Operations Venue Manager

Itinerant Spirits Co.; Ballarat; On-site; AUD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Itinerant Spirits Co. is seeking an exceptional Operations Venue Manager for Ballarat's historic Goods Shed. You will own the venue P&L, build a formidable team, and drive profitability and growth in a unique hospitality setting.

This full-time role requires commercial instinct, high standards, and the ability to translate vision into action across dining, bar, events, and distillery operations. Relocation support discussed for exceptional candidates.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5+ years in hospitality management or equivalent leadership role.
• Proven track record building and managing high-performing teams.
• Strong commercial acumen with ability to manage budgets and P&L.

Responsibilities

• Own the venue P&L and drive profitable growth.
• Lead, recruit, and develop a hospitality team.
• Rostering and labour management to target staffing levels.
• Set service standards and lead the floor to deliver exceptional guest experiences.
• Develop food, drink, and venue programming to attract events.
• Grow functions, private bookings, tastings, and bottle sales.
• Oversee purchasing, stock, and operational controls.
• Report on performance and plan next steps.

Skills

P&L ownership

Team leadership

Revenue growth

Labor scheduling

Guest service excellence

Job description

This could be one of the best hospitality jobs in Australia. We're looking for an exceptional operator to take charge of Itinerant's home at Ballarat's historic Goods Shed - build a formidable team, grow the venue, own the P&L and make the place exceptional. Above-market salary with serious upside for the person who delivers.

OPERATIONS VENUE MANAGER- ITINERANT SPIRITS

This could be one of the best hospitality jobs in Australia.

Three years ago, we took Ballarat’s extraordinary 1863 Goods Shed and built something inside it that simply didn’t exist.

A major distillery. A beautiful 130-seat bar and dining room. A serious events space. Production on a scale rarely seen in an independent Australian distillery. All under one enormous heritage roof.

Itinerant has moved quickly.

We’re nationally distributed. Poured in some of the country’s best venues. International business is underway. Awards are landing. Whiskey is coming.

But our home has another gear in it.

We’re looking for the operator who can find it.

Someone with the instinct to know what a great room needs before anyone asks. Someone who can build a formidable team, create a culture people want to be part of, turn a quiet night into a reason to go out- and understand exactly what’s happening in the P&L while doing it.

Someone with ideas, and the ability to execute them.

We don’t care whether you’re in Ballarat.

You could be running a bar in Melbourne, a restaurant in Sydney, a hotel inO/S or working a floor thinking you could do the whole thing better.

And maybe you can.

THE JOB

This is a hands-on role with real responsibility for the performance of the venue.

You’ll be responsible for:

• Owning the venue P&L and delivering profitable growth
• Driving revenue, covers and average spend
• Building, leading and retaining an exceptional hospitality team
• Rostering intelligently and managing labour to target
• Leading the floor and setting the standard for service
• Developing the food, drink and overall venue experience
• Growing functions, events and private bookings
• Creating programming and activations that give people a reason to come
• Driving tastings, retail and bottle sales through the venue
• Managing COGS, stock, purchasing, cash and operational controls
• Recruiting, training and developing the team
• Reporting clearly on performance- what worked, what didn’t and what happens next

You won’t be expected to do everything yourself.

You will be expected to make sure everything gets done.

WHO WE’R’LOOKING FOR

You might already run a great venue. Or you might be the exceptional number two who’s ready for the keys.

Either way, you’ll need serious hospitality experience, commercial instinct, high standards and an understanding that a great venue is equal parts people, atmosphere and numbers.

We want someone who notices things. Fixes things. Creates things. Builds people around them. And gets genuine satisfaction from seeing a room full and a business performing.

THE OFFER

This is a full-time role based in Ballarat.

We’ll pay above market for the right person, with serious performance upside for the person who delivers.

You’ll have genuine authority to build your team, improve the operation and shape where the venue goes next.

For an exceptional candidate coming from further afield, we’re also open to discussing relocation support.

We’ll expect a lot.

We’ll give you a lot of room.

We’re not looking for another manager.

We’re looking for the person we’ll talk about in five years as one of the best decisions we made.