Long Paddock Cheese & The Cheese School – Castlemaine VIC
We are seeking an experienced and passionate Shop Manager to join our team at Long Paddock Cheese & The Cheese School in Castlemaine, Victoria. You will be responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of our specialty cheese & fresh dairy products shop on-site at The Mill Castlemaine, ensuring exceptional customer service and driving sales. This is a full-time position, with 3-4 days working in our shop, and 1-2 days working with our Production team or our Packing & Dispatch team. You will need to work Saturdays (usually our busiest day) and sometimes on Sundays.
Australian permanent residency is required for this position.
What you’ll be doing
Run our onsite retail outlet independently as well as lead & motivate a small team of casual shop assistants to provide outstanding customer service.
Oversee the ordering, purchasing, inventory management, and merchandising of our wide range of artisanal cheese & fresh dairy products.
Develop and implement marketing and promotional strategies to drive sales and increase brand awareness.
Ensure the shop maintains high standards of attractiveness, cleanliness, organisation, and safety.
Analyse sales data and financial reports to identify opportunities for growth and improvement.
Work with our Production team or our Pack & Dispatch team for part of the time, under the supervision of either our Production Manager or our Quality, Affinage & Dispatch Manager.
Collaborate with the broader Long Paddock Cheese cheesemaking, cheese care & sales teams on strategic initiatives and new product introductions.
Provide exceptional customer service and build strong relationships with our loyal customer base.
What we’re looking for
A foodie with a minimum 2 years of experience in a retail management or leadership role, preferably in the specialty food or hospitality industry.
Excellent customer service skills and able to lead and motivate a small team, as well as work as part of our full Long Paddock Cheese team, and The Cheese School team.
Food handling and cooking skills to be able to prepare & serve a small range of cheese-related food items for customers to eat on-site.
Strong problem‑solving and decision‑making abilities, with a keen eye for detail.
Proficient in inventory management, sales reporting, and financial analysis.
A passion for good food and artisan cheese, and a reasonable understanding of cheese varieties, pairings, and storage.
A basic interest in cheese is sufficient as comprehensive product training will be provided. But you must like, preferably love, cheese!
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with a love of learning new skills.
Flexible and adaptable, with the ability to thrive in a fast‑paced, dynamic environment.
Who we are and what we offer
Long Paddock Cheese is a multi‑award‑winning producer of handcrafted, small‑batch cheeses & fresh dairy products based in Castlemaine, central Victoria, regarded as some of the best in Australia. We operate a welcoming onsite retail shop at The Mill Castlemaine, where we share our passion for high‑quality dairy with locals and visitors alike, co‑located with The Cheese School where we teach cheesemaking. We are committed to providing a supportive and collaborative work workplace for our hardworking team, and offer a competitive salary, generous staff discounts on our products, and opportunities for career development.
If you’re ready to join our dynamic team and contribute to the growth of our business, we encourage you to apply now.
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