Rydges Resort Hunter Valley - Director of Food and Beverage

Rydges Resort Hunter Valley is part of EVT, and being a part of EVT means believing in changing the game. Why? Because no one wants ordinary. If you're seeking to be part of the kind of wow-factor moments you can help shape, then you've come to the right place.

About EVT:
As market-leading experience creators, we bring to life some of the best-known brands and properties in entertainment, ventures, and travel. Our portfolio includes over 140 entertainment experiences like Event Cinemas and Moonlight Cinemas, 150 award-winning restaurants and bars, and 80+ hotels, including QT, Rydges, Atura, LyLo, Independent Collection by EVT and Thredbo. Our ventures include a ~$2.3B property portfolio and hotel management, just to name a few.

Proudly Australian & New Zealand owned, Rydges Hotels & Resorts provides a diverse range of elevated city, suburban, and resort-style hotels. From classic charm to sophisticated style, our properties have every detail considered to deliver a refreshingly local experience with exceptional comforts catering to all guests. Join our team of local heroes dedicated to enhancing every guest’s stay. 

Located in the heart of Australia’s premier wine region, situated across an enormous slice of pristine countryside. Rydges Resort Hunter Valley is a vibrant 419 room resort and an all-encompassing destination for leisure, conferences, and unforgettable events. As home to the award-winning Hunter Valley Conference and Events Centre, we offer an expansive range of event spaces - from intimate boardrooms for 10 to grand celebrations for over 1,100 guests.
Whether it's a corporate gathering, elegant gala, or poolside cocktail party, our diverse venues and state-of-the-art facilities are designed to impress. With a dedicated events team, exceptional local cuisine, and immersive wine and food experiences, we bring every occasion to life with flair.

The resort features three distinct Food and Beverage outlets. The breakfast buffet in Gather Restaurant is renowned to both locals and in house guests. In the evening, we transform this space to an elevated Modern Australian menu featuring local Hunter Valley produce. Vista Bar is the resort lobby bar featuring classic cocktails and pre-dinner snacks. For a lively indoor scene or laid-back beer garden, Lovedale Brewbar serves up everything from pizzas, steaks and burgers matched with beers and ciders from Sydney Brewery, brewed right here on site! Alongside all of this, the resort also boasts being the largest Regional Conference and Events Centre in New South Wales and has room to accommodate intimate gatherings of 10 or milestone moments hosting up to 1,100 attendees in our largest venue, or across all 15 meeting rooms.

Outside of work, you will be living the Hunter Valley lifestyle with great food and wine at your doorstep, and only 1 hour to the stunning beaches and city vibe of Newcastle!

2025 & 2026 Hunter Valley Legends Awards
Hunter Valley Accommodation Operator of the Year

2025 & 2026 Accommodation Australia NSW Awards for Excellence Winner
Best Health & Wellbeing Practices

About the role:
We are seeking a dynamic, strategic and commercially minded Director of Food & Beverage to lead the operations of our $20 million Food & Beverage Department in the iconic Hunter Valley Wine region. Imagine the opportunity to work alongside over 150 vineyards AND create exceptional experiences for our guests on over 700ha of land - we are truly a huge operation! 

As a crucial member of the senior leadership team, you will play a pivotal role in shaping our food and beverage strategy.  This role combines day-to-day business execution with organisational, coordination, and operational support responsibilities. This is your chance to showcase your creativity and leadership in a vibrant wine region, building meaningful relationships with local winemakers and food artisans.

Key Responsibilities:

• Strategic Leadership: Actively participate in the hotel’s leadership team to develop and execute a cohesive food and beverage strategy that aligns with our overall vision.
• Culinary Collaboration: Work closely with the Executive Chef to design creative, seasonal menus, and partner with Venue Managers to curate outstanding beverage offerings across restaurants, bars, in-room dining, and events.
• Innovative Experiences: Collaborate with Venue Managers to create and implement exciting new offerings that enhance guest experiences and celebrate local flavours.
• Financial Oversight: Monitor budgets and control costs related to food, beverage, and labour. Utilise EVT scheduling tools to enhance payroll efficiency and productivity through careful people planning and regular meetings.
• Guest Relations: Address guest comments and complaints promptly, including feedback on social media, to foster continuous improvement and strengthen relationships.
• Talent Development: Lead recruitment, onboarding, and succession planning initiatives, fostering a culture that attracts, retains, and motivates top talent.
• Performance Management: Implement EVT tools for managing team performance, ensuring consistent feedback, check-ins, and robust Personal Development Plans for all team members.
  

Skills & Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree / higher education qualification / equivalent in Hotel Management and/or Business Administration. 
• Four years of guest service/hotel experience in a management capacity across Rooms and Food & Beverage, or an equivalent combination of education and experience Comprehension of Hotel systems and revenue management principles. 
• Excellent understanding of hotel systems and revenue management principles. 
• Excellent project management abilities, and experience both working independently on projects as well as collaborating across functions and departments. 
• Great communication skills (written and verbal), passion for delivering results and developing people and self.
• Ability to manage complex relationships along with demonstrated ability to interact with guests, staff, and third parties that reflects highly on the Hotel, the brand and EVT.
• Valid Certifications including NSW Responsible Service of Alcohol, First Aid, and a driver's license are required.
• Flexibility – early, late, weekend, night and holiday shifts are all part of the job.

Benefits and Perks:

• Paid Parental Leave for all full-time employees
• Paid Wellbeing Day for all full-time employees
• Wellbeing program that includes access to coaching sessions each year plus access to a variety of well-being resources for you and your family.
• Free duty meals on shift provided, free golf, free onsite carparking plus an extensive list of hotel benefits!
• 50% off stays at EVT hotels – Rydges, QT, Atura, Lylo and more. 
• $2 movie tickets, plus Moonlight, Gold Class, Candy Bar discounts and more. 
• Awesome winter and summer savings and discounts at Thredbo. 
• Rapid career growth opportunities through our EVT network. 
• Local community involvement, volunteering and charitable giving.  
• Become part of Australia and NZ’s largest and most diverse experiences company!

Join Rydges Resort Hunter Valley and become an EVT experience creator, opportunity taker, the ultimate Daymaker. Join and make a positive impact on our people, communities, and environment every day.  
When you click apply, you’ll be taken to our secure EVT careers portal (powered by Dayforce). This is our official system for managing applications across the EVT Group. You’ll simply enter your details and answer a few quick screening questions so we can get to know you better.