Leading hand/Supervisor

StaffCo; City of Melbourne; On-site; AUD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

StaffCo at Melbourne Airport is seeking an experienced Leading Hand / Supervisor to coordinate daily catering operations, supervise a team, and ensure on-time delivery to airline schedules.

You will uphold food safety and HACCP requirements, lead pre-start briefings, manage staffing and training, and work across shifts in a fast-paced, safety‑conscious environment.

Qualifications

• Previous experience as a Leading Hand, Supervisor, Team Leader or similar in airline catering, food production, hospitality, warehousing or a fast-paced operational environment.
• Strong leadership and people-management skills.
• Excellent communication and organizational skills.
• The ability to prioritize tasks and work effectively under time pressure.
• Strong attention to detail and a commitment to quality.
• A proactive approach to problem-solving.
• The ability to work independently while also being an effective team player.
• A strong understanding of workplace health and safety and food safety requirements.

Responsibilities

• Supervise and coordinate a team of catering employees across daily operations.
• Allocate tasks and ensure team members are working efficiently and safely.
• Monitor production, packing and catering requirements to meet scheduled flight departure times.
• Ensure airline catering specifications, procedures and quality standards are consistently followed.
• Conduct pre-start briefings and communicate daily operational requirements to the team.
• Monitor staff attendance, performance and productivity.
• Support the training and onboarding of new employees.
• Ensure all food safety, hygiene, HACCP and workplace health and safety requirements are followed.
• Identify and elevate operational issues, shortages, delays or quality concerns.
• Work closely with other departments to ensure smooth end-to-end catering operations.
• Complete relevant operational paperwork, checklists and reporting accurately.
• Assist with resolving day-to-day staffing and operational challenges.
• Lead by example and promote a positive, respectful and safety-focused workplace culture.

Skills

Leadership

People management

Communication

Time management

Attention to detail

HACCP

Food safety

Job description

Leading Hand / Supervisor - Airline Catering

Location: Melbourne Airport, VIC Employment Type: Full-Time / Casual Industry: Airline Catering / Food Manufacturing / Hospitality

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced and motivated Leading Hand / Supervisor to join our airline catering operations at Melbourne Airport.
This is a hands-on leadership role responsible for coordinating daily operational activities, supporting team members, maintaining high standards of food safety and quality, and ensuring catering orders are prepared and delivered on time to meet airline schedules.
The successful candidate will be comfortable working in a fast-paced environment where safety, quality, accuracy and time management are critical.

Key Responsibilities:

• Supervise and coordinate a team of catering employees across daily operations.
• Allocate tasks and ensure team members are working efficiently and safely.
• Monitor production, packing and catering requirements to meet scheduled flight departure times.
• Ensure airline catering specifications, procedures and quality standards are consistently followed.
• Conduct pre-start briefings and communicate daily operational requirements to the team.
• Monitor staff attendance, performance and productivity.
• Support the training and onboarding of new employees.
• Ensure all food safety, hygiene, HACCP and workplace health and safety requirements are followed.
• Identify and elevate operational issues, shortages, delays or quality concerns.
• Work closely with other departments to ensure smooth end-to-end catering operations.
• Complete relevant operational paperwork, checklists and reporting accurately.
• Assist with resolving day-to-day staffing and operational challenges.
• Lead by example and promote a positive, respectful and safety-focused workplace culture.

About You:

We are looking for someone who has:

• Previous experience as a Leading Hand, Supervisor, Team Leader or similar in airline catering, food production, hospitality, warehousing or a fast-paced operational environment.
• Strong leadership and people-management skills.
• Excellent communication and organizational skills.
• The ability to prioritize tasks and work effectively under time pressure.
• Strong attention to detail and a commitment to quality.
• A proactive approach to problem-solving.
• The ability to work independently while also being an effective team player.
• A strong understanding of workplace health and safety and food safety requirements.
• Flexibility to work across early morning, afternoon, evening, night, weekend and public holiday shifts, depending on operational requirements.

Airline Catering Experience

Experience within an airline catering, airport, food manufacturing or high-volume production environment will be highly regarded.
A current Australian driver's licence and the ability to obtain and maintain the required airport security clearance may be required for the position.

What We Offer:

• Opportunity to work in the dynamic airline catering industry.
• Stable employment with opportunities for career development.
• Hands-on leadership experience in a high-volume operational environment.
• Supportive team environment.
• Opportunities to develop your leadership and operational skills.
• Competitive remuneration based on experience and applicable employment conditions.