Restaurant Manager

Pinnacle People; City of Melbourne; On-site; AUD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Career progression opportunities

Autonomy to lead venue

Job summary

Pinnacle People in Melbourne is seeking an experienced Restaurant Manager to lead a well-established operation. You will be hands-on on the floor, mentor teams, and drive service excellence and profitable growth.

Own daily operations, partner with Head Chef, engage guests, develop your team, and uphold the highest standards of presentation and hospitality across shifts. This is a lead-from-the-floor, guest-focused role with strong commercial accountability.

Qualifications

• Previous experience in a Restaurant Manager or Senior Venue Management role.
• Strong food, beverage, and wine knowledge.
• Proven experience leading and developing teams.
• Sound understanding of labour management, stock control, and budgeting.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• A hands-on leadership style and visible floor presence.
• Strong commercial awareness and business acumen.
• Ability to perform in a fast-paced, guest-focused environment.
• Current RSA certification.
• Safe Food Handling certification highly regarded.
• Full Australian working rights.

Responsibilities

• Delivering Outstanding Guest Experiences: Create a warm, welcoming, personalised dining experience; build relationships with guests and community; handle feedback; drive service excellence.
• Leading and Developing Your Team: Recruit, onboard, mentor, and develop hospitality professionals; maintain a positive team culture; conduct coaching; lead by example on the floor.
• Driving Operational Excellence: Manage rosters, Labour costs, stock control, ordering, inventory; ensure compliance with food safety, RSA, and WHS.
• Commercial Leadership: Manage budgets and financial performance; maximise revenue opportunities; conduct stocktakes and cost-control; support business growth through local relationships.

Skills

Leadership

Guest service excellence

Team development

Operational leadership

Communication

Job description

Lead a destination dining experience where exceptional service, great food, and genuine hospitality come together.

Are you a passionate hospitality leader who thrives on creating memorable guest experiences, building high-performing teams, and driving commercial success?

We're seeking an experienced Restaurant Manager to lead a well-established restaurant operation. This is an opportunity for a hands-on leader who enjoys being on the floor, connecting with guests, mentoring teams, and delivering exceptional standards every day.

If you're passionate about food, wine, service excellence, and creating an environment where both guests and team members feel valued, we'd love to hear from you.

About the Role

You will take full ownership of the restaurant's daily operations, leading the front-of-house team while working closely with the Head Chef and leadership team.

This role combines operational leadership, guest engagement, team development, and commercial accountability. You'll be entrusted with maintaining exceptional service standards while ensuring the restaurant continues to grow its reputation, profitability, and loyal customer base.

What You'll Be Responsible For

Delivering Outstanding Guest Experiences

• Creating a warm, welcoming, and personalised dining experience for every guest

• Building strong relationships with regular guests, local businesses, and the community

• Handling guest feedback professionally and proactively

• Driving service excellence and ensuring consistency across every shift

• Supporting menu development and wine offerings in collaboration with the Head Chef

• Overseeing private dining experiences, events, and special functions

Leading and Developing Your Team

• Recruiting, onboarding, mentoring, and developing hospitality professionals

• Creating a positive and engaged team culture

• Conducting regular performance conversations and coaching sessions

• Leading by example on the floor during service

• Ensuring service standards, presentation, and grooming standards are consistently maintained

Driving Operational Excellence

• Managing rosters, labour costs, stock control, ordering, and inventory

• Monitoring service standards and operational efficiencies

• Ensuring compliance with food safety, RSA, and workplace health and safety requirements

• Collaborating effectively with kitchen, events, accommodation, and wider hotel teams

• Maintaining a restaurant environment that reflects the highest standards of presentation

Commercial Leadership

• Managing departmental budgets and financial performance

• Monitoring revenue opportunities and maximising average spend

• Conducting stocktakes and cost control initiatives

• Supporting business growth through strong local relationships and repeat patronage

• Delivering results against operational and financial targets

About You

We're looking for a hospitality professional who combines strong leadership capability with a genuine passion for guest service.

You’ll ideally bring:

• Previous experience in a Restaurant Manager or Senior Venue Management role

• Strong food, beverage, and wine knowledge

• Proven experience leading and developing teams

• Sound understanding of labour management, stock control, and budgeting

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills

• A hands-on leadership style and visible floor presence

• Strong commercial awareness and business acumen

• Ability to perform in a fast-paced, guest-focused environment

• Current RSA certification

• Safe Food Handling certification highly regarded

• Full Australian working rights

What's on Offer

• Join a respected and growing hospitality business

• Work with passionate hospitality professionals

• Genuine autonomy to lead your venue and team

• Supportive senior leadership team

• Career progression opportunities within a broader hospitality group

• Competitive salary package based on experience

• Opportunity to make a real impact on guest experience and business performance

Please note: Sponsorship is not available for this role, only candidates with full working rights in Australia will be considered