General Manager

Boston Yacht Clubs; Marblehead (MA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Boston Yacht Club seeks an energetic, highly engaged General Manager to lead our historic private club on Marblehead Harbor. The role combines waterfront operations, hospitality, dining, sailing, lodging, facilities, member programming, and administration, working closely with the Board and volunteers to preserve tradition while driving progress.

The ideal candidate will bring exceptional interpersonal skills, strategic leadership, and a track record of developing a high-performing team,

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree preferred with focus on Hospitality Management.
• Substantial private club or hospitality experience considered in lieu of the degree.
• CCM/CCE certifications encouraged but not required.

Responsibilities

• Oversee all major club operations including hospitality, waterfront services, sailing, facilities, and administration.
• Lead and develop multi-department teams; recruit, retain, coach, and set clear performance expectations.
• Partner with Board, Committee leaders, and staff to implement policies, priorities and long-term capital plans.
• Balance traditions with innovative improvements to enhance member experience and operational excellence.

Skills

Leadership

Financial acumen

Communication

Strategic planning

Education

Hospitality management focus

Private club/hospitality experience

Job description

Boston Yacht Club presents a unique opportunity for an accomplished and highly visible General Manager to lead one of the nation's most historic and distinguished yacht clubs. With responsibilities spanning waterfront operations, hospitality, dining, sailing, lodging, facilities, member programming, and administration, the position requires an executive who can balance day-to-day operational leadership with long-term strategic planning. Working in close partnership with the Flag Officers, Board of Trustees, committees, members, and staff, the General Manager will play a critical role in preserving the Club's legacy while creating greater consistency, stability, and continued progress.

Boston Yacht Club seeks an approachable leader who is energetic and fully engaged in the daily life of the Club. The ideal candidate will possess exceptional interpersonal skills and the ability to build meaningful relationships with a diverse membership that includes sailors, powerboaters, social members, younger families, volunteers, and long-tenured members. Success in this role will require flexibility, adaptability, and a willingness to lead from the front and roll up their sleeves when needed, while simultaneously empowering and developing a talented team. The ability to recruit, retain, coach, and develop staff, establish clear expectations, hold employees accountable, and foster a culture of teamwork, service, recognition, and professional growth will be essential. Strong communication skills, emotional intelligence, sound judgment, and the ability to navigate challenging conversations with confidence and diplomacy will be essential.

Equally important is the ability to respect and preserve Boston Yacht Club's traditions while thoughtfully introducing improvements that enhance the member experience and strengthen operations. A key quality for this role is the ability to listen first, learn, and develop a deep understanding of the Club's culture and membership before implementing change. Experience in private clubs, yacht clubs, or waterfront operations, combined with strong expertise in hospitality, finance, staffing, and facilities, will position the next General Manager for success. Strong food and beverage expertise, sound business and financial acumen, and an understanding of waterfront operations will be particularly valuable. This role offers an exceptional opportunity to make a lasting impact by fostering a culture of service excellence, supporting an engaged volunteer leadership structure, providing stability and long-term leadership, and helping guide one of New England's premier yacht clubs into its next chapter.

ABOUT BOSTON YACHT CLUB

Founded in 1866, Boston Yacht Club is one of the oldest and most distinguished yacht clubs in the United States. Located on historic Marblehead Harbor, one of North America's premier sailing destinations, the Club has been an integral part of the region's maritime heritage for more than 160 years. Boston Yacht Club is widely respected for its commitment to sailing, exceptional hospitality, and a welcoming, multi-generational membership that values tradition, camaraderie, and active participation in Club life. Open year-round, Boston Yacht Club provides a comprehensive private club experience centered around the waterfront. Members enjoy a small marina and active launch operation, an established charter club program, nationally recognized sailing and racing traditions, three distinct dining venues, member guest accommodations, and a robust calendar of social and boating events. The Club proudly produces and hosts the internationally recognized Marblehead-to-Halifax Ocean Race while offering programs and amenities that appeal to sailors, power boaters, families, and guests alike.

The Club is governed by an engaged Board of Trustees and supported by an active committee structure that plays a meaningful role in shaping the member experience and long-term direction of the organization. Recent investments in facilities and waterfront infrastructure reflect Boston Yacht Club's commitment to thoughtful stewardship while preserving the character and traditions that have defined the Club for generations.

BOSTON YACHT CLUB BY THE NUMBERS

• Membership: Approximately 500 members across ten membership categories plus their immediate families.
• Initiation Fee (Regular A): $9,200 | Annual Dues (Regular A): $5,050
• Annual Food & Beverage Minimum: $1,044
• Annual Operating Revenue: Approximately $4.4 million
• Annual Dues Revenue (2026 Budget): Approximately $2.08 million
• Annual Food & Beverage Revenue: Approximately $1.5 million
• Guest Accommodations: 13 waterfront hotel rooms
• Employees: 18 full-time and 50–70 seasonal
• Capital Projects (2026): Approximately $260,000 in planned capital improvements

GENERAL MANAGER – POSITION OVERVIEW

The General Manager is responsible for the overall management and administration of Boston Yacht Club. Reporting to the Board of Trustees through the Commodore, the General Manager is responsible for implementing Board-approved policies and strategic priorities and for the effective day-to-day operation of the Club.

The General Manager oversees all major areas of Club operations, including food and beverage, waterfront services, sailing programs, member and guest accommodations, facilities, finance, human resources, and administration. Working through the Club’s management team, the General Manager establishes operational priorities, manages financial and human resources, and ensures that Club programs, services, and facilities are effectively managed. The General Manager also helps foster an energetic and welcoming Club community where boating activities thrive, members are encouraged to participate, and outstanding programs and events bring people together.

The General Manager also serves as the principal professional advisor to the Board and committee leadership on operational, financial, capital, and management matters. The role requires a clear understanding of the distinction between Board governance and management responsibility, along with the judgment to provide informed recommendations and candid professional advice.

KEY PRIORITIES FOR A SUCCESSFUL TRANSITION

• Build trusted relationships with the Flag Officers, Board, committees, members, and staff while learning the Club’s culture, governance, traditions, and operations. Provide stable, consistent, and long-term leadership.
• Provide visible, engaged leadership and identify opportunities to improve service, efficiency, communication, food and beverage, and the member experience.
• Strengthen the leadership team, recruit and retain talented employees, increase accountability, and foster a collaborative, high-performing culture.
• Partner with the Board and committees to advance strategic planning, capital priorities, facility needs, and the Club’s long-term financial and operational success.
• Embrace the Club’s sailing culture and traditions while increasing participation and excitement through strong boating programs, memorable social events, and effective marketing and communications.

CANDIDATE QUALIFICATIONS

• A leader who genuinely understands and embraces sailing and boating culture and can build participation, enthusiasm, and community around the Club’s waterfront activities and traditions.
• An authentic, approachable, and highly visible leader who builds trust through open communication, sound judgment, and meaningful engagement with members, Flag Officers, Trustees, committee leaders, and staff.
• A collaborative leader who recruits and develops talented employees, sets clear expectations, strengthens accountability, and empowers a cohesive, high-performing team.
• A strategic and financially astute professional who balances the Club’s traditions with thoughtful innovation and advances operational excellence, sound fiscal stewardship, and long-term planning.
• A confident and diplomatic partner who understands volunteer governance, respects the distinction between governance and management, builds consensus, and provides informed and candid professional advice.
• An energetic and creative leader who understands exceptional hospitality and what makes a successful social event, recognizes the importance of strong marketing and communications, and creates experiences that bring members together.
• A person of unquestioned integrity whose professionalism, resilience, and commitment to continuous improvement will strengthen Boston Yacht Club and position it for enduring success.
• Experience overseeing capital projects and managing contractor relationships is preferred.
• Progressive executive leadership experience in a private member-owned club, yacht club, marina, or comparable hospitality organization.
• Demonstrated success working collaboratively with volunteer boards, committees, and diverse member constituencies.
• Proven ability to lead, develop, and retain high-performing teams while fostering a culture of accountability and service excellence.
• Strong financial acumen with experience managing operating and capital budgets and achieving established financial objectives.
• Experience overseeing multi-department club operations, including hospitality, food and beverage, facilities, and member services.
• Exceptional communication, interpersonal, and relationship-building skills with a highly visible, member-focused leadership style.
• Strategic thinker with the ability to balance operational excellence, financial stewardship, and long-term organizational success.
• Yacht club, marina, or waterfront operations experience is preferred but not required.

EDUCATIONAL AND CERTIFICATION QUALIFICATIONS

• A bachelor’s degree is preferred with a focus on Hospitality Management.
• In lieu of the degree, substantial private club or hospitality experience will be considered.
• Industry certifications such as CCM, or CCE are encouraged but not required.