Chief Executive Officer (Operator CEO, P&L Owner)
Holloway Diamonds | Melbourne | Luxury Natural Diamonds & Jewellery
Holloway Diamonds is a founder‐led luxury jewellery business in Melbourne with a long‐standing reputation for superior diamond cut quality and an education‐led selling approach. We operate profitable multi‐site stores and are building the next chapter of the business – stronger operational rhythm, sharper commercial discipline, and modern systems – without compromising quality, trust, or client experience.
We are hiring a real operator CEO to run the company day‐to‐day, accountable for performance and execution, reporting to a small, highly engaged Board.
Reporting to: Board of Directors (Chair: Founder; two Board members)
Location: Melbourne (hands‐on across stores and head office)
The role
You will run Holloway Diamonds day‐to‐day, owning operational execution and commercial performance – sales outcomes, margin, inventory discipline, leadership and cadence – working closely with the Founder/Chair and Board. This is not a \"standard CEO role description.\" We want an operator who can execute, raise standards, close loops, and lead a high‐performance rhythm across stores and support functions – while protecting what makes Holloway Diamonds special. You will lead with full operational authority to execute within agreed board‐approved guardrails.
What success looks like (first 6–12 months) Elevate the brand and commercial outcomes
Increase ATV and high‐value client retention, sharpen our natural diamond positioning end‐to‐end, and grow lifetime client value through trust, education, and after‐sales excellence – not discounting.
Strengthen operating performance
Install a reliable operating rhythm (weekly KPIs and follow‐through), tighten margin, inventory and cashflow discipline, align the leadership team with clear accountability, and improve systems/reporting so decisions are data‐led and fast.
Operate with disciplined cash culture (non‐negotiable)
We do not run the business on debt – we protect cash, keep the balance sheet clean, and fund decisions from earned profits; growth must be planned around cash reality, not borrowing.
Decision rights & how we avoid friction
We operate with clear decision rights so execution stays fast and accountability stays clean: the CEO runs the business day‐to‐day; the Board sets non‐negotiables and approves a small number of high‐impact decisions.
Rule: If a decision is not explicitly reserved to the Board, it is the CEO's call.
Board reserved decisions (non‐negotiables / approvals):
Brand & reputation; product quality standards (diamonds, gemstones and manufacturing); major strategic moves (store openings/closures, acquisitions, major capex beyond normal operating spend); appointment and removal of key management personnel reporting directly to CEO; ownership matters (dividends, major financing, equity, property).
CEO authority (you decide and execute):
Daily operations and store execution; leadership standards and performance management; prioritisation and delivery of Board‐approved strategy and budgets/spend.
Key responsibilities
Business leadership & P&L ownership – Own revenue quality, margin, costs and cash conversion through disciplined budgeting, forecasting, KPI management and Board reporting.
Operational excellence – Deliver consistent, high‐standard execution by tight inventory governance, vendor management, internal controls and practical processes (without bureaucracy).
Sales performance & customer experience – Lift conversion and premium outcomes by coaching sales leadership and embedding an education‐led, trust‐based client experience that grows ATV, retention and LTV (not discount‐driven volume).
People leadership – Build a high‐performing leadership team with clear accountabilities, strong performance management, and a culture of execution and follow‐through.
Founder and Board alignment – Work productively with an engaged Founder/Chair and Board via structured recommendations, decisions within guardrails, and rapid loop‐closure.
Must‐haves
A proven operator with real P&L ownership in a multi‐site, premium retail/service business; CFO‐grade commercial discipline; strong cadence/accountability instincts; confident people leadership; and the ability to work productively with an engaged founder.
Success metrics (examples)
You've improved levers that matter: stock turns, gross margin/discounting discipline, conversion and appointment show rates, cash conversion, and growth in ATV, retention and LTV.
Highly valued
Luxury or high‐consideration sales experience; modernising reporting/systems and driving adoption; strong vendor negotiation; familiarity with HubSpot, Piro, POS/ERP, and Xero (or equivalents).
Personal attributes
Calm, structured, high‐integrity – direct, data‐led, relentlessly closes loops, and focused on outcomes over titles.
This role is not for you if...
You want a strategy‐only CEO role and dislike being hands‐on building standards and day‐to‐day execution, managing performance and having tough conversations.
You need a big corporate back office to function; we're lean and you must be commercially strong and operationally practical.
You aren't aligned with a disciplined cash culture: we do not fund decisions with debt – earn first, then invest.
You can't work well with an engaged Founder/Chair using high respect + high backbone (calm, direct, evidence‐led).
How to apply
Send your CV and a short 3–5 minute video answering:
What multi‐site businesses have you led with P&L accountability?
What measurable outcomes did you deliver?
One example of how you improved margin and/or cashflow (not just revenue).
How have you worked with a hands‐on founder/Chair using decision rights and guardrails?
Your application will include the following questions:
* Which of the following statements best describes your right to work in Australia?
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