General Manager

The Opportunity

Sharp & Carter are proud to be partnering with a well-established, privately owned food business with a strong market position and genuine heritage in the Australian industry. With a significant physical footprint, a diverse product range, and a customer base that includes major national retailers, the business has been built carefully over many years and has a reputation that reflects that.

More than anything, though, this is a people business. The relationships that have been developed over time with customers, suppliers, and the internal team sit at the heart of how it operates, and the culture reflects that. It is hands-on, fast moving, and at its best when the people leading it are genuinely invested in those around them and in the outcomes of the business as a whole.

The Role

Reporting directly to the founder, you will carry full accountability for the Australian operation covering P&L, people, compliance, commercial outcomes, and operational performance across a complex food business with a large blue collar workforce and a management team that has been here a long time and knows the business well. You will lead a team of senior functional leaders spanning operations, commercial, and finance.

The focus of the role is firmly operational. There is meaningful opportunity to improve efficiency and tighten systems and processes, and the founder is looking for someone with the capability and the judgement to do exactly that. What matters equally is how you go about it. The team here is experienced and capable, and the incoming GM will get far more traction by taking the time to listen, understand, and build genuine relationships before driving change.

What the First Year Looks Like

The early months are about getting a genuine feel for the operation, understanding the commercial landscape, and investing in the relationships that matter most, both inside and outside the business. The management team is strong and has been with the business for a long time, and one of the most meaningful things the incoming GM can do is create an environment where those people feel genuinely valued and can see a future for themselves here.

As trust builds, the focus shifts to operational improvement covering warehouse efficiency, inventory management, and developing the systems and processes that will make the business more effective without adding unnecessary complexity. Commercial targets need to be met in a tough environment throughout, which means being sharp on the numbers and comfortable making sound decisions under pressure from early on. The opportunity beyond year one is to grow the business and build on what is already a very solid foundation.

The Right Person

You will have owned P&L and balance sheet accountability at a senior level and led large, operationally complex blue collar workforces with a style that builds real loyalty while holding people to high standards. You will know how to drive meaningful operational improvement in an environment where resources are managed carefully, and you will be comfortable making commercial decisions quickly and confidently when it matters.

How you operate as a leader is just as important as what you have done. You manage up and down with ease, you bring people with you rather than running ahead of them, and you are genuinely comfortable in an environment where not everything is clearly defined and the ability to read a situation and adapt matters as much as technical capability. A background in food, FMCG, 3PL, or cold chain is preferred, and an understanding of the demands that come with perishable, volatile product will be a genuine advantage in this role.

Why This Role

For the right person, this is the kind of role that doesn't come around very often. A business with real heritage and a strong foundation, a founder who genuinely wants to back the person in the chair and give them the space to lead, and an operation where there is meaningful work to be done and real room to grow. If you have been looking for somewhere to plant your flag and actually make a difference, this is worth a serious look.

To Apply

This is a confidential search being managed exclusively by Sharp & Carter. To apply please submit your resume via the link below, or contact Lewis Ironside directly for a confidential conversation. ***email_hidden*** 0435 824 108