Food and Beverage Manager in Sydney

Lead dynamic food and beverage operations at the heart of live performance and entertainment.

The Food and Beverage Manager plays a key role in delivering exceptional hospitality experiences at the Seymour Centre, leading all food and beverage operations across bars, catering services and event hospitality. This hands-on leadership role is responsible for ensuring outstanding customer service, driving commercial performance and creating a welcoming and memorable experience for patrons attending performances, events and functions.

Working closely with operational leaders, you will oversee supplier partnerships, stock management, staffing, financial performance and compliance activities while identifying opportunities to enhance service delivery and revenue growth. You will negotiate supplier agreements, manage budgets and ensure food and beverage offerings remain competitive, profitable and aligned with industry best practice.

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced hospitality professional who thrives in a fast-paced events environment. Combining strategic oversight with day-to-day operational leadership, you will lead and develop a high-performing team while contributing to the ongoing success and reputation of one of Sydney's leading performing arts venues. This is a full-time position working 38 hours per week. Given the nature of the performing arts industry, evening and weekend work will be required to support performances, opening nights and special events.

Key responsibilities:

• Lead the day-to-day operation of food and beverage outlets, ensuring exceptional service standards and operational efficiency.
• Manage supplier relationships, negotiate contracts and maintain attractive, high-quality food and beverage offerings.
• Recruit, roster, coach and develop hospitality staff to build a skilled, engaged and customer-focused team.
• Oversee budgets, stock control, cash management, reconciliations and pricing strategies to drive financial performance.
• Manage catering services for performances, functions and events from enquiry through to successful delivery.
• Ensure compliance with WHS and RSA requirements while supporting continuous improvement initiatives across hospitality operations.

About you:

• Demonstrated experience managing food and beverage, hospitality, catering or event operations, ideally within arts, entertainment, live performance, venue or customer-facing environments.
• Proven ability to lead, motivate and develop teams while maintaining high standards of customer service.
• Strong financial and commercial acumen, including budget management, forecasting and profitability improvement.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and negotiation skills, with the ability to build effective supplier and client relationships.
• Experience using POS systems, managing stock control processes and overseeing cash handling and reconciliation activities.
• A proactive and adaptable approach, combined with a genuine passion for hospitality, live events and creating exceptional customer experiences.

Sponsorship / work rights for Australia: You must have unrestricted work rights in Australia for the duration of this employment to apply. Visa sponsorship is not available for this appointment.

Pre-employment checks: Your employment is conditional upon the completion of all role required pre-employment or background checks in terms satisfactory to the University. Similarly, your ongoing employment is conditional upon the satisfactory maintenance of all relevant clearances and background check requirements. If you do not meet these conditions, the University may take any necessary step, including the termination of your employment.

EEO statement: At the University of Sydney, our shared values are trust, accountability and excellence and we strive to be a place where everyone can thrive. We are committed to creating a University community that thrives through diversity and reflects the wider community that we serve. We deliver on this through our commitment to diversity and inclusion, evidenced by our people and culture programs, as well as key strategies to increase participation and support the careers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People, women, people living with a disability, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and those who identify as LGBTQIA+. We welcome applications from candidates from all backgrounds. We are proud to be recognised as an Australian Workplace Equality Index (AWEI) Platinum Employer.