Cafe Operations Coordinator - TWPZ

Taronga Zoo; Dubbo; Hybrid; AUD 78,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

Complimentary passes

Free parking

Discounts on accommodation

Discounted meals

Fitness Passport discount

Job summary

Taronga Western Plains Zoo in Dubbo is hiring an experienced Café Operations Coordinator to lead our Food & Beverage team and coordinate Café Wild, Waterhole Café and the accommodation cafe services. You will ensure exceptional guest experiences, strong operational standards and effective team leadership.

Responsibilities include rostering, training, venue presentation, school group food collection and adherence to Food Safety, WHS and sustainability goals across all venues.

Qualifications

• Hold a current NSW Driver's Licence or ensure recognition, including manual.
• Hold and maintain a current paid NSW Working with Children Check.
• Hold and maintain a current paid NSW Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA).
• Current Senior First Aid or willingness to obtain and maintain.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate day-to-day operation of Café Wild and Waterhole Café with high service standards.
• Support, develop and roster café team members to meet guest needs.
• Provide operational leadership across café operations for Supervisors and school groups.
• Ensure Food Safety, WHS, cash handling and compliance; promote sustainability.
• Oversee café admin: ordering, stock control, invoicing and record keeping.
• Adhere to Taronga's Customer Service and WHS charters; drive environmental goals.

Skills

Café operations

Team leadership

Guest service

Food safety

Scheduling

Budgeting

Job description

At Taronga Zoo in Sydney and Taronga Western Plains Zoo in Dubbo, we lead conservation efforts in the field and participate in regional and global conservation breeding programs to establish insurance populations for species threatened in the wild. We also operate two wildlife hospitals that treat and rehabilitate injured native wildlife, as well as providing best practice health care for the animals at our Zoos.

Taronga has a deep commitment to conservation science. In Australia and internationally, we work with universities, governments and conservation partners to respond to challenges impacting wildlife and people. We also have a proud tradition of delivering conservation education programs that increase knowledge and awareness and inspire students to become global leaders in conservation. Taronga receives support from the NSW Government and the Taronga Foundation. Established in 2000, the Taronga Foundation raises funds for conservation, education programs and wildlife in our care.

• Join one of Australia's most recognised conservation and tourism organisations, supporting a diverse hospitality, events and commercial operation
• Lead a dynamic food and beverage operation in a unique zoo environment
• TCSA Salaried Employees Award, Clerk Grade 1/2, annual package $88,406 - $96,112 (includes base salary $78,000 - $84,799 + plus superannuation & leave loading)

Taronga Western Plains Zoo is looking for an experienced and motivated Café Operations Coordinator to join our Food & Beverage team!

Help bring our exciting new Serengeti experience to life while coordinating café operations, teams and exceptional guest service.

About the Role…

Responsible for coordinating the day-to-day operation of Taronga Western Plains Zoo's café operations, including Café Wild, Waterhole Café and accommodation cafe services, ensuring exceptional guest experiences, strong operational standards, workforce leadership and presentation across all venues. The role is accountable for café team leadership, rostering, training, venue presentation, school group food collection coordination and oversight of guest-facing ancillary food service assets including vending machines.

• Coordinate the day-to-day operation of Café Wild and Waterhole Café, ensuring exceptional guest experiences, operational efficiency, venue presentation and consistently high service standards.
• Support, develop and coordinate café team members through recruitment, onboarding, training, rostering and day-to-day activities, ensuring the effective deployment of labour resources to meet business and guest needs.
• Provide operational leadership across café operations by supporting Supervisors, managing escalated issues, coordinating school group food collection requirements and identifying opportunities to improve operational performance, team capability and guest satisfaction.
• Ensure compliance with Food Safety, Work Health and Safety, cash handling and operational requirements, including incident reporting, cash balancing, variance investigation, venue inspections, staff maintenance of essential role qualifications, and adherence to established procedures, while championing sustainable practices that support Taronga's environmental goals.
• Support the efficient operation of the TWPZ cafes through maintaining café administrative and system processes, including ordering, stock control, invoice processing, record keeping and the accurate use of operational systems, ensuring timely and efficient support of café operations.
• Adhere to Taronga's Customer Service Charter and WHS charter, ensuring industry-leading standards and operational compliance.
• Champion operational decisions and behaviours that reduce environmental impact, support resource efficiency and contribute to Taronga's long-term sustainability commitments.

About You…

We are looking for candidates that have:

• Hold a current NSW Driver's License or ability to have existing license formally recognised, including manual.
• Hold and maintain a current paid NSW Working with Children Check at your own expense
• Hold and maintain a current paid NSW Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA)
• Current Senior First aid (or willingness to obtain) and ability to maintain this qualification at your own expense

Our employees enjoy generous employment conditions including some of the following:

• Flexible Hybrid work model - Taronga supports a blend of in-office, remote, and on-the-go workers!
• Complimentary family and friends passes across both Taronga's Sydney & Dubbo Zoo's
• Free onsite car parking, outside of peak periods
• A wide range of discounts on our award winning accommodation across both sites
• Discounted food and beverage purchases across the sites
• Discounted Fitness Passport
• We're a social team - there's always lots going on around the zoo that we get involved with!
• + more!

Taronga is an equal opportunity employer, where we recognise the diversity of our workforce and community - be it on the basis of gender, age, culture, religion, language or personal circumstances.

Taronga is also committed to building on the perspectives, experience, knowledge and skills that this diversity brings to our organisation.

Applications Close:11:59pm Wednesday 7 October 2026

We offer:

Taronga is more than just a workplace - we're a collaborative community of kind and respectful people who share a passion for making a positive impact on the world.