Victoria, Melbourne, Western Suburbs Melbourne VIC, Northern Suburbs Melbourne VIC
Full time
From AUD 72,500 / 80,000 + Super
• Store Manager / Restaurant Manager
You will lead the day-to-day operation of the first Australian store — building the team, maintaining quality and service standards, managing store performance and acting as the key link between the store and head office.
This role suits someone with solid management experience in restaurants, cafés, retail, food retail, supermarkets, franchise stores or other high-volume customer-facing environments. Restaurant experience is highly valued, but what matters most is your ability to lead people, follow systems and run a busy store operation well.
Salary: From AUD 80,000 + Superannuation
• Assistant Store Manager / Assistant Restaurant Manager
You will work alongside the Store Manager to run the store and lead the team — covering staff training, shift coordination, customer service, store administration and daily reporting.
This role suits someone with team leadership experience who is ready to step into a broader management role. You may be an Assistant Manager, Shift Manager, Supervisor, Department Manager or Team Leader in retail, hospitality or food service — and ready for the next step.
Restaurant experience is helpful, but it is not the only pathway. If you are used to busy, customer-facing environments and want to build a long-term career in store operations, this role is worth a serious look.
Salary: From AUD 72,500 + Superannuation
• Leading the opening and daily operation of the first Australian store
• Building, training and developing a strong store team
• Maintaining high standards in customer service, product quality, food safety and hygiene
• Managing rosters, stock, cash handling and daily store administration
• Keeping operations aligned with company systems, manuals and brand standards
• Acting as a clear communication point between the store floor and head office
• Supporting local marketing and promotional activity where needed
Experience matters. So does the way you work.
The right person sees what needs doing before being asked, supports their team without micromanaging and stays level-headed when the store gets busy or plans change.
You will ideally bring experience in one or more of the following:
• Restaurant, café or hospitality management
• Retail store management or assistant management
• Food retail, supermarket, convenience or franchise store operations
• High-volume customer service environments
• Team leadership, shift leadership or department supervision
You will also bring:
• A hands-on approach and genuine care for customers and team
• Strong people skills and the ability to build a positive team culture
• Good organisational skills and attention to detail
• Calm, flexible thinking when things do not go exactly to plan
• Confidence following systems, standards and operating procedures
• Confidence with Microsoft Office, particularly Excel and Word
• A genuine interest in growing your career in store and restaurant operations
Experience in a Japanese company, Japanese restaurant, Asian food business, Japanese retail brand or multicultural workplace is highly regarded. Japanese language skills are not required — but they would be a genuine asset in this role.
This role is a strong fit for someone who:
• Takes pride in creating a well-run, welcoming store
• Wants to be part of building something, not just maintaining it
• Is comfortable working across customer service, team leadership and operations
• Follows systems properly — but can also think on their feet
• Wants a clear development path, not just a job title
• Is genuinely excited by the idea of joining the first Australian store of a growing brand
This may be a strong next step for someone from a structured retail, supermarket, food retail, hospitality or restaurant environment who wants to grow into a restaurant brand with long-term career potential.
If you are looking for a fixed, narrow role in an already-established store, this is probably not the right fit.
• First Australian store opening role for a well-known Japanese-born dining brand
• Clear career pathway — Area Manager track (Store Manager) / Store Manager track (Assistant Manager)
• Real influence over store culture, team and standards from day one
• Close working relationship with head office throughout the launch phase
• Hands-on environment where initiative and ownership are genuinely valued
• Complimentary staff meal valued at AUD 15.00 per day worke
This search is managed exclusively by Career Meister on behalf of our client.
Applications are managed confidentially. The client’s name will be shared with shortlisted candidates only.
All shortlisted candidates will be required to attend an initial face-to-face interview with Career Meister as part of the recruitment process.
Only candidates with unrestricted, long-term working rights in Australia will be considered.
Applications will be reviewed as they are received.
The first store opens once. If this is the role for you, now is the time.
Please submit your resume and a brief cover letter outlining your relevant experience, your preferred position and what draws you to this opportunity.
We look forward to hearing from you.
First Australian Restaurant Opening – Japanese-Born Dining Brand
📍 Inner-west Melbourne, Victoria ｜ Full-time permanent ｜ Start: 17 August 2026 📅 ｜ Application Due Date: Sunday, 19 July 2026
• Store Manager / Restaurant Manager: From AUD 80,000 + Superannuation
• Assistant Store Manager / Assistant Restaurant Manager: From AUD 72,500 + Superannuation
A well-established Japanese-born casual dining group — with a strong presence across Japan and Asia — is opening its first restaurant in Australia, located in Melbourne. The brand is known for delivering simple, affordable and genuinely enjoyable dining experiences. Australia is the next chapter, and this first store will set the foundation for what comes next.
This is not just another store management role.
The people who join at this stage will help build the team, set the culture and establish the service standards that define this brand in Australia. There are systems and brand standards to follow — but there is also real work to do: training people from scratch, understanding Australian customers and making the first store something worth being proud of.
We are looking for a Store Manager and an Assistant Manager to be part of this opening team.
You do not necessarily need to come from a restaurant background. If you have experience leading teams in retail, food retail, hospitality, supermarkets, convenience stores, cafés or other high-volume customer-facing environments, this could be a strong next step.
Both roles come with genuine long-term potential. The Store Manager will be considered for a future Area Manager role. The Assistant Manager will be on track to become a Store Manager as the business grows.
Most store management roles ask you to maintain what already exists.
This one asks you to build it. That means more responsibility, more variety and more visibility than a standard management role — and for the right person, a clear path forward as the business expands across Australia.
Restaurant: Inner-west Melbourne｜Support Office: Melbourne West, as required
The restaurant will be located in a major shopping centre in Melbourne. Public transport access to the support office may be limited — a valid driver’s licence and own vehicle are recommended.
Full location and company details will be shared with shortlisted candidates.
The restaurant operates on a shift basis, Monday to Sunday, between 10:00 am and 10:00 pm.
Standard hours are 8 hours per day with two rostered days off per week. Employees can generally expect 8–10 days off per month. Some additional hours may be required depending on operational needs.
This is a full-time permanent position on a rotating roster. Weekend work will be required.
Monday, August 17th, 2026
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