About

Placed.au is seeking a full-time Venue Manager in South Melbourne, Victoria. This role is responsible for leading service delivery, coordinating staff, managing operational workflows, and ensuring the venue runs efficiently, safely, and in line with hospitality standards. The ideal candidate will bring strong leadership, operational capability, and a passion for creating exceptional customer experiences while supporting both front-of-house service and back-of-house production activities.

Job Description:

Operational Management

-Plan, organise, and direct the daily operations of the combined café and on-site roasting facility, ensuring seamless coordination between hospitality service and production workflows.

-Implement, monitor, and continuously improve operational procedures, service protocols, and workplace standards across all functional areas.

-Oversee venue presentation, cleanliness, and workflow efficiency to uphold brand standards and ensure a high-quality customer environment while supporting safe production activities.

-Manage stock control for café supplies, retail coffee products, consumables, and roasted coffee inventory, including ordering, reconciliation, and cost monitoring.

-Oversee cash handling practices, POS systems, banking processes, and operational financial reporting to support effective venue management.

Staff Leadership & Supervision

-Lead, supervise, and coordinate the work of front-of-house personnel, café supervisors, and staff working alongside the roasting and production teams.

-Prepare and manage staff rosters, monitor attendance, and ensure adequate labour coverage aligned with service demand and production requirements.

-Provide structured training, coaching, and performance management to maintain service standards and operational consistency.

-Oversee recruitment, induction, and ongoing workforce development to build a capable, high-performing team.

Customer Experience & Service Quality

-Ensure the delivery of consistently high-quality customer service in alignment with hospitality and retail coffee brand standards.

-Address and resolve customer complaints, service issues, and escalations promptly and professionally.

-Monitor customer feedback and service metrics, implementing improvements to enhance guest satisfaction, product presentation, and overall venue experience.

Compliance, Safety & Facility Management

-Ensure full compliance with food safety legislation, Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) requirements, WHS obligations, and hospitality licensing conditions.

-Support adherence to appropriate production-safety protocols within the roasting environment to ensure safe, coordinated, and compliant operations.

-Conduct regular venue inspections, maintain compliance documentation, and prepare for internal and external audits as required.

Business & Performance Management

-Contribute to strategic planning and operational initiatives aimed at enhancing café performance and supporting roasting and wholesale efficiencies.

-Monitor and analyse key operational and financial metrics, including labour costs, revenue performance, expenditure, and service efficiency.

-Evaluate service trends, customer behaviour, and operational data to identify and implement improvements that support venue growth.

-Assist senior management with business planning, budgeting, forecasting, and the implementation of commercial strategies.

-Coordination & Stakeholder Engagement

-Coordinate daily interactions and workflow alignment between the café and roasting/production teams to ensure integrated and uninterrupted operations.

-Liaise with suppliers, service contractors, logistics providers, and wholesale partners to support operational needs and venue performance.

-Collaborate with internal departments, including production, marketing, and head office operations, to support events, promotions, retail coffee offerings, and wholesale product flow.

-Assist with organising and supervising venue-based events, cuppings, tastings, training sessions, and promotional activities that enhance customer engagement.

Qualifications/Attributes:

-Diploma-level qualification in Hospitality Management or a related field, or at least 3 years of relevant experience in lieu of formal
qualifications.

-Must have at least 1 year of relevant work experience

-Proven experience supervising or managing operations within a café, hospitality venue, or similar fast-paced environment.

-Strong leadership and communication skills, with the ability to guide and support front-of-house teams.

-Solid understanding of hospitality compliance requirements, including food safety, WHS, and RSA.

-Strong organisational and problem-solving abilities, with the capacity to manage multiple operational priorities.

Salary Range:

$75,000 – $90,000 p.a. excluding superannuation