Head of Hospitality Operations

We have an exciting opportunity for a senior leader with a passion for hospitality to join our team and lead the food and beverage operations at our venues the Capitol Theatre, Sydney Lyric and Foundry Theatre. In this role, you will work directly with the CEO and Executive team to make our theatres great venues for our up to 35,000 patrons per week to visit. Your ideas, work ethic, workplace pride, team spirit and commitment to safety are respected hallmarks of the role.

Foundation Theatres continues to grow its operations with the addition of the Foundry Theatre to our portfolio in 2025 and the hope to expand further in the years ahead. We are seeking a candidate who is passionate about hospitality operations and facilitating business growth and who has strong leadership skills to join our leadership team through this exciting growth period.

About The Position

• Work Type: Full Time.
• Location: Pyrmont & Haymarket, NSW
• Hours of work: Varied, including weekends and evenings.

Your Day to Day

In this role you will enhance the Company’s vision for exceptional theatre experiences in our venues and work alongside the executive team to help optimize operations, increase revenue and lead the large food and beverage team. At a high level this will encompass:

• Operations | Lead the day-to-day operations of the department and streamline operational process and efficiencies across all venues.  Understand industry trends and best practice, look ahead and support the managers and supervisors of the department to help ensure smooth and efficient operations.
• HR | Lead the recruiting, onboarding and training of a large pool of over 80 casual staff. Manage rosters, timesheets and HR matters for all staff within the department ensuring maximum efficiency. 
• Product & Stock Management | Oversee the procuring, costing and analysing bar items to maximise revenue and profitability. Develop strong relationships with suppliers and oversee the ordering of stock and monthly stocktakes.
• Systems | Manage the enterprise POS applications, enhance associated processes, analyse sale results and work with management to maximise revenue opportunities. Champion all systems and software within the business including HRIS, time and attendance and operational software applications.
• Leadership | Foster a collaborative work environment by providing mentorship and leadership to the team and promote professional growth. Implement and train team members on all company policies and procedures and be responsible for ensuring all staff in the department act in accordance with company policies. Develop policies and training plans for the management and the casual teams, including building content and engagement with training software and programs.
• Functions | Work with Management and our catering company to design and price function packages, efficiently and clearly communicate with clients and customers regarding booking of functions and events, actively pursue sales channels.

What it takes to be great in this role

• You should love hospitality operations and be passionate about making every person’s visit to the theatre exceptional. Ideally, you also love the theatre!
• A genuine passion for the industry and interest in exploring current trends and innovations.
• You should have a minimum of 7 years’ senior leadership experience in a fast paced, hospitality role. You must also have a current RSA.
• Possess a strong vision and forward planning skills to ensure the growth and development of the department and business.
• You will have great emotional intelligence and the ability to lead a significant casual workforce and help train them on what it takes to thrive in the workplace.
• You will possess strong communication, leadership, organisational and HR skills with proven experience in hiring, motivating, training and leading a casual workforce.
• You will understand the important of process, for unifying process across operations and have a proven ability in communicating and implementing change.
• You will have strong computer skills and a desire to use software to help enhance our operations and prepare the business for growth.
• With a positive ‘can do’ attitude and desire to make a difference within the organisation, you should have the ability to spot and resolve problems efficiently with exceptional time management and an ability to multitask.

Why Foundation Theatres?

• We are offering a stable, full-time position with a generous salary aligned to experience.
• We bring the best commercial theatrical content from around the world to Sydney and provide an exciting environment for presenting exceptional 5-star theatre service.
• We are an Australian family owned and operated organisation. We have a small team with a flat structure, allowing direct and regular access to the executive team. This position is for someone looking for long term stability with the ability to have a voice and make a valuable contribution to our operations.
• We provide excellent growth opportunities both personally and professionally.
• Opportunities to see all our productions.
• A work environment that is inclusive and celebrates the diversity of people needed to bring our theatres to life each day.
• Wellness program that promotes personal wellness with additional leave days and an EAP program available

About Foundation Theatres

Foundation Theatres is an Australian family-owned theatre owner and operator. Our venues are two of Sydney’s premier theatres: The Capitol Theatre and Sydney Lyric. Our Vision is to provide exceptional, inspiring experiences for theatre makers and theatre goers. Our Mission is to operate thriving, internationally renowned, first-class theatres and to build a robust Australian theatre industry for generations to come.

Foundation Theatres is renowned for its innovative approach, determination, focus on excellence and passion for the theatre industry. With an absolute focus on customer experience, we recognise that the customer interaction does not start merely when patrons take a seat in the auditorium. Customers expect that they receive a complete end to end entertainment experience, and the Foundation Theatres team, across multiple functional areas, work diligently to ensure these expectations are exceeded.

How to Apply

Please apply with a covering letter addressing the selection criteria and your resume and send to  kmurphy@foundationtheatres.com.au.

Applications close Wednesday 22 January.