Deer Ridge Golf Club, General Manager

Located in Kitchener, Ontario, Deer Ridge Golf Club (“Deer Ridge” or the “Club”) is a private members’ club built around an outstanding golf experience and a welcoming Club community. Its 18-hole, par-72 golf course, complemented by dedicated practice and short-game facilities, is central to the member experience, with course conditions, playability, and access to the tee among the Club’s defining strengths.

Deer Ridge also offers an exceptional dining, social, and clubhouse experience that bring members together away from the course. From dining, social activities, the Golf Shop, locker rooms, and practice facilities, the Club strives to provide a consistently welcoming experience for members and guests.

The next GM will have the opportunity to protect what Deer Ridge does exceptionally well while building upon opportunities to further strengthen the Club. The successful candidate will bring strong interpersonal leadership, a commitment to service excellence, sound judgment, emotional intelligence, fairness, and the ability to work effectively within Deer Ridge’s governance structure.

POSITION SUMMMARYThe GM is responsible for the overall leadership and performance of Deer Ridge Golf Club. Reporting to the Board of Directors, the GM translates the Board’s strategic direction into clear priorities, disciplined operations, and a high-quality member and guest experience.
The GM will lead and develop the Club’s management team, establish clear expectations, strengthen accountability, and foster collaboration across departments. A central priority will be preserving Deer Ridge’s highly regarded golf experience while elevating service and operating standards across member touch points.

The successful candidate will be a visible and approachable leader who communicates with clarity and transparency, builds strong relationships, listens actively, and exercises sound judgment. The GM will bring empathy, self-awareness, fairness, and composure to complex interpersonal and operating situations, while establishing a culture in which employees understand expectations and are empowered and accountable for results.RESPONSIBILITIES

• Translate the Board’s strategic direction into measurable operating priorities and provide clear reporting on performance, risks, opportunities, and progress.
• Lead and develop the management team through clear expectations, effective delegation, coaching, feedback, and accountability.
• Foster a collaborative, respectful, and service-oriented workplace in which employees are supported, empowered, and held accountable for results.
• Communicate clearly, consistently, and transparently with members, employees, committees, and the Board, ensuring stakeholders understand Club priorities, decisions, and expectations.
• Preserve Deer Ridge’s strong golf experience by working effectively with the Club’s golf professionals and golf course maintenance team.
• Create and reinforce a culture of service excellence that consistently delivers welcoming, attentive, and high-quality experiences for members and guests.
• Strengthen food and beverage, clubhouse operations, and the consistency of the overall member and guest experience.
• Maintain a visible and approachable presence and build trusted relationships with members, employees, committees, and the Board.
• Develop and manage operating and capital budgets, forecasts, financial controls, and long-term plans, ensuring resources are deployed responsibly and with a focus on long-term Club value.
• Strengthen membership value through service improvement, member engagement, and relevant programming.
• Maintain appropriate boundaries among the Board, committees, and management while providing clear information, candid advice, and informed recommendations.

• Navigate conflict and difficult situations fairly and constructively, exercising sound judgment and supporting consistent and ethical decision-making.
• Lead change with clarity and adaptability, adjusting approaches as circumstances and new information require while maintaining appropriate regulatory and operational discipline.

CANDIDATE PROFILEDeer Ridge’s job analysis identified the following capabilities as the strongest predictors
of success in the GM role.

Leadership and Accountability

• Sets high standards, establishes clear expectations, and holds employees accountable for performance.
• Develops and empowers department leaders through effective delegation, coaching, feedback, and support.
• Builds a cohesive management team aligned around shared Club priorities and fosters a collaborative working environment.
• Models integrity, professionalism, fairness, and ethical decision-making, applying standards consistently across members and employees.

Communication and Emotional Intelligence

• Communicates clearly, consistently, and effectively across varied situations and audiences.
• Builds positive relationships through active listening, empathy, responsiveness, and consistency, demonstrating the self-awareness to adapt leadership and communication approaches to different individuals and situations.
• Navigates conflict, difficult conversations, and complex interpersonal situations with diplomacy, fairness, and sound judgment.
• Demonstrates sound judgment, composure, and consistency when navigating challenging or sensitive situations.

Service and Member Experience

• Creates and reinforces a service-oriented culture focused on the needs of members and guests.
• Identifies and implements opportunities to improve service quality, consistency, and the overall member and guest experience.

• Maintains a visible and approachable presence that strengthens trust, engagement, and belonging.
• Promotes fair and consistent treatment of members and employees.

Governance, Strategy and Finance

• Works effectively within a member-owned governance model and respects the respective roles and responsibilities of the Board, committees, and management.
• Navigates governance matters and differing perspectives with fairness, sound judgment, and a focus on the Club’s best interests.
• Translates strategic priorities into measurable objectives and practical operating plans.
• Provides the Board with clear analysis, informed recommendations, and candid advice.
• Demonstrates sound financial judgment across budgeting, forecasting, financial controls, and capital planning.

Club Operations

• Leads complex, multidisciplinary operations with a focus on quality, efficiency, service, and accountability.
• Works effectively with golf, agronomy, hospitality, and facility professionals, recognizing the expertise and responsibilities of departmental leaders.
• Coordinates departments to deliver a cohesive and consistently high-quality Club experience.
• Leads change constructively and adapts plans as circumstances and new information require.

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

• Progressive senior leadership experience within a private club, hospitality organization, golf operation, or similarly complex service environment.
• Demonstrated success leading, developing, and holding accountable department heads and multidisciplinary teams.
• Proven experience building strong organizational cultures and improving service quality, employee performance, accountability, and operating effectiveness.
• A track record of communicating effectively and building trusted relationships with varied stakeholder groups.
• Strong experience developing and managing operating and capital budgets, forecasts, financial controls, business plans, and capital priorities.
• Experience reporting to, and partnering with, a Board of Directors within a clearly defined governance framework.

• A record of enhancing the member or guest experience while maintaining operational and financial discipline.
• A post-secondary degree in business, hospitality, professional golf management, or a related field is preferred; an equivalent combination of education and relevant leadership experience will be considered.
• A Certified Club Manager designation or another relevant professional designation is considered an asset.
• Private club experience is preferred.

COMPENSATION
The Club will offer an attractive year-round compensation package, commensurate with experience, including a competitive base salary, bonus, full benefits, and allowances for education, clothing, and food. The base salary will exceed the threshold disclosure amount set out in the Pay Transparency Act, Ontario (2026). The search process will be compliant with the Act.

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