At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a dynamic team in managing the Virgin Lounge's food and beverage operations.
- Company: Join Virgin Australia, a leader in the aviation industry with a vibrant culture.
- Benefits: Gain valuable experience in hospitality management and leadership.
- Other info: Temporary role from September 2026 to February 2027 with excellent growth opportunities.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by enhancing guest experiences in a high-energy environment.
- Qualifications: Experience in managing large teams and strong performance management skills required.
The predicted salary is between 49500 - 60500 $ per year.
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 clear 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
Food & Beverage Manager | Virgin Lounge - Sydney employer: Trippas White Group
Trippas White Group is an exceptional employer, offering a vibrant work culture that fosters creativity and collaboration in the heart of Sydney. With a strong focus on employee growth, you will have access to professional development opportunities while working in a prestigious location like the National Gallery of Australia, where your contributions to premium events will be both meaningful and rewarding.
