Hayleigh Mullen

Directed all Food & Beverage operations across multiple outlets, including fine dining, bars, in-room dining, and banqueting, ensuring alignment with brand standards and service excellence. Led and developed a team of 45 employee's and department heads, fostering a culture of accountability, empowerment, and continuous improvement.

• Oversaw department budgeting, forecasting, and financial performance, consistently achieving or exceeding profit and revenue targets.
• Introduced process enhancements to improve operational efficiency, reduce wastage, and optimise labour productivity.
• Drove guest satisfaction through service innovation and quality improvement, achieving significant increases in key performance indicators.
• Collaborated with Sales and Events teams to deliver high-profile corporate functions, conferences, and social events exceeding client expectations.
• Ensured full compliance with health, safety, and hygiene standards.
• Led sustainability initiatives, promoting local sourcing and reducing environmental impact through waste and energy management.
• Mentored and developed future leaders within the department, strengthening internal talent pipelines and supporting staff retention.
• Worked closely with cross-departmental teams (Rooms Division, Housekeeping, Front Office, Engineering, and Spa) to enhance communication, operational flow, and overall guest experience.
• Regularly served as Duty Manager, overseeing full hotel operations and ensuring smooth performance across all departments during peak periods and management absences.

Rusk & Rusk Group

Hutchesons City Grill – Assistant General Manager
The Butchershop Bar & Grill – Restaurant Manager
2019 – 2021

During my time with Rusk & Rusk, I had the privilege of working across two of the group’s flagship venues, Hutchesons City Grill and The Butchershop Bar & Grill, where I led teams to deliver exceptional guest experiences and operational excellence in fast-paced, high-end dining environments.

• Managed day-to-day operations at two flagship venues, ensuring consistent delivery of high-quality service and operational excellence.
• Led, motivated, and developed front-of-house teams to deliver exceptional guest experiences in high-end, fast-paced dining environments.
• Oversaw staff scheduling, performance management, and training to maximise efficiency and team engagement.
• Implemented operational improvements and streamlined workflows to enhance service delivery and productivity.
• Built strong relationships with suppliers and partners to maintain product quality, negotiate value, and support long-term business goals.

Over four years at the five-star Blythswood Square Hotel, I progressed from Section Waiter to Team Leader, then Food & Beverage Reservations Manager, and finally Restaurant Senior Supervisor. In these roles, I managed daily operations, led and developed high-performing teams, coordinated reservations and events, implemented training and performance initiatives, and ensured consistently exceptional guest experiences. This experience strengthened my operational, leadership, and strategic skills, preparing me to oversee entire hotel operations and drive service excellence at a managerial level.