Six-month temporary appointment | September 2026 - February 2027

The Opportunity

We are seeking an experienced leader to step into the Food & Beverage Manager role at our Virgin Australia Sydney Lounge for a six-month period, covering approved extended leave.

This is a full site leadership role with accountability for a team of approximately 60 staff, the site cost centre budget and the day-to-day client relationship with Virgin Australia. You will report to the National Operations Manager, Trippas White Group.

The site is well established with a capable 2IC and an experienced team, so day-to-day service is in good shape. What this appointment needs is a manager who can lift their head above the floor - set standards, hold people to them, and drive the people and compliance work that sits behind a well-run lounge.

What you will be responsible for

- Overall operation of the lounge: food and beverage standards, guest experience, presentation and compliance with Virgin Australia lounge standards
- Leading, coaching and managing the supervisor group and lounge team
- Rostering, payroll processing, ordering, invoicing and operational reporting
- Managing the site to budget, with weekly and monthly financial review
- WHS, food safety, incident reporting and Safety Culture compliance
- The client relationship with Virgin Australia at site level





Key focus areas for this appointment

- People and performance: Setting transparent expectations, running structured performance conversations, and applying HR policy fairly and consistently with support from People & Culture.
- Safety and compliance: Full completion of Safety Culture reporting, mandatory training compliance, and closing out corrective actions within agreed timeframes.

What we are looking for

- Proven experience managing a large hospitality team, ideally in a high-volume or aviation environment
- Genuine strength in performance management, HR process and difficult conversations - this role needs someone comfortable holding accountability and following through
- Strong working knowledge of WHS obligations, incident management and Safety Culture.
- Excellent time management and the ability to prioritise across competing demands
- The ability to work at a strategic level while still knowing what is happening on the floor
- Calm, consistent and measured under operational pressure
- Confident with rosters, budgets and reporting
- Able to attain and hold an Aviation Security Identification Card (ASIC)
- Available for the full term, September 2026 through February 2027
- Endorsement from your current manager if internal application

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📌 Food & Beverage Manager | Virgin Lounge - Sydney (New South Wales)
🏢 Trippas White Group
📍 New South Wales