About Us

Philermos House is a social outreach ministry of the Southport Catholic Parish and the Australian Association of the Order of Malta. Our mission is to support disadvantaged members of our community by providing practical assistance, compassionate connection and a safe, welcoming environment, all grounded in the principles of Catholic Social Teaching.

We offer essential services such as meals, clothing, access to showers and laundry facilities, along with respectful companionship from our dedicated staff and volunteers. Our aim is to create a calm, dignified and supportive space where people feel seen, valued and cared for.

As part of a growing network of support, Philermos House partners with other service providers to expand the range of assistance available. Over time, this will include primary health care, housing support, mental health services, hygiene programs, counselling, corrective services, veteran and refugee support, mobile outreach and vaccination services.

Philermos House operates under an agreement between the Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane and the Australian Association of the Order of Malta Limited.

About the Role

As the Operations Manager, you will oversee the compassionate, safe and effective day-to-day operations of Philermos House, ensuring the consistent delivery of high-quality services and support to people experiencing homelessness and disadvantage. Working closely with staff, volunteers and partner organisations, you will provide strong leadership, hands-on coordination and a person-centred approach across all operational functions of the Centre.

You will be responsible for:

• Managing the daily operations of the Centre to ensure a welcoming, safe, dignified and trauma-informed environment.
• Overseeing the delivery of essential services and facilities, including meals, amenities, maintenance, stock control and guest support activities.
• Ensuring all operational procedures are efficient, person-centred and aligned with organisational values and Catholic Social Teaching.
• Maintaining high standards of safety, cleanliness, WH&S compliance and risk management, including regular audits and incident reporting.
• Managing operational budgets, procurement, inventory, data collection and administrative requirements, ensuring accurate records and confidentiality.
• Leading, support and develop staff and volunteers, including rostering, training, performance support and workforce planning.
• Fostering a positive, mission-aligned team culture.
• Building and maintaining partnerships with community organisations and service providers, coordinating external programs delivered onsite.
• Supporting outreach, engagement and fundraising activities as needed.

About You

You are an experienced operational leader with a background in community services, homelessness services or a similar high-needs environment. You bring strong people leadership capability, sound judgement and a compassionate, trauma-informed approach to working with vulnerable community members.

To be successful in this role, you will have:

• Relevant tertiary qualifications (e.g., Social Work, Community Services, Human Services, Business Management) and preferably training in hospitality, Advanced First Aid and Mental Health First Aid.
• Demonstrated experience managing service delivery and frontline teams in complex operational environments.
• A strong understanding of homelessness, mental health, trauma-informed practice, addiction and corrective services.
• Experience in WH&S, safeguarding, incident management and risk management.
• The ability to lead, motivate and support diverse staff and volunteers, while managing competing priorities and operational demands.
• Well-developed communication skills and the ability to engage respectfully with people from varied backgrounds.
• The capacity to remain calm and professional when responding to challenging behaviours or emergencies.
• Experience working in a faith-based or values-driven organisation, with a commitment to the mission and ethos of Philermos House.