Business Development Manager / Operations Manager

Spend most of your time driving day-to-day operations and winning new business, while also keeping our books and admin running smoothly......

About the Role

Quest Coaches is seeking an experienced, all-round Business Development Manager / Operations Manager to join our team. This is a hands-on role for someone who thrives on variety. You'll spend most of your time driving day-to-day operations and winning new business, while also keeping our books and admin running smoothly.

This is a great opportunity for someone who wants a high-level of ownership, direct access to the Director, and the ability to shape how the company grows. From time to time the role may also involve driving our buses or coaches, so a Heavy Vehicle licence is a strong advantage.

Key Responsibilities

Business Development & Growth (primary focus)

• Identify and pursue new opportunities across schools, corporate, government, tourism, sporting and community sectors
• Build and maintain relationships with existing and prospective clients
• Prepare quotations, proposals and tender submissions
• Negotiate contracts, service agreements and pricing
• Maintain a pipeline of prospective clients and monitor market/competitor activity
• Oversee day-to-day transport operations, including school services, charter work and special events
• Manage bookings, pricing, invoicing, rostering and driver allocations
• Coordinate driver run sheets, paperwork and communications
• Handle incoming phone and email enquiries and manage the booking process end-to-end
• Provide on-call support for breakdowns, driver absences and service disruptions
• Liaise with maintenance providers to coordinate servicing and minimise vehicle downtime
• Process invoicing and basic bookkeeping tasks
• Enter and manage driver timesheets
• Maintain accurate operational, customer and compliance records
• Process defect sheets and coordinate follow-up with maintenance
• Proven experience in operations, transport/logistics, or business development
• Strong track record of securing new business and managing client relationships
• Comfortable juggling competing priorities in a hands-on, small-business environment
• Excellent communication, negotiation and organisational skills
• Basic bookkeeping/invoicing knowledge
• Good working knowledge of Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint.
• Knowledge of transport compliance and safety requirements highly regarded (Bus Safety Act, HVNL, OHS)
• Current Victorian driver's licence required; a Heavy Vehicle (MR/HR) licence is preferred, as the role may involve driving buses/coaches from time to time
• Competitive salary package
• Flexible working hours
• A genuinely varied, high-ownership role with real influence over the business
• Direct working relationship with the Director
• Long-term opportunity with a stable, growing local business

Operations Management

• Oversee day-to-day transport operations, including school services, charter work and special events
• Manage bookings, pricing, invoicing, rostering and driver allocations
• Coordinate driver run sheets, paperwork and communications
• Handle incoming phone and email enquiries and manage the booking process end-to-end
• Provide on-call support for breakdowns, driver absences and service disruptions
• Liaise with maintenance providers to coordinate servicing and minimise vehicle downtime

Bookkeeping & Administration

• Process invoicing and basic bookkeeping tasks
• Enter and manage driver timesheets
• Maintain accurate operational, customer and compliance records
• Process defect sheets and coordinate follow-up with maintenance

What's on Offer

• Competitive salary package
• Flexible working hours
• A genuinely varied, high-ownership role with real influence over the business
• Direct working relationship with the Director
• Long-term opportunity with a stable, growing local business

● Proven experience in operations, transport/logistics, or business development
● Strong track record of securing new business and managing client relationships
● Comfortable juggling competing priorities in a hands-on, small-business environment
● Excellent communication, negotiation and organisational skills
● Basic bookkeeping/invoicing knowledge
● Good working knowledge of Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint.
● Knowledge of transport compliance and safety requirements highly regarded (Bus Safety Act, HVNL, OHS)
● Current Victorian driver's licence required; a Heavy Vehicle (MR/HR) licence is preferred, as the role may involve driving buses/coaches from time to time