VIC State Operations Manager

Chefs on the Run; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

CHEFS ON THE RUN is seeking a State Manager to lead the Melbourne operations team and drive client growth across hospitality, aged care, child care, mining, and health care sectors. Based in Ringwood, you will oversee recruitment, rostering for 200+ staff, and ensure compliant payroll and invoicing processes.

You will work with the GM and Financial Controller to achieve weekly budgets and expand the client base, while marketing services through calls, emails and in-person visits.

Qualifications

• Hands-on manager with strong leadership and people skills.
• Drive to significantly grow the client base and revenue.
• Solid understanding of hospitality, aged care and child care sectors.
• Ability to lead an operations team and meet weekly budgets.
• Capacity to coordinate rosters and manage on-call shifts.

Responsibilities

• Manage the 3-person Operations team (State Manager + two Coordinators).
• Recruit, manage and provide feedback to casual F&B personnel with GM support.
• Develop and nurture client relationships across hospitality, catering, aged care, health care, child care, and mining sectors.
• Market services via phone, email, and face-to-face (weekly check-ins and cold calls).
• Oversee bookings, rostering for 200+ personnel, and on-call coverage (6:00am–10:00pm, Mon–Sun).
• Learn and operate the company Booking System and client interfaces; ensure compliance.
• Coordinate with Admin & Finance to ensure payroll and invoicing accuracy.

Skills

People leadership

Business development

Team management

Roster coordination

Client relationship

Communication skills

Time management

Driver's license

Job description

CHEFS ON THE RUN is one of Australia's premier Hospitality & Catering personnel recruitment agencies, with a proud track record of supplying clients’ fluctuating needs for casual and temp chefs and hospitality/catering staff across Australia since 1990.

The State Manager’s key roles are to build the client base and ensure the smooth running of the State’s staffing operations. This requires managing – and being an integral part of - a small team and being focused and driven to exceed client and candidate expectations. The State Manager will contribute to the company’s sales and profit goals by individually driving recruitment, placement, marketing and sales and supporting Operations team members to do the same. This will take place in accordance with strategic direction from the company and also using the State Manager’s initiative, in consultation with the General Manager.

Central to the State Manager’s role is management of the Operations team that is responsible for recruitment, interviewing and placement of candidates in temporary roles within the Hospitality, Aged Care, Child Care, Mining and Catering Industries. On the client side, the State Manager is expected to nurture and develop client relationships and to develop new, deep relationships with clients, wherever possible.

The role involves:

Participating in, and being responsible for management of, the 3 person Operations team, comprising the State Manager and two Operations Coordinators and working with the Financial Controller and General Manager, based in Melbourne

Recruiting, managing and providing feedback to casual F&B personnel, with the support of the General Manager

Managing existing, and developing new relationships with clients in the Hospitality, Catering, Aged Care & Health Care, Child Care and Mining sectors

Marketing the services of the company on phones (weekly check-ins and cold calling), via email and face-to-face marketing one week in three

Operations team members work a rotating three week roster – a week managing the bookings and allocations of personnel (including being on call 6.00am to 10pm Mon-Sun), a week supporting the person managing bookings and a week marketing – including time on the road meeting with current and potential clients

Learning to operate the company’s Booking System and interfaces with client booking systems, and monitoring a broad range of compliance requirements – particularly in the Aged Care & Health Care environments

Working closely with our Admin & Finance team to ensure all payroll and invoicing activities are able to be completed accurately and in a timely manner

Understanding the categories and duties of all F&B personnel, Food Safety and the industry sectors we supply

Dealing professionally with Client and Staff complaints

Attending our Ringwood office Monday to Friday

The role requires:

A hands‑on manager with good people skills, who understands the need to lead by example

A person who has the drive necessary to significantly increase the number of clients using the company’s services

A solid understanding of the hospitality & tourism, Aged Care & Health and Child Care sectors, including cooking, kitchens and safety.

The skills and experience to lead the Operations team and attain operating budgets on a weekly basis with their support

The ability to coordinate casual personnel rosters of 200 plus

A commitment to understanding client requirements and matching personnel to both the role and client environment

Good telephone communication skills, competent email and written communication skills

Ensuring company procedures are followed and communicated to casual personnel

The ability to resolve client issues quickly and efficiently

Strong attention to detail

Capacity to manage frustration where staff or clients change plans at the last minute

Strong time management and organisation skills

Strong knowledge of Victorian suburbs

Full Driver’s License

Applications Close Friday 13th November. Only successful applicants will be contacted for an interview.