk/staff/

A new, exciting, creative and demanding role pivotal to the marketing strategy. Incredible opportunity for a highly-motivated dynamic individual who embraces the evolving digital world and appreciates all things food and Lake District.

For further information on the job role, please click below to view the PDF document.

More Information

If you are interested in working with our wonderful team but don’t see a vacancy that is suited to your skillset, please email Ms Zoe Evans on the email address below.

Instructions for applications are as follows:      

  • All applications must be submitted on a company application form which can be downloaded here.
  • If you are unable to download an application form, then please email the People & Culture Manager for a hard copy form.
  • We do not accept CVs or CVs attached to an application form. 
  • To submit your application, please email it to the People & Culture Manager Ms Zoe Evans or hand in at the shop and addressed to the People & Culture Manager, or post your application form, addressing to the People & Culture Manager, The Grasmere Gingerbread Shop, Church Cottage, Grasmere, LA22 9SW. 
  • If you have any questions or queries, please do contact Ms Zoe Evans via email. 

Meet Zoe our People & Culture Manager

At the age of 44, after a successful career in HR which included stretches in both the public and private sectors, Zoe Evans recently relocated from Bristol to the Lake District, securing the role of People & Culture Manager at Grasmere Gingerbread®.

“As a regular customer over many years during holidays and long weekend breaks - as Grasmere Gingerbread® is so moreish - I never envisioned that one day I would be working for such an iconic business,” admitted Zoe.

Read more....