General Manager, Cramer Mountain Club GSI Executive Search

BoardRoom magazine; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Cramer Mountain Club is seeking a General Manager to coordinate communication between the Board of Directors and department heads, bringing energy, creativity and strong leadership to the organization. The GM will guide capital planning and long-term projects for facilities and the golf course, ensuring strategic progress and exceptional member experiences.

You will lead a team of 35–45 staff, oversee multiple departments, and maintain a culture focused on connection, community, and quality

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management or related field is preferred.
• CCM certification or progress toward it is beneficial.
• 7+ years of progressive management experience in private clubs.
• Experience with golf operations and food service is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide proactive leadership to department heads and staff, to include communicating objectives and holding people accountable for performance.
• Coordinate with all departments to optimize the member experience across venues and events.
• Keep the Board and department heads fully informed of all substantive matters in a timely fashion.
• Set a standard for a high level of integrity in all dealings with members, staff, vendors, the community and other outside agents.
• Guide and coordinate the recruitment, selection, orientation and compensation of team members for each department.
• Develop operating and capital budgets that support the Board’s goals and priorities.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Strategic planning

Team development

Customer service orientation

Innovative mindset

Financial acumen

Change management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management or Business

CCM certification (in progress)

Job description

The Organization

Located just 16 miles west of Charlotte in Cramerton, North Carolina, Cramer Mountain Club traces its roots to industrialist Stuart Warren Cramer, who built the area’s earliest golf holes in the 1920s and developed the surrounding mill village of Cramerton. In 1985, renowned golf course architect Dan Maples was commissioned to design a championship 18-hole course across 184 acres of Cramer Mountain’s dramatic natural terrain — with elevation changes of up to 100 feet on some holes — and Cramer Mountain Country Club opened in 1986. A round of golf at Cramer Mountain is challenging, exciting and truly memorable. Playing 6,456 yards from the back tees, the length of the course is not daunting; however, its topography and challenging shot-making make it one of the best golf clubs in the Charlotte area.

After closing in 2010, the Club was reborn in 2014, when a partnership of more than 200 area residents and DMD Investments purchased the property and reestablished it as a full equity, member-owned private club. In the years since, Cramer Mountain Club has invested in restoring and modernizing its facilities, while building a distinct identity as a fresh, unpretentious alternative to the traditional country club.

Located within the beautiful, gated Cramer Mountain community, Cramer Mountain Club offers members a full private club lifestyle built around its Dan Maples”’s-designed golf course, tennis and pickleball courts, resort-style swimming pool complex and the casual and welcoming Clubhouse Restaurant — all wrapped in a culture the Club describes as centered on “connection, community, and creating memorable experiences.” Rather than emphasizing formality and exclusivity, Cramer Mountain Club promotes a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere in which members “can come as they are, relax, have fun, and enjoy the Club” in a way that fits their lifestyle — a philosophy the Club frames as redefining what it means to belong to a private club.

CRAMER MOUNTAIN CLUB DETAILS

• Position reports to Board of Directors through the President
• Total Employees: 35-45 depending upon the season
• Direct Reports: 7
• Golf Members: 362 (membership cap of 390)
• Social Members: 229 (currently at cap)
• Club Committees: 3 active operating committees – Golf, Greens and Social
• Total Operating Revenue: $4.1 million
• Approximately 25,000 rounds played annually
• Food & Beverage Sales: $650,000 annually

VISION STATEMENT

Our vision is to create a vibrant community where there is always something to enjoy and every member feels at home.

Position Overview

Cramer Mountain Club has a laid-back, welcoming environment focused on fun, connection and an active social lifestyle. The Club is looking for a General Manager who will assist in coordinating communication and efforts between the Board of Directors and the department heads to continue the upward trajectory of the Club. The General Manager will bring new ideas, energy, enthusiasm and creativity along with a basic level of experience and knowledge of the key operating departments of the Club. The GM will be an approachable, visible, engaging leader who has a genuine desire to connect with members and staff. The individual will have experience with capital and long-term planning as the Club considers substantive changes to facilities and the golf course in the next several years. This could be a “first GM” role for someone with the right background.

The “3-C” operating philosophy envisioned by the current President is: Communicate, operate with Congeniality and Continuously improve.

Responsibilities

• Provide proactive and high-quality leadership to the dedicated department heads and staff, to include communicating objectives and holding people accountable for performance of their assigned tasks.
• Coordinate with all departments to optimize the member experience across all venues and events.
• Keep the Board and department heads fully informed of all substantive matters in a timely fashion.
• Set a standard for a high level of integrity in all dealings with members, staff, vendors, the community and other outside agents.
• Guide and coordinate the recruitment, selection, orientation and compensation of team members for each department.
• Collaborate with the Treasurer, Controller and department heads to create operating and capital budgets that are realistic, attainable, understandable and supportive of the Board’s general goals and priorities.
• Maintain high functioning technology and information management systems and ensure the safe storage/back up of all personal, financial and personnel data.
• Develop standard operating procedures to optimize use of club resources and to provide consistency in all areas of the operation.
• Maintain a healthy and safe environment for members and staff.
• Be the enthusiastic and proactive thought leader for continuously improving the overall member experience and helping to develop potential new sources of revenue for the Club.
• Oversee all operations and activities for adherence to local, state and federal rules, laws and guidelines.
• Offer guidance and relevant comparative market data to properly position membership offerings in relation to the Charlotte/Metrolina region.

Skills, Background & Personality

• A leader with a warm personality, a genuine passion for service and a deep belief that employee experience drives member experience.
• A creative and innovative entrepreneurial mindset with the ability to identify problems, design solutions and execute with discipline and follow through.
• Experience with facility/capital projects from concept development, justification, funding and approval through scheduling, execution, upfitting, staffing and operation.
• Highly energetic and self-motivated; excited by the opportunity to help shape and elevate Cramer Mountain Club, rather than simply maintaining it.
• Emotionally intelligent with the ability to build trust across all levels of the organization.
• Someone who maintains a positive, collaborative team culture across all departments and who supports colleagues and addresses issues constructively and consistently.
• An excellent written and verbal communicator, someone who embraces technological advancements and can use them to optimize time, energy and resources.

Requirements

• A Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management, Business or a related field is preferred.
• Certified Club Manager (CCM) certification, or progress toward it, will be beneficial.
• Seven years of progressive management roles in private clubs.
• Familiarity with golf operations, turfgrass management, court sports and food service.
• Demonstrated experience developing and leading high functioning teams.
• A career path marked with stability, professional achievement and upward progression.
• Impeccable and verifiable references. All candidates will be subject to a thorough background check.

Competitive Compensation

Cramer Mountain Club offers a salary and benefits package commensurate with the size and complexity of the operation.