In this series, British Baker talks to people from across the baking industry to find out about their career path, what their job involves, and the latest trends that are shaping their work.
We’re looking to showcase a diverse range of talent and job types across the industry, so if you’d like to be involved, please email dan.riley@wrbm.com.
Name: Wayne O’Boyle
Age: 44
Job title: Site manager
Company and location: Whitworth Bros, Whitley Bridge, North Yorkshire
Education: York College
Tell us about your career to date
I actually studied motor vehicle mechanics and engineering in college, and that’s where my career began too – in engineering and industrial maintenance within food manufacturing.
In 2009, the opportunity came up to move into flour milling, with a business that then became part of Whitworth Bros. I started in the Flour Heat Treatment plant as a supervisor and worked my way up from there, into production manager, and eventually site manager.
How would you describe your job, and what kind of tasks and responsibilities does it involve?
The best thing about my role is the variability. One day I am coaching a colleague and the next solving a problem on the milling floor.
At its core, my job is about making sure that site operations run smoothly, safely and efficiently. That means managing teams, overseeing production activities, upholding health and safety standards, managing the site budgets, and ensuring we stay compliant with company policy.
The team is a big part of having everything running smoothly day to day, with everyone working together to keep things moving efficiently. To do all of that well, you need strong communication, problem-solving, and leadership skills.
Tell us about a challenge you have overcome recently:
Helping the team adapt to how quickly we grew at Whitley Bridge was probably the biggest challenge I’ve had to overcome. We went from a team of six or seven people, producing 60 tonnes of flour a day, to becoming a site of 50 people and our production rapidly increasing.
The technology was the real challenge: the staff were used to the old way of milling, and the new advancements meant that everyone had to learn a completely different way of working. That meant a lot of training and development across the whole workforce, helping them to build new skills whilst reassuring them along the way.
What have been some highlights of your career?
Building the most advanced flour mill in the world has to be the standout. Being involved in something so groundbreaking, and watching it develop into the operation it is today has been incredibly rewarding. I’m proud to be playing a role in the future of milling with Whitworth Bros. and to be one of the people helping shape what this industry is going to look like as it keeps advancing.
What is a common misconception about your role?
People often assume site managers just deal with admin and paperwork. Yes, reporting and planning are a big part of the job, but it’s much more people-focused than that. I’m on the mill floor, involved in the day-to-day problems on site, trying to mitigate and solve issues, and making operational decisions. It’s a hands-on role and I’m speaking to the teams every day, Monday to Friday.
What advice would you give to young aspiring professionals looking to get into the baking industry?
My first bit of advice would be to build up your technical knowledge, and if you’re aiming for a management role, work on your communication and leadership skills.
There’s such a wide variety of jobs in this industry, from flour milling, engineering, packaging, and so much more – so there are loads of options, whether that’s staying on the engineering and technical side or moving into management.
One glove doesn’t fit everyone, so it’s worth exploring what’s out there; there are multiple routes into the industry, and it’s an extremely rewarding career to be part of. Bakeries come in all shapes and sizes – there really is something for everyone.
Interested in a career in bakery? Check out Foodmanjobs for the latest vacancies
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