Job Description

Welcome to Drifter, Australia’s newest hospitality playground, designed for free spirits and adventure-seekers. We’re a new breed of accommodation, blending the boutique comfort of a hotel with the community-driven spirit of a modern hostel.

It’s not just about a place to stay, it’s about creating vibrant spaces where people connect, unwind, and explore. And as we continue to grow across Australia and New Zealand, we’re building the team to support that next phase.

The Opportunity

We’re looking for a Group Operations Manager to drive operational consistency, performance, and standards across our growing portfolio of properties.

This is a portfolio-level role, working across multiple sites to support and guide Property Managers and their teams. You’ll play a key role in ensuring that operational frameworks, systems, and standards are implemented effectively and consistently across the group.

What You'll Be Doing

• Conduct regular operational audits across Front Office, Housekeeping, Maintenance and F&B to ensure standards and compliance are met
• Partner with Property Managers to assess performance, identify gaps, and implement improvement plans
• Deliver coaching and support to Property Managers and Heads of Department to build capability and consistency
• Lead the rollout and embedding of group-wide SOPs, systems, and operational frameworks
• Monitor operational KPIs and guest experience metrics to identify trends and opportunities
• Act as the link between property teams and Head Office functions (HR, Finance, Marketing, etc.)
• Support properties during escalations, challenges, and periods of operational pressure
• Contribute to the development of training materials and support the ongoing capability of operational teams
• Drive continuous improvement and share best practices across the portfolio

What We're Looking For

• Multi-site operational leadership experience in hospitality (hotel or similar environment)
• Strong understanding of day-to-day property operations across Rooms and/or F&B
• Demonstrated ability to improve operational performance and deliver outcomes
• Experience supporting, coaching or developing operational leaders
• Strong analytical skills and confidence interpreting operational and financial performance data
• Experience implementing systems, SOPs, or operational frameworks across multiple sites.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to influence and build relationships across teams
• High-level stakeholder communication and relationship management capability.
• Highly organised, with strong attention to detail and follow-through
• Flexibility to travel between sites as required

Highly Desirable:

• Experience within hostel, hybrid or lifestyle hospitality models
• Experience in scaling or portfolio growth environments
• Exposure to operational transformation or change initiatives

What You Can Expect

• Career progression across a growing portfolio in Australia & New Zealand
• Mate's rates across our properties for you, your friends, and your family
• Discounts on everyday brands (think JB Hi-Fi, Uber Eats and more)
• Access to online learning to support your development (or just follow your curiosity)
• Birthday leave for permanent team members
• Employee Assistance Program (because your wellbeing matters)
• A fast-moving, values-led environment where you can make real impact

Ready to jump in?

If you’re passionate about operations, love improving how things run, and want to play a key role in shaping our growing portfolio - we’d love to hear from you.