Area Manager in Melbourne

If you’ve been an Area Manager in retail, hospitality or a service business, this could be a really interesting career pivot for you. We’re working with a founder-led education business expanding its network of learning centres. They need an experienced multi-site leader to develop their local managers, improve day-to-day operations and support new openings.

There’s plenty here you’ll recognise: coaching managers, getting staffing right, maintaining standards and taking responsibility for commercial performance. You’ll be applying those skills in a different setting, helping teams deliver a great experience for students and their families.

The opportunity

This is a business still building the structure and processes to support its growth. New locations are opening, teams are developing and things move quickly. You’ll have a say in how your area operates. They want someone who brings ideas from previous experience, challenges what could work better and helps put improvements into practice.

You’ll also need to be comfortable with the messy bits. Priorities change, staffing issues crop up and some decisions need making before you have all the information. Confident communication, resilience and practical judgement matter here.

What you’ll be doing

Reporting to the State Manager, you’ll oversee a group of campuses across Melbourne’s south-east, with responsibility for:

• Developing Campus Leaders: coaching local managers, building their confidence and holding them accountable for performance.
• Keeping standards consistent: spending time on site, reviewing operations and following improvements through.
• Managing staffing and capacity: matching rosters, classes and resources to student demand.
• Owning commercial performance: managing the area P&L, controlling costs and improving margins.
• Handling escalations: helping resolve staffing, service and operational issues calmly and clearly.
• Supporting growth: recruiting, onboarding and preparing teams for new campus openings.
• Maintaining safe environments: upholding workplace safety and child safeguarding standards across your area.

Who this could suit

You’ll already have experience managing multiple locations through site managers or team leaders. Your background could be in retail, hospitality, education or another service business. Education experience would be useful, but they’re very open to someone bringing transferable multi-site leadership experience.

You’ll need:

• A track record of developing managers and improving site performance.
• Confident communication, including having direct and constructive conversations.
• Commercial judgement and experience managing staffing costs and budgets.
• The ability to stay calm, prioritise and make decisions when several things need attention.
• An interest in helping build processes in a growing business.
• A full driving licence and willingness to travel regularly between locations.

A word on the hours

The campuses operate around students’ availability, including evenings and weekends. You’ll need flexibility, with some days finishing at 8pm or occasionally 9pm. There is give and take around your working pattern, including adjusting start times and balancing time elsewhere. Clear communication and covering operational needs are key.