Cake Decorator

We are seeking a skilled Cake Decorator to join our team at Northgate Markets. As a Cake Decorator, you will be responsible for designing and decorating various types of cakes, as well as maintaining the cleanliness of the bakery and providing excellent customer service.

• Design and decorate cakes and pastries with intricate designs using icing bags or handmade paper cones.
• Trim uneven surfaces of cake or cut and shape cake to required size using a knife.
• Spread icing between layers and on surfaces of cake using a spatula.
• Tint white icing with food coloring and insert dye of specific design into tip of bag or paper cone and fill bag or cone with colored icing.
• Squeeze bag to eject icing while moving bag with free-arm writing motions to form design on cake.
• Form decorations on flower shapes and decorations to cake using a spatula.
• Prepare the mixing of icing.
• Provide optimum customer satisfaction.
• Maintain a neat, well-groomed personal appearance at all times and observe company dress regulations.
• Assist in receiving and unloading of merchandise and check and verify receiving to ensure that items listed on vendor invoices are all delivered.
• Load, unload oven and know the proper temperatures and duration to bake all varieties of products.
• Operate mixer and run Moline sheeter.
• Assist in ordering and maintaining inventory control of ingredients and supplies.
• Control excessive use of utilities and water and observe sound conservation practices.
• Be familiar with invoice documents and confirm accuracy of item descriptions, sizes, quantities and pricing during grocery vendor product deliveries.
• Accurately record markups and markdowns, in-store use of merchandise and bad merchandise/spoilage write-offs in accordance with company policies.
• Properly label and date all products.
• Achieve and exceed margin and sales targets.
• Follow established weights and measures procedures.
• Maintain, organize, clean, stock and rotate daily received walk-in products.
• Comply with all applicable state health and safety codes and maintain a safe and sanitary department.
• Check refrigeration equipment for proper performance at least once per shift.
• Use and maintain equipment in orderly manner.
• Report all life, safety, and fire hazards to the bakery manager for correction.
• Establish and maintain positive and productive vendor relationships.
• Maintain good communications in the department and throughout the organization.
• Notify department manager of personnel situations or policy violations having an adverse effect on department or store operating performance or of situations requiring disciplinary action or that may potentially require such action.

• High school diploma preferred but not required.
• One year decorating experience required; or equivalent experience.
• Completion of a certificate program in pastry arts preferred but not required.
• Health department training required.
• Ability to verify vendor invoice charges and counts, complete required accounting reports, and calculate percentages and ratios when measuring ingredients in dough mixtures and recipes for varying quantities or amounts.
• Must be able to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, gross margins, markup, percentages, proportions, ratios, and volume and to apply concepts of basic algebra.
• Ability to understand and effectively communicate quality goals to customers.
• Ability to work well and communicate with others as a part of a team.
• Ability to read, write, and understand the English language effectively in order to read and understand instructions for operating ovens, fryers, fire suppression system and other mechanical and electronic equipment, company handbooks, policies and procedures, and other written job-related documents including safety notices and other postings on company bulletin boards.
• Ability to prioritize tasks.
• Knowledge of the basic techniques of cake decoration and the principles of baking.
• Willingness to taste and evaluate all products offered in department.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Be able to pass a standard drug test and qualify as being drug-free under the legal and medical guidelines permitted by the Drug Free Workplace Act of 1988.

The physical demands and work conditions described below are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Some requirements may be modified to accommodate individuals with disabilities:

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, stand, and use the hands to handle, finger, or feel objects, tools or controls.
• The employee must occasionally exert or lift up to 70 pounds carrying boxes of records and forms and frequently exert or lift moderate amounts of weight.
• Successful performance requires vision abilities that include close vision and the ability to adjust focus.
• Be able to climb a ladder to retrieve inaccessible items from overhead or elevated storage shelves and racks; be able to perform routine cleaning and maintenance duties including lifting of both heavy and light amounts of weight.
• Have sufficient physical mobility or agility to be able to respond quickly to fire or other emergencies.
• Be able to tolerate moderate amounts of dust and chemical fumes from common household cleaning agents such as ammonia during routine housekeeping duties.
• The work environment includes occasional exposure to refrigerated frozen food storage areas with temperatures as low as 20 degrees (Fahrenheit) below zero.
• The work environment includes frequent exposure to heated ovens and high temperatures.
• The atmospheric environment may occasionally contain airborne particles of flour, spices, and other finely powdered ingredients and frequent aromas.