Roasting Team Manager
Location: Yate, Bristol
Salary: £35,000–£45,000 per year, depending on experience
Job type: Full-time, Permanent
Probation period: 6 months
About Colonna Coffee
Colonna Coffee is a rapidly growing roastery supplying retail and wholesale customers in more than 50 countries.
We are continuing to take on significant new business and are currently on track to roast 1,000 tonnes of coffee this year. As the business grows, our roasting operation, quality systems and internal processes are evolving with it.
We are focused on delivering excellent coffee consistently and at scale, combining strong quality standards with efficient, reliable production.
The Opportunity
We are recruiting a Roasting Production Manager to oversee quality control, compliance processes and the day-to-day administration of our roasting team.
Working alongside our Head Roaster and other key roles and reporting directly to the Managing Director, you will help maintain consistent roasting quality, ensure key processes are followed and provide clear oversight of green-coffee stock.
You will also share responsibility for managing the roasting team. However, this is primarily a quality, process and administrative role rather than a purely people-management position.
You will be joining a growing and evolving roasting operation, with the opportunity to help shape processes, strengthen systems and contribute to the continued development of the department as production expands.
The ideal candidate will be highly organised, methodical and detail-focused, with strong coffee knowledge or relevant transferable experience. Previous production-roasting experience is beneficial but not essential.
Key Responsibilities
Quality Control
- Involved in assessing coffee against agreed flavour and quality targets.
- Monitor roast consistency roast data and colour measurements supported by sensory evaluation.
- Carry out sample roasting and provide feedback on green-coffee samples where required.
- Investigate quality concerns and support appropriate corrective action.
- Maintain clear and accurate quality-control records.
- Prepare and send regular quality reports to key wholesale clients.
- Communicate with client quality teams where required.
- Supporting profile roasting.
Compliance and Process Management
- Take ownership of key roasting and quality documentation.
- Work closely with the Compliance Officer to implement and maintain relevant policies and procedures within the roasting department.
- Ensure required compliance checks, records and processes are completed accurately and on time.
- Monitor adherence to agreed procedures and address gaps where identified.
- Support the preparation of documentation required for audits and internal reviews.
- Maintain practical SOPs, checklists and process documentation.
Green-Coffee Stock Management
- Coordinate stock releases and incoming green-coffee deliveries.
- Monitor stock usage and maintain clear stock records.
- Provide the Coffee Buyer with accurate and timely stock information.
- Facilitate upcoming coffee releases and production requirements.
Roasting Team and Production Support
- Share line-management responsibility for the roasting team alongside the Head Roaster.
- Set clear expectations and help maintain consistent working practices.
- Support performance management, communication and day-to-day team organisation.
- Work closely with the Head Roaster, who will retain primary responsibility for technical roasting leadership and training.
- Support production roasting occasionally where required.
- Help ensure production requirements are met while maintaining agreed quality standards.
About You
You are organised, analytical and highly attentive to detail.
You are comfortable taking ownership of processes, documentation and reporting, and you follow tasks through carefully and consistently. You are able to move between desk-based administration, quality control and work on the production floor.
You are also comfortable working within a growing business where systems, responsibilities and ways of working will continue to evolve. You will be expected not only to maintain standards, but to help improve and develop them as the roasting operation expands.
You do not need to be an expert in every aspect of the role from day one. However, you will need strong relevant knowledge or transferable experience, alongside the ability and willingness to learn quickly.
Essential Experience and Skills
- Strong organisational skills and attention to detail.
- Experience managing quality, technical or operational processes.
- Ability to maintain accurate records and complete detailed documentation.
- Strong written communication and confidence producing professional reports.
- A methodical, process-driven and accountable approach.
- Ability to interpret data, identify inconsistencies and follow issues through to resolution.
- Strong communication skills and confidence working across different departments.
- Relevant coffee knowledge or transferable experience in food, beverage, quality assurance, laboratory work or production.
- Confidence using Microsoft 365 and working with digital record-keeping systems.
- Comfortable working in a busy, growing production environment.
Desirable Experience
- Professional experience within coffee roasting or coffee production.
- Experience with coffee cupping and sensory evaluation.
- Experience identifying roast or green-coffee defects.
- Experience using Cropster or similar production software.
- Experience in food quality, compliance, traceability or technical administration.
- Previous line-management or supervisory experience.
Working Hours
- 37.5 hours per week.
- Monday to Friday, 8:30am–4:30pm, including a 30-minute unpaid lunch break.
- Some flexibility may be required during particularly busy periods.
Benefits
- Salary of £35,000–£45,000, depending on experience.
- 25 days’ annual leave.
- On-site parking.
- Free coffee to take home, within reason and subject to availability.
- The opportunity to help shape quality and roasting processes within a growing international coffee business.
Right to Work
Candidates must have the right to work in the United Kingdom.
Work visa sponsorship is not available for this role.
How to Apply
Please submit your CV together with a short covering statement outlining your relevant experience and interest in the role.
While we endeavour to respond to all applicants, this is not always possible. If you have not received a response within two weeks, your application has been unsuccessful on this occasion.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: £35,000.00-£45,000.00 per year
Benefits:
Application question(s):
- Are you physically fit and able to work whole days on your feet?
- Are you comfortable working in a fast-paced packing environment where output is measured?
- Are you able to commute to Yate for this job?
Work authorisation:
- United Kingdom (required)
Work Location: In person
