General Manager
Westmount Golf & Country Club
Kitchener, Ontario
About the Club
Westmount Golf & Country Club (the Club) offers a world-class experience in the heart of Kitchener-Waterloo (K-W).
Dating back to 1931, Westmount offers a championship Stanley Thompson golf course, together with tennis, curling, and an active, family-friendly social program. The strong and thriving Membership is comprised of a mix of tenured golf and social members along with a growing number of families and young professionals. Westmount prides itself as a fixture in the K-W community and provides a welcoming atmosphere to be active and build longstanding relationships.
Westmount has long been regarded as one of the best private clubs in Canada. The Club is based around one of the best golf courses in Canada, ranked 12th in the country by SCORE Golf. The Club has award-winning golf, hi-tech indoor and outdoor practice facilities, a history of holding the country’s top tournaments, great tennis in the warm months, curling in the winter, and tremendous dining year-round.
For more information about Westmount Golf & Country Club, visit www.westmountgolf.com.
About the General Manager Role
The General Manager (GM) serves as the Chief Operating Officer of the Club. They will manage all aspects of the Club, including its activities and relationships between the Club and its Board of Directors, members, guests, employees, community, government, and industry.
Reporting to the Board of Directors, the General Manager is responsible for managing the overall performance of Westmount Golf & Country Club in providing a top-notch experience for its membership, through ongoing development and review of programs, and in delegation of tasks and duties. The General Manager will remain in tune with industry standards, be informed around future trends and will play a pivotal role in member, guest, employee, community, government and industry relationships.
The GM implements the Club’s strategies and policies as approved by the Board of Directors. This individual will be responsible for securing and protecting the Club’s assets, including facilities and equipment, and implementing and monitoring the Club’s budget.
The GM will develop standard operating procedures and direct the work of all department managers. As chief host within the Club and ambassador of the Club within the community, the GM manages the quality of the Club’s services to ensure member and guest satisfaction.
Beyond operations, the GM will be responsible for the strategic management of Westmount. The GM will ensure that annual plans, operational goals and objectives, and strategic initiatives position the Club to deliver on the long term strategic vision laid out by the Board of Directors.
The General Manager will be responsible for the following:
Leadership:
- Implement and provide advice to the Board on existing, new or modified strategies and policies.
- Manage and oversee all operations of the Club, in accordance with all applicable laws.
- Lead, coach, direct and mentor management team including performance management.
- Champion management philosophy that fosters a culture that recognizes integrity and respect as a key part in the foundation in delivering a superior member experience at Westmount.
- Lead the development of the Club’s strategic and annual tactical plans, consistent with its long-term strategic direction.
Financial:
- Manage the overall financial plan for the Club in working with the Financial controller to:
- Develop annual operating, cash, and capital budgets.
- Monitor monthly budget and other financial information.
- Initiate effective corrective action, as required.
- Approve invoices and other arrangements before inception or payment.
- Deliver timely financial reports to the Board.
- Ensure the Club is run in an efficient and cost-effective manner.
- Ensure the food and beverage operations offer an attractive experience for members and their guests, and are run in a cost effective and economical manner.
- Monitor, evaluate, and ensure proper maintenance of Westmount’s facilities.
Member Experience:
- Build and deliver exceptional member experience, commensurate with a premier private golf and country club.
- Oversee and review all aspects of the Club’s member communications, including member meeting materials, to ensure adherence to service standards, positive member satisfaction and quality of activities.
- Evaluate and monitor membership options to ensure maximum attraction and retention of members and their families, ensuring that programs at Westmount attract participation by members to bring more life and vibrancy to the Club.
- Strengthen the Club’s relationship with existing members and guests through frequent interaction with members, familiarity with members’ names and personal interaction to ensure member satisfaction.
- Develop and oversee onboarding programs to ensure new members are properly welcomed to the Club, and serve as primary individual responsible for welcoming new members through personal connection.
Direct Reports:
Director of Golf, Course Superintendent, Controller, Human Resources Manager, Clubhouse Manager, Membership Services Director, Activity and Engagement Coordinator, Director of Racquet Sports, Curling Manager, and Executive Assistant.
Key Attributes
The ideal candidate is a proven collaborator and relationship builder who possesses the following core competencies, experience and attributes:
Leadership Skills:
- A dynamic leader with the ability to build strong teams by motivating staff and leading by example.
- Possess the ability to provide direction and expectations, performance feedback and recognition that inspires department managers and employees to enhance member experiences and achieve positive outcomes.
- An innovative and strategic thinker with strong business acumen.
- Experience managing complex capital projects.
Interpersonal/Fit:
- Embodies the characteristics of a successful GM through honesty, integrity, ethical conduct, straightforwardness, accountability, leadership, and dedication.
- A self-starter with a results-oriented work style combined with excellent verbal, written and interpersonal communication skills.
- Demonstrates energy and a desire to interact with the membership.
- A confident, diplomatic and competent “hands-on” professional who recognizes the importance of accountability.
- Strong professional deportment with a clear commitment to member service through an open and transparent member approach while maintaining a professional balance between empathy and process adherence.
Qualifications and Skills
- A post-secondary degree in business or a related discipline is preferred.
- Previous experience as a senior leader at a private golf and country club or other similar top-tier facility, with a passion and understanding of a premium country club experience.
- Experience in the hospitality industry is beneficial.
- Experience reporting to a Board with a club governance structure and processes to lead the Club to success.
- A Certified Club Manager designation (CCM) is preferred.
Salary and Benefits
The successful applicant will receive an attractive compensation package commensurate with experience and qualifications along with a comprehensive health benefits plan and retirement savings matching program.
How to Apply
Interested candidates should submit a resume along with a detailed cover letter which addresses the position qualifications and describes your alignment/experience with the prescribed position by November 15, 2022, at 5:00pm EDT.
Documents are required to be submitted in Word or PDF format (save as “Last Name, First Name, Westmount GM Cover Letter” and “Last Name, First Name, Westmount GM Resume”) respectively to: execsearch@ggapartners.com.
Westmount Golf & Country Club is committed to providing accommodations for people with disabilities throughout the recruitment process and, upon request, will work with qualified job applicants to provide suitable accommodation in a manner which considers applicants’ accessibility needs due to disability.
Successful applicants for this position must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of employment. Requests for reasonable accommodation based on disability or religion will be considered on an individual basis.
Lead Search Consultant:
Michael Gregory
Managing Director & Partner
GGA Partners™
Michael.gregory@ggapartners.com
