General Manager

Salemi Ceramics, a ceramic school in Sicily, needs its next General Manager!

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About Salemi Ceramics

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Salemi Ceramics is a ceramics school in Salemi, Sicily, 45 minutes from Palermo airport.

Our studio sits in the hilltop town of Salemi, surrounded by crumbling beauty, narrow stone streets, and a quiet rhythm, ideal for deep creative focus. It’s a place where artists and students come to create, learn, and leave a lasting mark.

Our Vision is to make Salemi an international hub for contemporary ceramics.

Our goal is to help breathe new life into Salemi Old Town by nurturing a ceramics culture that attracts people who want to live, work, and create here.

Our project brings together different initiatives, all revolving around ceramics.

The goals are: to bring new artists to town, welcome responsible travelers, create new jobs, encourage people to invest in the town, and find ceramic lovers who would like to sponsor artists and creative projects. It’s all about contributing to the local economy, building community, and enriching the town’s cultural significance.

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About the Role

We’re looking for a General Manager to lead the day-to-day life of our ceramics school in Salemi. Someone who can keep everything running beautifully behind the scenes while creating that special feeling our guests and students talk about long after they’ve gone home.

This role isn’t about spreadsheets or checklists (though you’ll need to have a love of those too). It’s about the atmosphere. Energy. The sense that everyone - from teachers to assistants to visiting artists - is part of something meaningful and inspiring.

You’ll be the heart of the operation on-site: coordinating logistics, mentoring staff, welcoming students, and ensuring the rhythm of studio life flows effortlessly. You’ll also be the bridge between the on-site team, the remote operations group, and the CEO.

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What You’ll be Doing

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Upholding Company Vision and Principles

• Ensure the entire team (on-site and remote) deeply understands and operates by the school’s values and principles.
• Represent and embody the brand’s spirit in all interactions, setting the tone for warmth and creativity.
• Is the projects’ ambassador with collaborators and suppliers: ensuring that they have a positive and complete understanding of the brand’s mission and vision
• Act as a key ambassador of the Group CEO/Project Founder, ensuring important information, updates, and strategic direction are communicated clearly and transparently.

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Team Leadership & Supervision

• Lead, motivate, and support program assistants and operations staff, ensuring clarity of roles, priorities, and expectations.
• Manage recruitment, selection, and contracting for operational roles.
• Oversee onboarding and integration of new team members to maintain a unified and high-performing culture.
• Conduct regular check-ins and performance reviews to encourage accountability, professional development, and well-being.
• Provide ongoing mentorship and conflict resolution, ensuring a positive and collaborative working environment.

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Operations Coordination and Supervision

• Oversee daily operations, including communication, transports, meals, and overall logistics of courses and hospitality services
• Oversee expenses and manage operations budget
• Supervise program assistants and assign daily/weekly duties
• Monitor workload and provide on-the-ground support during busy periods
• Ensure communication between studio staff and remote operations flows smoothly
• Coordinate with teachers, program assistants, and the remote operations team to align schedules, student needs, and resources
• Act as the main in-person point of contact for students, teachers, and visiting artists
• Take leadership during emergencies, ensuring calm, safety, and rapid resolution

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Student Experience and SF

• Ensure Special Feeling is present in the everyday studio life
• Support teachers and program assistants in welcoming students, organizing orientation walks, and facilitating events (apericena, pizza night, exhibitions)
• Continuous improvement in program activities, program delivery, studio atmosphere, space decoration, etc.
• Address student concerns on-site quickly and effectively
• Maintain a supportive and inclusive atmosphere in the studio

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Communications

• Carry out part of the regular WhatsApp communications with students in each course’s chat, including: standard comms before arrival, standard and ad-hoc comms during the course, and after departure.

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What You Won’t Be Doing

To be clear, this role is all about the non-ceramics aspects of our operations.

Our Ceramics Lead, Mati Cini, is doing a fantastic job at designing our course programs, recruiting teachers and managing the residency. Our studio technicians take care of running the ceramic studios.

Your job is to remove all distractions from the plate of our ceramics team and let them focus on what they’re good at. When students arrive to their classes happy and well-fed, it means our ceramics team can then do their job.

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Why should you apply?

This isn’t a typical management job. It’s a chance to shape the daily life of a creative community - a place where art, learning, and hospitality come together in one of the most beautiful corners of Sicily.

You’ll work closely with passionate, international colleagues and play a key role in bringing the school’s mission to life.

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About You

• You’re Italian (or an honorary one). Fluent in both Italian and English, and at ease in international settings.
• You have 5+ years of experience managing operations or hospitality in a creative or educational environment.
• You’ve led teams before, ideally in both in-person and remote setups.
• You’re calm and organized with a natural sense for people and detail.
• You thrive in dynamic environments where every day is a little different.
• You appreciate craftsmanship, design, and the slow, beautiful rhythm of Sicily.

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Benefits

• €3,800 per month (gross salary)
• Private apartment in Salemi, with utilities (electricity, water, gas) included
• Use of a car, plus a fuel allowance
• Lunches at the monastery during working days
• Personal travel and training budget

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How to Apply?

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This position will be closed as soon as we find the perfect match. So, make sure to read the description carefully and take your time to submit a high-quality application that stands out. Also, make sure you write a detailed cover letter addressing the requirements and the criteria for this position.

Please expect the hiring process to include:

1 - Submit a cover letter and resume, both in PDF format.

We do read every cover letter and we especially appreciate letters that are warm, friendly, and with a strong attention to detail. Please address the criteria of the role and explain any career gaps.

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Notes:

Our roles can be quite popular, and we do value enthusiasm, but please do not cold call or cold email us to express your enthusiasm. We need to keep our phone lines open for our guests.

Please only apply if you have not previously applied for a role with our company.

2 - Initial Interview

3- Test Task

4 - Second Round Interview

5 - Reference Checks

6 - Final Offer

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Learn More

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