General Manager

Club Chermside; City of Brisbane; On-site; AUD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Club Chermside is seeking a General Manager to take ownership of the venue and lead it with autonomy. The role covers hospitality, gaming, bowls, functions and community engagement, requiring a builder mentality and the ability to grow revenue.

You will report to the Board through the Chairman, develop a capable team, manage budgets, cost controls and compliance, and foster partnerships with members and local organisations to strengthen the venue's role in the community.

Qualifications

• Proven leadership experience within hospitality, licensed clubs, venues or a comparable customer focused business.
• Self-starter with ownership mindset and accountability for outcomes.
• Strong people leadership with delegation and stakeholder management.
• Commercial acumen: budgeting, labour, cost control, revenue growth and financial performance.
• Understanding of hospitality operations across F&B, gaming, events or functions.
• Genuine passion for community and ability to build relationships with members, guests and partners.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day business across hospitality, gaming, bowls, functions, events and community engagement.
• Develop and mentor a capable team around you and drive high standards of service.
• Own financial performance, budgets, labour, cost management and regulatory compliance.
• Identify opportunities to grow revenue, improve customer experience and operational efficiency.
• Collaborate with the Board and external partners to expand community partnerships and utilisation of the venue.

Skills

Leadership

People management

Budgeting

Hospitality ops

Stakeholder mgmt

Community partnerships

Job description

Club Chermside is an established community sporting, hospitality and entertainment venue located just 15 minutes from Brisbane’s CBD.

While bowls is an important part of our history, Club Chermside is much more than a bowls club. We are a place for our local community to meet, eat, drink, play and connect, whether that is through bowls, dining, functions, events or community partnerships.

With an established membership, strong local connections and significant opportunity for further growth, the Club is entering an exciting next chapter. Our focus is on building a welcoming, inclusive and financially sustainable community venue that respects its history while continuing to evolve.

Company Description

Club Chermside is an established community sporting, hospitality and entertainment venue located just 15 minutes from Brisbane’s CBD.

While bowls is an important part of our history, Club Chermside is much more than a bowls club. We are a place for our local community to meet, eat, drink, play and connect, whether that is through bowls, dining, functions, events or community partnerships.

With an established membership, strong local connections and significant opportunity for further growth, the Club is entering an exciting next chapter. Our focus is on building a welcoming, inclusive and financially sustainable community venue that respects its history while continuing to evolve.

Role Description

We are looking for a General Manager who genuinely wants to take ownership of the venue and lead it.

This is not a caretaker role. We are looking for a self starter with a builder mentality who can take an established club, recognise its potential and continue making it better.

Reporting to the Board through the Chairman, the General Manager will have considerable autonomy and responsibility for the overall performance of Club Chermside. You will lead the day to day business across hospitality, gaming, bowls and sporting activities, functions, events and community engagement while developing a capable team around you.

You will be responsible for financial performance, budgets, labour and cost management, compliance, staff development, lease management and operational standards. Just as importantly, you will look for opportunities to grow revenue, improve the customer experience, build operational efficiencies, strengthen community partnerships and increase utilisation of the venue.

We want someone who is visible, welcoming and approachable. Someone equally comfortable talking with a long-standing bowls member, leading their team, welcoming a young family, working with a community organisation or presenting commercial opportunities to the Board.

You will work closely with the Board, but you will be trusted to run the business. We are looking for someone who can make decisions, take accountability, develop people and bring new ideas to the table and most importantly execute based on direction of the board.

For the right person, there is a genuine opportunity to put your fingerprints on the future of Club Chermside.

Qualifications & Experience

• Proven leadership experience within hospitality, licensed clubs, venues or a comparable customer focused business.
• A self starter who is comfortable taking ownership, making decisions and being accountable for outcomes.
• Strong people leadership skills with demonstrated experience developing, delegating and stakeholder management.
• Working commercial acumen, including working to budget, labour management, cost control, revenue growth and interpreting financial performance.
• Strong understanding of hospitality operations, with experience across food and beverage, gaming, functions or events highly regarded.
• A genuine passion for community and the ability to build relationships with members, guests, sporting groups, local organisations, suppliers and commercial partners.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work constructively with a volunteer Board while confidently leading the day to day business.
• Sound knowledge of liquor, gaming, workplace health and safety and other relevant regulatory requirements.
• Experience with local area marketing, promotions, events and community partnerships will be highly regarded.
• Relevant liquor and gaming certifications, or the ability to obtain them as required.
• Formal qualifications in hospitality, business or management are desirable but not essential.
• Leadership capability, commercial judgement and cultural fit are more important to us.

Why join us?

This role offers genuine autonomy to run the business with direct access to the Board, an established small team and community and the opportunity to shape the next chapter of Club Chermside. You'll have the freedom to improve systems, build operational efficiencies, grow revenue, develop your team and make a genuine impact on the local community.