General Manager/Licensee

Zenith Hotels; Newcastle City Council; On-site; AUD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Staff discounts across group venues

Employee Assistance Program (24/7)

Job summary

Zenith Hotels is seeking a General Manager / Licensee to lead the Exchange Hotel, a flagship multi-venue property in NSW. You will drive performance across restaurant, bars, gaming and live entertainment, building a high-performing team and delivering exceptional guest experiences.

The role requires hands-on leadership with strong financial acumen, a focus on speed of service during peak periods, and close collaboration with licensing authorities to ensure compliant operations.

Qualifications

• Proven GM or senior venue leader in a large, multifaceted hospitality business.
• Strong NSW RSA, RCG and ARCG credentials and licencee capabilities.
• Experience overseeing restaurant and live entertainment operations.

Responsibilities

• Lead operations across restaurant, bars, gaming and live entertainment.
• Own venue performance including budgets, revenue growth and labour cost control.
• Develop Nonna Bizarro and align dining with late-night operations.
• Build a capable management team and a culture of accountability.
• Ensure consistent service and guest experiences across all venue areas.
• Oversee licensing, safety, and regulatory compliance.

Skills

Leadership

Operations management

Budgeting / P&L analysis

Customer service focus

Staff development

Tools

Deputy

IdealPOS

Lightyear

Cooking the Books

Job description

GENERAL MANAGER / LICENSEE | THE EXCHANGE HOTEL

Live Entertainment

• Late-Night Trade
• Newly Launched Restaurant

An iconic venue. An exciting new chapter. A leadership role with real influence.

The Exchange Hotel is one of Hamilton’s most iconic venues, known for live music, DJs, big weekends and a buzzing local crowd. With the recent launch ofNonna Bizarro, our full-service restaurant, the venue brings together dining, entertainment, bars and gaming under one roof. We’re looking for an experiencedGeneral Manager / Licenseeto lead the whole venue—building a strong team, driving commercial performance and delivering exceptional experiences, from restaurant service through to high-energy late-night trade.

THE OPPORTUNITY

This is a senior, hands-on leadership role with accountability for the venue’s people, performance, compliance and customer experience. You’ll set the direction, develop your management team and remain highly visible on the floor. You’ll be equally confident reviewing financial results, working with the restaurant and kitchen teams, and leading a busy Saturday night.

With Nonna Bizarro recently launched, a key priority will be establishing the restaurant as a destination in its own right while ensuring dining and late-night operations work seamlessly together.

WHAT YOU’LL BE DOING

Leading operations across the restaurant, bars, gaming and live entertainment.

Owning venue performance, including budgets, revenue growth, cost of goods, labour and profitability.

Building the profile and performance of Nonna Bizarro alongside the restaurant and kitchen teams.

Developing a capable management team and a culture of high standards, engagement and accountability.

Delivering consistent service and guest experiences across every part of the venue.

Overseeing high-volume late-night trade, security operations and incident management.

Maintaining strong licensing, gaming, safety and operational compliance.

Building effective relationships with Licensing Police, local authorities, suppliers and the community.

Working with group leadership to identify opportunities, solve problems and drive continuous improvement.

WHAT YOU’LL BRING

You’re an experienced hospitality leader who combines commercial discipline with a strong presence on the floor. You know how to create a great atmosphere, support your people and maintain control when the venue is at its busiest. Availability across nights, weekends and public holidays, particularly peak Friday and Saturday trade.

You’ll bring:

Proven success as a General Manager, Licensee or senior venue leader in a large, multifaceted hospitality business.

Strong food and beverage experience, including full-service restaurant operations.

Experience overseeing gaming and TAB operations.

Strong financial acumen, with confidence analysing P&Ls and translating results into operational action.

A track record of developing leaders, lifting team performance and managing accountability fairly.

Sound judgement, attention to detail and confidence managing guest concerns and operational challenges.

Demonstrated experience managing security teams and relationships with external stakeholders.

Current NSW RSA, RCG and ARCG, and the ability to meet the requirements to act as venue Licensee.

Experience with Deputy, IdealPOS, Lightyear or Cooking the Books would be advantageous.

WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU?

A competitive salary package.

The opportunity to lead an iconic venue and grow a newly launched restaurant.

Support from an experienced, progressive hospitality group.

Ongoing leadership development and career opportunities across Zenith Hotels.

Staff discounts across group venues.

Access to a 24/7 Employee Assistance Program.

READY TO LEAD THE NEXT CHAPTER?

If you have the experience to lead a complex venue, the commercial focus to drive results and the people skills to build a team that thrives, we’d love to hear from you.