Café Manager

RGIT Australia; Gladstone Regional; On-site; AUD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Base salary plus profit share

Autonomy to lead your café

Initial training in Brisbane

Support from a major café brand

Job summary

The Coffee Club is preparing to open a brand new café in Gladstone, and we’re seeking an exceptional hospitality leader to guide the journey from day one. You’ll recruit, develop your own team and shape the café culture with autonomy and support from the Brisbane-based office.

As Café Manager, you’ll drive onboarding, training and a customer-focused culture, then lead all aspects of the business after opening, including operations, guest experience and commercial performance, building

Qualifications

• Experience as a Café Manager, Restaurant Manager or Hospitality Manager is preferred.
• Proven ability to lead teams in fast-paced hospitality environments.
• Experience managing labour, stock, costs and financial performance.
• Strong operational knowledge across food, beverage and customer service.
• Excellent communication and people leadership skills.
• Passion for hospitality, people and community connection.
• Ability to drive customer growth through local engagement initiatives.
• Hands-on, positive and energetic leadership style.
• Food Safety Supervisor certification (or willingness to obtain).

Responsibilities

• Lead the café's operations, team, customer experience and commercial performance.
• Prepare the café for grand opening by recruiting and building a high-performing team.
• Lead onboarding and training.
• Create a positive, customer-focused culture and community connections.
• Oversee long-term foundations for success and launch activities.
• Post-opening, manage all aspects of business including operations and engagement.

Skills

Cafe Manager experience

Hospitality leadership

Labour cost management

Financial performance

Customer service excellence

Communication skills

Community engagement

People leadership

Food Safety certification

Team building

Job description

Lead the launch of a brand new café, build your team, shape the future.

Ready for something bigger than the average Café Manager role?

We're preparing to open a brand new The Coffee Club café in Gladstone, and we're looking for an exceptional hospitality leader to lead the journey from day one.

Opportunities like this don't come around often. You'll have the chance to build and develop your own team, create a strong café culture, establish lasting connections within the local community, and play a key role in shaping the success of a new business from the ground up.

As a corporate-owned equity store, you'll enjoy the autonomy to make your mark locally, backed by the support of an experienced Brisbane-based Support Office team and one of Australia's most recognised café brands.

With an exciting opening planned for mid-September, you'll recruit and develop the team, drive community engagement, and help establish The Coffee Club Gladstone as a local favourite. Backed by a competitive salary plus profit share incentive program, you'll be rewarded for the success you help create.

Who We Are

Our story began in Brisbane in 1989 when two friends couldn't find a place to enjoy great coffee and conversation, so they created one.

Today, The Coffee Club is one of Australia's most recognised café brands, serving millions of customers across Australia and internationally. As part of Minor DKL Food Group, we're committed to creating great experiences for our customers while providing rewarding career opportunities for our people.

The Opportunity

As Café Manager, you'll lead the café's operations, team, customer experience and commercial performance.

Your first priority will be preparing the café for its grand opening by:

• Recruiting and building a high-performing team
• Leading onboarding and training
• Creating a positive, customer-focused culture
• Building excitement and connections within the local community
• Establishing strong foundations for long‑term success
• Supporting the launch of a brand new café from the ground up

As part of your onboarding journey, you'll have the opportunity to complete your initial training in Brisbane, learning alongside experienced Café Managers and Support Office teams. This hands‑on experience will provide valuable operational and leadership exposure, setting you up for success before returning to Gladstone to lead your own café.

Following the opening, you'll lead all aspects of the business, from team development and customer experience to commercial performance, operational excellence and community engagement, creating a café customers and locals love to return to.

What We're Looking For

You'll be a passionate hospitality leader who loves developing people, creating exceptional customer experiences and driving business performance.

Ideally you'll bring:

• Previous experience as a Café Manager, Restaurant Manager or Hospitality Manager
• Proven success leading teams in a fast‑paced hospitality environment
• Experience managing labour, stock, costs and financial performance
• Strong operational knowledge across food, beverage and customer service
• Excellent communication and people leadership skills
• A genuine passion for hospitality, people and community connection
• Experience building relationships within local communities, customer networks or businesses
• The ability to drive customer growth through local engagement initiatives
• A hands‑on, positive and energetic leadership style
• Food Safety Supervisor certification (or willingness to obtain)

Why Join Us?

• Base salary plus profit share incentive program
• Lead the opening of a brand new Coffee Club café in Gladstone
• Opportunity to recruit, build and develop your own team from day one
• Play a key role in creating the culture, customer experience and reputation of a new business
• Initial training and development in Brisbane alongside experienced Café Managers and Support Office teams
• Build meaningful connections with local businesses, schools, sporting groups and community organisations
• Make a genuine impact on the local community and establish the café as a local favourite
• Autonomy to lead your café, backed by a supportive Brisbane-based Support Office team
• The resources and support of a leading Australian hospitality business, while maintaining the feel of a local café
• Career development opportunities with one of Australia's most recognised café brands
• Staff discounts and free coffee while on shift

Ready to Lead Something New?

This is a rare opportunity to launch a brand-new café, build a team from the ground up and create a destination that becomes part of the Gladstone community from day one.

If you're an energetic hospitality leader who wants to drive results, inspire people and leave a lasting mark on a new business, we'd love to hear from you.

Company Overview

At Minor DKL Food Group, we combine global operational excellence with a passion for innovation and community. Whether you're interested in franchised restaurant operations or the creative, purpose‑driven world of specialty coffee, we offer diverse roles that empower you to grow and make a positive impact. If you want to further your hospitality career at The Coffee Club—or explore the sustainable, artisanal realm of specialty coffee with Nomad Coffee Group, our proudly B Corp certified specialty coffee arm—there's a place for you here. Discover a career where every cup, every service, and every experience contributes to our shared success. Join us and be part of a team that’s driving change in the world of coffee and hospitality.