This is not your standard hospitality leadership role.
At The Little Social, every coffee served, every catering event delivered and every customer interaction contributes to something bigger - creating real opportunities for young people to build confidence, develop skills and create brighter futures.
We’re looking for a dynamic, commercially savvy and people-focused Head of Hospitality to lead our growing café and catering social enterprise across Melbourne. Someone who thrives in fast-paced environments, builds strong teams, drives operational excellence and wants their leadership to genuinely matter.
This is your opportunity to combine hospitality excellence with social impact - leading a business that changes lives every single day.
What Makes You a Great Fit
You’re an experienced hospitality leader who knows how to bring people together, create strong culture and deliver exceptional operational outcomes.
You’re commercially minded, calm under pressure and passionate about building environments where both people and business can thrive.
You’ll bring:
Experience within social enterprise, community or purpose-led environments is highly regarded - but your leadership style, mindset and passion for impact are what matter most.
Why You’ll Love This Role
About the Role
As Head of Hospitality, you’ll lead all café and catering operations across The Little Social, overseeing the business from both an operational and strategic perspective.
You’ll drive:
This role is equal parts hospitality leader, people leader and change maker.
What Success Looks Like (First 12 Months)
✅ Seamless Operations
Our cafés and catering services run smoothly, safely and consistently across all locations. Customers experience warm, reliable service every time, with food safety and compliance standards consistently met or exceeded.
💰 Financial Sustainability
Operations are effectively managed within budget, with clear visibility of performance. You’ll strengthen cost control, improve purchasing efficiency and reduce waste - supporting our not-for-profit mission and long-term sustainability.
👥 Empowered People
Teams feel supported, engaged and proud of the work they do. Capability is strong, leaders are confident and proactive, and a positive, high-performing culture is embedded across all sites.
🌱 Youth Impact
Young people feel safe, included and empowered through meaningful hospitality experiences. They build real-world skills, confidence and pathways into employment and future opportunities.
❤️ Values-Led Culture
Our hospitality environments reflect who we are - inclusive, respectful and development-focused. Every interaction with customers, staff and young people reflects the values and purpose that drive
our work every day.
Why You’ll Love Working With Us
At Youth Projects, we’re lucky to have a passionate, energetic and values-driven team who genuinely care about the work we do and the people we support.
We work hard, support each other and celebrate the impact we create every day. While the work can be challenging, it’s also incredibly meaningful - and you’ll be surrounded by people who are committed, collaborative and driven by purpose.
We’re committed to creating a flexible and supportive workplace where you can thrive professionally and personally. From ongoing learning opportunities to wellbeing initiatives and genuine work-life balance, we invest in our people every step of the way.
Most importantly, the work you do here directly changes lives in the community. Great people deserve great perks, you’ll also enjoy:
Ready to Lead Something Bigger?
If you’re still reading, there’s a strong chance you might be exactly who we’re looking for.
We’re searching for someone who brings energy, leadership, commercial thinking and heart - someone ready to lead hospitality differently and create meaningful impact every single day.
👉 Send through your resume and cover letter by clicking “Apply for the Job.” 👈
In your cover letter, tell us about your experience within the hospitality industry, your leadership approach, and the impact you would like to create in this role - both operationally and for the young people and communities we support.
Recruitment for this position will be undertaken as applications are received, and only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.
Please note the successful applicant will be required to: Hold or obtain a valid Working with Children Check, National Police Check Current and valid Driver's Licence as part of the onboarding and recruitment process.
Our commitment to diversity, inclusion and belonging: At Youth Projects, we value the unique experiences, perspectives and contributions that a diverse workforce brings. We are committed to creating a safe, inclusive and welcoming workplace for all and actively encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people with disability, culturally and linguistically diverse communities, and people of all genders, sexualities and identities, including members of the LGBTIQA+ community
Safety screening: Youth Projects is committed to being a child-safe organisation, providing an environment where children who come into contact with the organisation feel safe. Youth Projects has zero tolerance
The Royal Children's Hospital (RCH) has been providing outstanding care for Victoria's children and their families for over 147 years.
We are the major specialist paediatric hospital in Victoria and our care extends to children from Tasmania, southern New South Wales and other states around Australia and overseas.
With a passionate, highly skilled and committed staff campus wide of over 5,000, we provide a full range of clinical services, tertiary care and health promotion and prevention programs for children and young people.
We are the designated state-wide major trauma centre for paediatrics in Victoria and a Nationally Funded Centre for cardiac and liver transplantation.
When it comes to training and research we partner with the very best. Our campus partners, the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute (MCRI) and The University of Melbourne Department of Paediatrics, along with the RCH Foundation, are on site with the hospital in Parkville. Together, we are committed to improving the health outcomes for children today and in the future.
In 2016–17, more than 85,654 children attended our Emergency Department, 322,291 specialist clinic appointments were held which was almost 70,000 more than the previous year, more than 17,000 surgeries were performed and more than 48,552 children were admitted to our wards.
