Business Manager in Richmond, Australia

Lead a destination. Drive growth. Create something extraordinary.

The Secret Garden is a unique hub loacted in Richmon NSW, bringing together beautiful gardens, a thriving plant nursery, retail experiences, venue hire, events, animal experiences and community connection.

We’re looking for a commercially minded leader who can bring all these elements together and take Secret Garden to its next stage of growth.

If you’re passionate about creating exceptional visitor experiences, building high-performing teams and driving business success, this could be the opportunity you’ve been looking for.

What’s the opportunity?

As Business Manager, you’ll be responsible for the overall leadership, performance and success of Secret Garden. Yes, you’ll manage WHS, contractors and operations. etc.. but you’ll also own the commercial success of the business

You’ll lead a team of specialists including the Café Supervisor, Horticulturalist and Maintenance & Animal Care Officer, ensuring each area of the site contributes to an outstanding visitor experience and strong commercial outcomes.

This role is about seeing the opportunities others don’t.

Growing visitation. Creating new revenue streams. Developing partnerships. Delivering memorable experiences.

You’ll be the person who connects all the moving pieces and turns potential into performance.

What you’ll be doing

✅ Driving commercial success across retail, nursery sales, venue hire, events, visitor experiences and hospitality offerings

✅ Partner with NWDS operational teams to ensure the site effectively supports participant programs and activities

✅ Identifying opportunities for growth, partnerships and new revenue streams

✅ Creating exceptional customer and guest experiences across the entire site

✅ Leading and developing a team of passionate leaders and specialists

✅ Managing budgets, profitability and operational performance

✅ Delivering strategic initiatives that strengthen the Secret Garden brand

✅ Ensuring the site remains safe, welcoming and beautifully presented

✅ Overseeing contractors, suppliers and key stakeholder relationships

✅ Building a culture focused on accountability, innovation and continuous improvement

✅ Positioning Secret Garden as a leading destination within the region

What we’re looking for

✔ Proven experience leading successful customer-facing businesses, destinations or commercial operations

✔ Demonstrated success driving growth, profitability and sustainable commercial performance

✔ Extensive experience ensuring cost-effective operations while maintaining exceptional customer experiences

✔ Strong business acumen with experience managing budgets, costs and operational performance

✔ A track record of identifying opportunities and turning ideas into results

✔ Experience leading leaders and developing high-performing teams

✔ Strong stakeholder engagement and relationship management skills

✔ A passion for creating experiences that attract visitors and keep them coming back

✔ A leader who sees possibilities rather than problems

Why join Secret Garden?

Lead one of the most unique visitor destinations in the region

Be empowered to shape the future direction of the site

Drive real commercial outcomes and measurable growth

Lead across retail, nursery, visitor experiences, events and hospitality

Work with a passionate team who genuinely care about what they do

Make a meaningful contribution to a purpose-driven organisation

Bring innovative ideas to life

Create something people genuinely love to visit

The essentials

• Full-time position
• Reporting directly to the CEO
• Direct leadership of the Café Supervisor, Horticulturalist and Maintenance & Animal Care Officer

Ready to lead something special?

We’re not looking for someone to simply maintain the status quo.

We’re looking for a leader who can grow a destination, inspire a team, delight visitors and drive commercial success.

If you’re excited by the opportunity to lead a unique venue with enormous potential, we’d love to hear from you.

Apply now and help shape the future of Secret Garden.