General Manager

Bellevue Country Club (BCC) is seeking a positive, energetic, and highly capable professional who has strong leadership experience to be the General Manager (GM). The candidate must be one who embodies and demonstrates a confident leadership style that promotes a positive culture with an emphasis on team development, organizational consistency, and financial management skills while maintaining the highest levels of member satisfaction. The new GM will lead the club and assist the board in articulating and executing a strategic plan for the benefit of the members

BELLEVUE COUNTRY CLUB
Today, the historic Strathmore neighbourhood on Syracuse’s west side is charmed with rows of (what are now considered) historic homes. One century ago, the mature trees and craftsman-proud houses lining each street had not been added to the blank canvas of rolling hills and farmland. Back then, it may have been easier to envision what the landscape could become. And for a small group of local golf enthusiasts, the grounds that would transform to be Bellevue Country Club were easy to see. So, in 1914, this group of golfies met at Schrafft’s Restaurant in downtown Syracuse. There, they conceived the establishment that has endured a century of growth and development and that is considered today to be a premiere golf course and country club and in 2013, granted designation as a Historic Landmark.

Officially, Bellevue was issued a Certificate of Incorporation on January 5, 1915, and creating a strong membership behind the development of the club was an important first step in building the establishment. At the time, the organization was made up of “prominent local, social, business and professional men”. A local jewelry wholesaler and Democratic Party leader, William Paige Hitchcock, was chosen as the first president of the executive committee for Bellevue. Other original stockholders, incorporators and directors included George D. Kirtland, vice president, C. B. Moak,
secretary-treasurer, A. G. Velasko, Donald M. Dey Jr., Joseph B. Murphy, Frank M. Shattuck, Irving S. Merrell, Alan C. Fobes, Fred R. Peck, Judge W. G. Cady, J. S. Conway, Ralph Tiffany and E. A. O'Hara.

Before any ground would break, this board of regarded men stated their objective, “to establish and maintain with the county of Onondaga, golf links, tennis grounds, croquet grounds, rifle range, a club house and other lawful sports, games and amusements.” Envisioning a year-round destination, the club began a search for a suitable site, which it located on the hills to the southwest of the city. The 138-acre plot in the Onondaga Reservation was purchased from the Wadsworth family, who had been farming it since about the 1850s. Located just outside of the city lines, a cleaver headline in a January 15, 1915, issue of the debunked Syracuse Herald read: “New country club to have ideal location at the very door of the city.”

According to club founders, building a golf course in this location was ideal because it could be “reached by trolley in a comparatively short time by the business and professional man leaving his office for the day.” Further, the high elevation of the farm location also provided Bellevue with spectacular views. With the convenience of the location and the impressive views providing solid assets for the club’s development, what ultimately swayed the club incorporators was the excellent natural topography of the farm that made the location a perfect landscape for golf course design.
Following the natural “hill and dale, wooded slope, rolling turf and level orchard lane” the course would capitalize on “a hundred subtle revelations of charms” and the high ground would afford “many natural hazards and bunkers for golf.”

So, with the best location and a great assembly of innovators, Bellevue was well underway. The next milestone was to hire a master to engineer the course to its true potential. While many golf architects of the era designed a course and selected a piece of real estate to fit the design, the newly incorporate Bellevue required someone to design a course that could fit perfectly on the pre-selected piece of property the club already purchased. The master chosen by Bellevue was Scottish born Donald Ross. Relying completely on the landscape, Ross used almost no artificial hazards and fairways that followed the contours of the land. The result was a challenging course that was ready to play in 1917.

And to compliment the world-class course, Bellevue hired its own member, Justus Moak Scrafford, an architecture professor at Syracuse University to design the clubhouse. Although Ross selected the area of the property where the future clubhouse would be built, Scafford (who completed a number of high-end commissions in the Syracuse area) was charged with creating the four-season structure that the club wanted for its members and their families.

The stately manor that remains the club’s primary facility offers views of the entire course. Through the decades, modern modifications have altered some of the interior, however, the clubhouse remains steadfast as Bellevue’s staple forever watching over the land and witnessing 100 years’ worth of frustrating putts, holes-in-one and countless other moments and memories on its timeless greens.

BELLEVUE COUNTRY CLUB BY THE NUMBERS:

• $5.9M Approximate Total Revenue.
• $3.1M Approximate Annual Dues Revenue.
• $1.9M Approximate F&B Revenue.
• $0.9M Approximate Golf Operations & Sales Revenue.
• Approximately 25,000 Annual Rounds of Golf.
• 510 Total Members; 412 Golf, 98 Other.
• Initiation Fee – $7,500.
• Club POS – Northstar.

FACILITIES & AMENITIES:

• Golf: 18-hole course (6,400 yards/par 71); golf simulators; social & competitive tournaments; private and group outings and lessons.
• Club owned Pro Shop.
• Clubhouse: multiple dining and banquet venues.
• Aquatics: 25-meter pool, diving board and kiddie pool.
• Events: Indoor and outdoor ceremony space for weddings, corporate outings, holiday parties and fundraisers.
• Youth and Family: Junior golf and swim programs, year-round family holiday events.

GENERAL MANAGER - POSITION OVERVIEW:
The GM is responsible for the general operation of the Club relating most importantly to the clubhouse, golf and grounds operations, and pool, ensuring that all services meet members’ and guests’ expectations. He/she will also prepare an annual budget and present goals and objectives to
the Club Board on an annual basis. He/she will develop an awareness of the “club culture” and will be responsible for ensuring hospitality, friendliness, and goodwill among members, guests, and staff. His/her goal is always to ensure that the facilities and events at the Club are first-rate and that the members’ and guests’ experiences are of prime importance. The GM reports directly to the President and the Board of Directors.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Leadership & Strategy: Provide visionary leadership, working with the Board to define its strategic goals and fostering a culture of service excellence and continuous improvement.
• Operational Oversight : Manage all facets of Club operations, including golf, food &mbeverage, pool, clubhouse facilities, and events.
• Financial Management: Oversee the budgeting process, financial performance, and capital planning, ensuring fiscal responsibility and long-term financial health.
• Human Resources & Team Development: Build and maintain a high-performing team through training, performance management, and professional development programs.
• Member Experience & Engagement: Ensure a premier member experience by maintaining high service standards, enhancing club programming, and fostering strong member, relationships.
• Facility & Project Management: Oversee the maintenance and enhancement of Club facilities.

MEMBER SERVICES:

• Consistent sincere and significant engagement of members, highly visible to members and staff at the Club is of premium importance. The GM is ultimately responsible for ensuring that all Club operations are running at the highest level.
• Provide quality leadership in a positive and upbeat manner for the members, guests, and staff.
• Create and maintain a first-class service culture throughout the Club property.
• Address and resolve all member and guest complaints and suggestions, general service, employee attitude, maintenance, and presentation of the clubhouse operations.

EMPLOYEE RELATIONS:

• Oversee the recruiting, hiring, and development of Club personnel. Oversee ongoing training programs at the Club complete with up-to-date standard operating procedures to ensure exceptional service in all parts of the Club’s.
• Provide support and mentorship for the future development of all direct reports. Instill the concept of being “team players” in all employees. Continue to coach, counsel, and evaluate departmental staff.
• Ensure that a positive spirit and healthy work environment exists throughout the Club, one that is free of safety risks and all forms of employee harassment.
• Maintain an effective communication program where employees are treated in a fair, structured, and consistent manner.
• Function as an administrative and communication link between all departments at the Club.
• Help to facilitate a team environment with high morale, impeccable ethical standards, and efficient use of resources to position Bellevue Country Club to be a preferred employer.

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT:

• Work collaboratively with the Department Heads, and the President to prepare the annual operating and capital budgets for all Club operations and assist in managing and controlling the operations to attain the desired results.
• Will have strong financial acumen and business skills.
• Monitor the budget each month and direct the taking of corrective action as necessary to ensure that the budgeted goals are attained.
• Provide input to all Club personnel regarding annual budgets, capital spending plans, fiscal controls, and operational guidelines.

PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT:

• Display a very hands-on approach and lead by example. Must be approachable to staff, members, and guests.
• Responsible for all direct reports and department heads hiring, discipline, termination, and documentation of all employees.
• Organizes and facilitates department meetings of senior management and carries out directives. Serves as an ad-hoc member of all club committees.
• Possess a warm personality, a sense of humor, and the ability to work effectively with all levels of the staff and members.
• Further his/her own continued development as a club management professional as a member of CMAA. With the assistance and approval of the President, participates in appropriate seminars/training programs, thereby enhancing his/her value and quality of services to Bellevue Country Club.

OPERATIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Understand and abide by Bellevue’s club policies and departmental procedures. Suggest changes and may direct the implementation of change.
• Provide content for and manage communications and marketing materials for the club.
• Assure that the Club is run in accordance with all applicable local, state, and federal laws.
• Disseminate information effectively and coordinate activities between departments on a timely basis.
• Keep the Club and Board of Directors informed of potential problems and activities related to the smooth operation of the Club.
• Possess a sharp eye for detail in the overall management of the operation.

CANDIDATE QUALIFICATIONS:

• A minimum of 5-7 years of progressive leadership/management experience in a private member-owned country club or resort/hospitality operation, preferably those with member boards and committee involvement.
• The Club will consider well-mentored Assistant General Manager (AGM) for this role as well as those who come from other sides of the hospitality industry, so long as they are able to allow verification of the relationship side (versus a transactional aptitude) of current and past success.
• A verifiable record of strong and intuitive mentoring of staff and achievement of 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.
• 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.
• Strong knowledge of club operations, maintenance standards, and the successful engagement and growth of participation in programs and activities for members.
• Experience in creating and executing strategic planning and capital projects.

EDUCATIONAL AND CERTIFICATION QUALIFICATIONS:

• A bachelor’s degree is highly desirable, preferably in Hospitality Management or Business. In lieu of the degree, substantial private club or hospitality experience will be considered.
• CCM designation or similar accreditation outside of the club industry is desirable.

EMPLOYMENT ELIGIBILITY VERIFICATION:
In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire.

SALARY AND BENEFITS:
Salary is open and commensurate with qualifications and experience. The club offers an excellent bonus and benefits package, including association membership. Salary Range: $110,000 - $140,000.

HOW TO APPLY:
Prepare a cover letter with your leadership philosophy and relevant achievements along with your resume addressed to Michael Kyle, Bellevue Country Club 1901 Glenwood Ave Syracuse NY 13207, or email to [email protected] and clearly articulate your alignment with this role and why you want to be considered for this position.
You must apply for this role as soon as possible but no later than November 10, 2025.