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Southern, MS
General Manager / COO
Please note: This is not a real job opportunity. No employment or offers will result from participation in this exercise. This position is solely for practice and educational purposes. This is a fictional search based on a position we have filled through PGA ExecuSearch.
ABOUT SOUTHERN COUNTRY CLUB
ABOUT SOUTHERN COUNTRY CLUB
The mission of Southern Country Club is to be a premier, member-owned private club whose purpose is to provide a full range of quality programs, facilities, and services for its members and their families in a congenial, safe, and secure environment.
The Club is located 5 minutes from downtown Southern City, in a quiet and safe suburb. Since its inception in 1942, the Club has served its members as a haven for leisurely, social elegance.
THE CLUB
79 years old (founded in 1942); about 900 members; member-owned
THE GOLF COURSE
18-hole golf course, par 72, designed by Alexander Findlay; major 11-month renovation project completed in December 2021, utilizing nationally-renowned golf course architect, Bill Bergin.
25,000 annual rounds of golf
RACQUET SPORTS
6 outdoor, lighted Har-Tru “clay” hydro-courts, remodeled in 2018
Additional courts planned for 2026: 1 hard surface tennis court & 2 pickleball courts
AQUATICS
2 outdoor, resort-style pools with café, outdoor bar, and cabanas around pool deck.
An active swim team that has won many divisional and city championships.
FITNESS CENTER
State-of-the-art 8,000 square foot fitness center recently renovated.
DINING FACILITIES
$4MM Gross F&B Revenue
Dual-level Men’s Grill with outdoor patio; indoor seating for 60
2 casual dining rooms that seat 110
3 ballrooms that seat a total of 400
1 private function room that seats 36
2 meeting rooms that seat 30
2 lounge/bars that seat 50
POSITION OVERVIEW
POSITION OVERVIEW
Title: General Manager / COO
Reports to: Club President
Position Description: The GM/COO of the Southern Country Club is expected to be a consummate and respectful professional in terms of transparency, honesty, straightforwardness, integrity, accountability, leadership, and dedication. He/She must be able to inspire and motivate the team at SCC, earn the respect of the members and staff as well as the community at large;” understanding how to gain and maintain the trust and confidence of these constituencies is a critical success factor at SCC.
Recognizing the position that SCC holds within the Southern area, the GM/COO must always conduct himself/herself in a responsible and professional manner while at or away from the Club and encourage other staff members to do the same to reflect the proper image of the Club throughout the community. An especially important “tone at the top” and “lead by example” approach is critical for success in this role for both members and staff.
Southern Country Club is a busy operation that requires significant administrative and organizational skills. The Club enjoys a strong Senior Staff, but possessing strong financial acuity is important, as is the ability to succinctly and concisely analyze and convey important financial information and expectations to various Committees, the Board, and the leadership team, critical with the upcoming capital improvements and planning for their successful opening upon completion.
Communication, while clearly important at all clubs, is of utmost importance at SCC. The GM/COO must be comfortable and effective in communicating with all levels of staff, the diverse membership, outside vendors, and community leaders, in both one-on-one and large group settings. Exceptional personal presentation and writing skills are part of the Club’s history of leadership in this role and must be continued at a similarly high level. Collaborating with the Board, Committees, and Senior Staff, the GM/COO must be focused on ensuring that the Club’s vision is relevant, topical, and well-constructed.
INITIAL PRIORITIES OF THE NEW GENERAL MANAGER
INITIAL PRIORITIES OF THE NEW GENERAL MANAGER
Learn the culture of SCC; understand, embrace, and execute the Board’s vision and strategy. Work in a clear “partnership” with the Board, keeping them actively abreast of results, and transparency.
Meet and sincerely interact with and engage as many members as possible, “be present!” Build trust whenever and wherever possible.
Bring all of the Club’s departments together with a clear focus on the “Southern Country Club Team” and the Club’s goals and mission. Get to know the Senior Staff, evaluating their abilities and aspirations, ensuring that they and their respective teams have clear expectations and accountabilities in place.
Develop a report to provide the Board with a thoughtful “State of the Club” analysis following ninety (90) days of overview and insight. This document will be part of the ‘roadmap’ to success, staff, plan, budget, and other tactics and strategies for short and long-term goals and should clearly spell out recommendations and opportunities to ensure “first-class” delivery of a highly consistent member experience in all areas.
Work with the Board to review the Club's bylaws and clearly define the Committees and their roles and responsibilities of Committees.
KEY ATTRIBUTES
KEY ATTRIBUTES
Being a visible, positive, energized, aspirational leader who understands the dynamics of a family-oriented club.
Strong leadership and team development experience, with a demonstrated ability to direct, coordinate and control all aspects of a busy, full service, country club with 100 plus staff members seasonally.
Superior communication skills, exuding energy and creativity.
An experienced hospitality professional who is member- centric and can create an environment where the staff looks forward to coming to work every day.
A confident, diplomatic, and competent professional who is a doer and take-charge person and who recognizes the importance of accountability. A problem solver who commands respect through professional interactions and integrity.
A track record of results in governance/leadership partnership with active Member Boards. Experienced in setting meeting agendas and running meetings.
Naturally outgoing, conversant, respectful, and diplomatic, but able to say “no” when appropriate without alienating members or staff while doing so.
Possessive of a strong record of recruiting and developing talent for senior management roles and ongoing mentoring of department heads.
A history of recruiting team members in challenging labor markets.
Possess a deep knowledge of F & B and banquet operations as well as strong financial acumen and use of technology to track performance and member satisfaction.
A record of success in a similar club of strong member and or guest satisfaction with a passion for maintaining the highest levels of service.
Possessive of strong organizational skills with a focus on the details necessary to achieve high levels of quality, satisfaction, and outstanding member experiences.
Effective financial management skills through oversight of annual operating and capital budgets.
Uses plans and metrics to set goals, measure and report on performance, and make corrections when needed.
Skilled in creating and implementing strategic plans; anticipating how the Club continues to evolve is important and being on the forefront of trends in clubs and changing demographics.
A charismatic individual with a sense of humor and a demeanor that is commensurate with the culture and expectations of a friendly, fun, and supportive membership and team of associates.
Technologically proficient and recognizing best practices use of technology to improve ‘high touch’ service delivery to members, as well as to more efficiently manage and lead operations.
A proven motivator and leader who can bring out the best in others by setting clear goals and expectations, holding them accountable for outcomes, by providing consistent feedback, through respectful interaction.
Someone with a history of innovation, and a champion of new ideas and initiatives, with the constant improvement of member experiences and operational efficiency.
A confident, diplomatic, and competent club industry professional with exceptional “executive presence,” who recognizes the importance of accountability, and who has a strong history of success in working with member boards and committees.
Excellent leadership and public relations capabilities with a proven history of bringing diverse groups to common goals through effective communications in an open and friendly style.
Experienced with facilities maintenance.
Understanding of golf and course maintenance operations.
EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS
EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS
Including, but not limited to, the following:
Bachelor’s Degree from a four-year university or college is highly desirable, preferably in Hospitality Management.
A CMM designation or similar accreditation outside the club industry is desirable.
A Master’s Degree, such MBA would be desirable.
The Employer values and encourages PGA Certified and Master Professionals to apply.
A minimum of 10 years of progressive leadership/management experience in a private member-owned country club or high-end resort operation, preferably those with member boards and committee involvement.
Proven and verifiable leadership qualities with a demonstrated ability to direct, coordinate and control all aspects of a full-service country club.
A verifiable record of strong and intuitive mentoring of staff, and having achieved, in essence, a ‘workplace of choice’ employee environment in the operations he/she has been part of leading.
Strong history of success and keen understanding of quality Food and Beverage operations, including revenue growth, training, innovation and creativity, and strong service culture development is a must.
Technologically proficient with a thorough understanding of best practices in the use of technology to improve ‘high touch’ service delivery to members and to more effectively manage and lead operations.
A “courageous thought partner” with the Board, recognizing that he/she needs to be a creative problem solver whose ability to convey ideas, suggestions, and solutions in a thoughtful, well-reasoned manner with a high level of integrity results in high levels of respect.
An organizationally focused individual who recognizes that a focus on details and consistency of delivery at a high-level results in high member and associate satisfaction, high levels of quality and an overall outstanding member experience.
Must be a proactive part of the process of strategic planning, membership growth and retention which is critical, membership orientation, membership activities/services programming, ensuring that each of these areas of focus considers current and future membership input and demographics. Additionally, he/she must recognize that all amenities at the Club need to be commensurate with members’ expectations, and that his/her primary mission is to determine and ensure these levels are provided.
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
The club will provide compensation and benefits package commensurate with experience and qualifications. This includes but is not limited to:
Golf Shop Merchandise Income
Lesson Income
Driving Range Income
Club Repair Income
Professional development allowance
PGA Merchandise Show travel allowance
Paid time off
Health, dental, and vision insurance
Retirement program 401k match
Disability & life insurance
PGA dues paid
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS
All applications MUST be submitted through the PGA of America's Career Services Department as described below.
Resume deadline is July 18, 2025 at 11:59 pm Eastern Time
Combine your cover letter, resume, references, and any supporting documents into one (1) PDF document with the following file naming convention: Last Name, First Name, Southern Country Club, General Manager/COO
Please address all correspondence to - Mr. Forrest Stampler, PGA | Club President | Southern Country Club
Jim West, PGA, and Kevin Walls, PGA are the lead consultants for this search. Please contact them with any questions.
Email: jwest@pgahq.com
The employer does not wish to be contacted at this time
The mission of PGA ExecuSearch is to create lifelong partnerships with the industry’s best employers and support and serve as the most trusted professional resource when seeking experts to lead an organization in the golf and hospitality industry.
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