General Manager

Sharp & Carter; Brisbane; On-site; AUD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Sharp & Carter is seeking a leader for a well-established food business in Brisbane, Australia. The role involves full accountability for the operations, including P&L management, compliance, and performance in a blue-collar environment.

The right candidate will excel in building relationships while implementing necessary changes, and must possess strong operational leadership capabilities. This position offers a unique opportunity to contribute to the growth of the business while working closely with the founder.

Qualifications

• Experience in leading large, operationally complex blue-collar workforces.
• Background in food, FMCG, 3PL, or cold chain.
• Ability to drive commercial decisions quickly and confidently.

Responsibilities

• Accountable for Australian operations including P&L, compliance, and performance.
• Lead a team across operations, commercial, and finance.
• Focus on operational improvement in warehouse efficiency.

Skills

P&L accountability

Operational leadership

Relationship building

Decision-making under pressure

Operational improvements

Job description

Overview

Sharp & Carter are proud to be partnering with a well-established, privately owned food business with a strong market position and heritage in the Australian industry. The business has a significant physical footprint, a diverse product range, and a customer base that includes major national retailers. The organisation emphasises people and long-standing relationships with customers, suppliers, and the internal team. It is hands-on, fast moving, and values invested leadership that supports outcomes across the business.

The Role

Reporting directly to the founder, you will carry full accountability for the Australian operation, including P&L, people, compliance, commercial outcomes, and operational performance across a complex food business with a large blue‑collar workforce. You will lead a team of senior functional leaders spanning operations, commercial, and finance.

The focus of the role is operational. There is meaningful opportunity to improve efficiency and tighten systems and processes. The founder seeks someone with capability and judgment to implement change, while building genuine relationships and listening before acting.

What the First Year Looks Like

The initial months involve developing a genuine understanding of the operation, the commercial landscape, and building relationships inside and outside the business. The management team is experienced; creating an environment where people feel valued and can see a future with the company is a priority.

As trust builds, focus shifts to operational improvement in warehouse efficiency, inventory management, and developing systems and processes that increase effectiveness without adding unnecessary complexity. Commercial targets must be met in a tough environment, with sound decision‑making under pressure from early on. The opportunity beyond year one is to grow the business on a solid foundation.

The Right Person

You will have owned P&L and balance sheet accountability at a senior level and led large, operationally complex blue‑collar workforces with a style that builds loyalty while holding high standards. You will drive meaningful operational improvements in resource‑limited environments and make commercial decisions quickly and confidently when it matters.

How you operate as a leader is as important as what you have done. You manage up and down with ease, you bring people with you, and you are comfortable in environments where not everything is clearly defined. The ability to read situations and adapt matters as much as technical capability. A background in food, FMCG, 3PL, or cold chain is preferred, and understanding the demands of perishable, volatile products is advantageous.

Why This Role

For the right person, this is a rare opportunity. A business with heritage and a founder who backs the leader, combined with meaningful work and real room to grow.