Drifter

Facilities Manager

Drifter  •  Sydney, AU (Hybrid)  •  4 months ago
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Job Description

Welcome to Drifter - a growing hospitality group built for free spirits, curious travellers, and people who care about the spaces they create.

Our driving force is to create an environment where guests will make memories that last a lifetime. A key part of that is making sure our facilities are running like clockwork.

The Role

As our Group Facilities Manager, you’ll take ownership of facilities and asset performance across 11 properties in Australia and New Zealand.

Now entering a critical phase of asset stabilisation and compliance maturity – after a significant investment phase – this a truly greenfield role with the full support of leadership behind it.

You’ll build the foundations that keep Drifter running smoothly - setting up preventive maintenance frameworks, keeping our properties compliant (Australia and New Zealand) and overseeing maintenance delivery, contractors, and capital works.

This is a senior, hands-on leadership role with real autonomy, influence, and impact.

What You'll Be Doing

You'll lead facilities management across the group, including:

  • Building a group-wide preventive maintenance program from the ground up
  • Establishing clear maintenance standards, schedules, and escalation pathways across all properties
  • Owning end-to-end building compliance across Australia and New Zealand, including essential safety measures
  • Taking full accountability for fire compliance, including appointing and managing external providers, managing inspects and certifications, and maintaining audit-ready records across all sites.
  • Overseeing contractor performance and coordinating works between external specialists and on-site maintenance teams
  • Working closely with Finance to maintain and optimise our asset management system (AssetVision)
  • Supporting CapEx planning through asset condition assessments and repair-vs-replace recommendations
  • Providing guidance and recommendations on Building Management Systems (BMS), including best-practice use and implementation
  • Partnering with Operations, Property Managers, Finance, and People & Culture to keep our buildings safe, compliant, and guest-ready

What We're Looking For

You’re someone who likes building things that last, with efficiency, care and process.

You'll bring:

  • Significant experience in a Facilities Manager, Engineering Manager, or similar senior role
  • A relevant trade, engineering, or facilities management qualification, or equivalent demonstrated experience managing complex building portfolios
  • WHS or facilities-related certifications are highly regarded
  • Proven experience managing multi-site or portfolio facilities, ideally in hospitality or other operational environments
  • Demonstrated success building or resetting preventive maintenance and compliance frameworks
  • Mandatory experience managing fire safety systems and fire compliance across both Australia and New Zealand
  • Strong working knowledge of critical building systems (HVAC, electrical, fire protection, hydraulics)
  • Confidence working with finance teams on budgets, asset registers, and CapEx
  • A commercial mindset, strong organisation skills, and excellent follow-through
  • Comfort operating in fast-paced, evolving environments with a high degree of autonomy

What You Can Expect at Drifter

This is a senior, portfolio-wide role with direct influence over how our buildings are maintained, improved, and future-proofed across Australia and New Zealand.

Alongside that, you’ll have:

  • Competitive remuneration: Including a clear bonus structure aligned to impact
  • Flexible work arrangements: Potential for hybrid work, balancing office, site, and remote work
  • Travel: Site and office visits across Australia and New Zealand as required
  • Wellbeing support: EAP access and free annual flu vaccination
  • Lifestyle support: Birthday leave, mates’ rates, and discounts on everyday brands
  • Values-led culture: We care about people, place, and how we show up

Drifter is collaborative, practical, and values-led. Professional but not stuffy, we’re a welcoming and inclusive workplace and proudly welcome team members from all races, places, gender expressions, and beliefs.

If this role sounds like it’s the right place for you to land and you’ve got the skills and experience we need, we’d love to hear from you.

Drifter

About Drifter

Drifter is a new generation of hybrid hotel-hostels, designed for the free-spirited and the curious.

Launched in 2024 across Australia and New Zealand, Drifter blends premium private rooms with elevated shared suite options, offering travellers the comfort of a boutique hotel and the connection of a hostel.

With properties now open in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Cairns and Christchurch, Drifter and its sibling brand Little Drifter bring together a community of travellers through beautifully designed accommodation and thoughtfully curated communal spaces. Guests enjoy access to wellness studios, cinema rooms, coworking lounges, bars, libraries and social areas—each space designed to foster connection, creativity and a sense of place.

And we’re just getting started—with new Drifter locations set to open in Byron Bay, Auckland and Wellington.

Whether you're looking to rest, explore, create or connect, Drifter is designed for the young and young at heart.

Industry
Travel & Hospitality
Company Size
11-50 employees
Headquarters
Darlinghurst, AU
Year Founded
2020
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