Chef Placed

The Club

The Outing Club is a 120-year-old, member-owned private club whose members have cherished the vibrant traditions of the club from generation to generation. Referred to as the ‘Grande dame’ of clubs in the Quad City area, the Club hosts a variety of large social events and family gatherings annually.

Extensively renovated in 2006, the clubhouse features a ballroom, elegant and informal dining rooms, a pub, and versatile conference and meeting rooms. As a result, The Outing Club has appropriate space for every social and business function and more. The Outing Club’s spectacular location on Brady Street in Davenport, easily accessible from throughout the Quad Cities, provides a convenient place for families and groups to meet. A parking lot sits adjacent to the clubhouse.

The Outing Club’s various facilities include: The Ballroom, The Bawden Room, The Burrows Room, The Delescaille Room, The Pub, The North and South Parlors and lower level Game Room. In addition to the clubhouse, club facilities include a swimming pool (constructed in 1997) two lighted tennis courts, wellness center, the north dining patio, a scenic front lawn and a four lane automatic bowling alley.

The Club’s annual gross revenues are in excess of $2.2 million, of which approximately $1.1 million in food and beverage sales. Overall, the Club is in a good financial position  however, as with most city clubs could always use more members.

The Position

Reporting to the President and accountable to the Board of Directors, the General Manager shall have complete authority for implementing club operations in accordance with policies and plans as articulated by the Board. The General Manager position needs someone with an appreciation for The Outing Club’s tradition and unique club operations. This post requires strong financial management skills and an ability to interact with and lead both staff and members with a clearly focused vision. This individual should have a passion for quality and excellence in everything related to the club. This individual should be willing to recommend and implement appropriate change, as approved by the Board, and be skilled in managing it to a successful conclusion.

Specifically the General Manager will be responsible for the following:

1. Overall responsibility and accountability for all club operations.
2. Creating an excellent club experience for members and their guests and emphasizing exceptional, personal member service at all levels.
3. Providing the membership with a variety of high-quality food and beverage choices so that the club remains a dining destination consistent with the club’s tradition.
4. Instituting and overseeing sound fiscal policies and controls providing both immediate and long-term financial leadership resulting in annual surpluses.
5. In conjunction with the appropriate committees, preparing the operating and capital budgets for submission to the Board for approval.
6. Fiscal management of the Board approved budgets and assuring the club obtains the quality and quantity of products and services as purchased.
7. Creating standard operating procedures that will ensure that all policies established by the Board are carried out.
8. Staying current with developing “best practices and policies” at other private clubs.
9. Recommending appropriate policies and where appropriate, amendment of any club bylaws, rules and regulations as needed.
10. Offering new ideas while assisting club committees in planning and implementing outstanding club special events and member programs.
11. Upkeep and maintenance of all club facilities to the highest standards.
12. Working with the Board to envision longer-term membership needs and to develop both strategic plans and long-range plans, including capital projects, to meet these needs.
13. Proficient in computer skills (Word, Excel, email, etc.) with a good understanding of and appreciation for modern IT issues.
14. Attention to the Club’s staff:

• Seeing that appropriate HR policies are in place and adhered to.
• Maintaining a positive employee work atmosphere making staff feel important.
• Treating all staff in a fair and equitable manner.
• Seeing that key-staff are appropriately and competitively compensated.

Qualification:

The successful candidate should have experience in the private club field as a general manager, club manager or as the number one assistant at a premier club. This executive should have unimpeachable integrity, be willing to experiment and accept new ideas and have a passion for the club and its mission. An undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university is preferable. A degree from a leading hospitality institution is a plus, as is certification by the Club Managers Association of America.
To achieve success the candidate should:

1. Be highly visible to the membership and quickly learn members’ names and greet them accordingly.
2. Be a very good listener and one who responds positively to input.
3. Have the knowledge and experience necessary to lead an outstanding, consistent food and beverage operation of the highest caliber as is appropriate for the club.
4. Be a very sensitive “people person” who interacts especially well with staff and members alike.
5. Understand all of the club’s fiscal operations and have the ability to create and control budgets and projects.
6. Being honest and able to tell it like it is, even the bad news.
7. Be a proactive “marketer” capable of increasing revenues and member utilization effectively within a private club environment.
8. Sets an example for staff by working with a sense of urgency in a hands-on manner.
9. Have an eye for detail and the ability to maintain an impeccable clubhouse.
10. Be experienced in facility maintenance and renovation.
11. Be able to set and achieve objectives and have the ability to create high operational standards.
12. Possess excellent communication “writing and oral” skills.

Salary and benefits are commensurate with the position, as well as the selected candidate’s demonstrated professional abilities and experience. Please contact Bill Schulz, MCM in full confidence if there is a personal interest on your part – or if you wish to recommend a suitably qualified candidate. Bill may be reached at bill@masterclubadvisors.com or 713-252-2753.