Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Club Manager

🎯 Role Definition

The Club Manager is the operational and commercial leader responsible for delivering an outstanding member experience, growing and retaining membership revenue, and ensuring efficient, compliant daily operations across all club departments (food & beverage, events, facilities, membership sales, fitness/golf/tennis where applicable). This role combines people leadership, financial accountability (P&L), vendor and facilities oversight, and strategic programming to maximize utilization, non-dues revenue, and long-term club value. The Club Manager serves as the primary operational point of contact for the Board of Directors and member committees, translating strategy into measurable results.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Assistant Club Manager or Assistant General Manager
Food & Beverage Manager or Executive Chef (with ops exposure)
Events & Membership Sales Manager

Advancement To:

General Manager / Club General Manager
Regional Director of Clubs / Multi-Club Operations Director
Director of Club Operations or Vice President, Club Services

Lateral Moves:

Resort Operations Manager
Facilities or Recreation Director
Membership & Marketing Director

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Oversee full operational delivery of the club by supervising front-of-house, food & beverage, events, fitness/golf/tennis programming, pool/lifeguard services and back-of-house functions to ensure consistent, high-quality member experiences and adherence to brand and service standards.
Own the club P&L: develop annual operating budgets, set monthly and quarterly financial targets, monitor revenue and expense variances, implement corrective plans and present financial performance and strategy recommendations to the Board of Directors.
Lead membership acquisition and retention strategies—manage the sales pipeline, conduct member tours and onboarding, design retention programs and targeted communications, and report membership KPIs including churn, lifetime value and revenue per member.
Recruit, hire, train, coach and develop a multi-disciplinary staff; establish performance expectations, lead regular performance reviews, succession planning and training programs to build service capability and reduce turnover.
Create and execute a seasonal and annual event calendar: plan, coordinate and deliver member events, private functions, tournaments and community outreach activities while controlling event budgets and vendor performance.
Manage food & beverage operations in partnership with culinary leadership: approve menus and pricing strategies, oversee inventory control, vendor selection, portion control, guest satisfaction and rigorous food safety and sanitation standards.
Establish and enforce standard operating procedures across departments to ensure consistent member service, efficient operations and clear escalation pathways for member concerns.
Maintain compliance with all applicable regulations and licenses (liquor licensing, health and safety, labor laws, insurance), prepare for and manage inspections, and implement remediation plans as required.
Oversee facilities and capital projects: prioritize and coordinate preventive maintenance, repairs, renovations and capital improvement projects with contractors, ensuring projects are delivered on time, on budget and to spec.
Develop and implement targeted marketing and digital strategies (email, social, website, CRM) to drive member engagement, event attendance and new member inquiries while tracking conversion metrics and ROI.
Negotiate, manage and monitor vendor and supplier contracts, evaluate service levels, identify cost-savings opportunities and maintain strong procurement controls.
Implement and maintain operational systems and technology including POS, CRM/reservation systems, membership databases and access control; ensure reliable data capture for reporting and member communications.
Monitor and analyze operational KPIs (revenue by department, labor cost %, average spend per guest, membership churn, event profitability) and produce concise, actionable reports for the Board and leadership team.
Lead a proactive risk management program: incident reporting, emergency response plans, staff training (including ServSafe and security), and insurance coordination to protect members, staff and assets.
Drive revenue diversification and non-dues revenue strategies such as retail, lessons/programming, private events and partnerships; set sales targets, incentive plans and monitor attainment.
Serve as the primary liaison to the Board of Directors and member committees; prepare meeting materials, present operational updates and implement Board-approved initiatives with clear accountability and timelines.
Champion member feedback mechanisms—surveys, direct outreach, complaint tracking—and ensure prompt resolution, root-cause analysis and continuous improvement to boost Net Promoter Score and member satisfaction.
Create and manage staffing models and labor plans to balance service levels with cost control; approve schedules, monitor overtime, and ensure payroll accuracy and compliance.
Coordinate programming and partnership with club professionals (golf, tennis, fitness) to align membership benefits, schedule leagues/tournaments and maximize amenity utilization and revenue.
Implement sustainability and cost-reduction initiatives including energy management, waste reduction and supplier consolidation to lower operating costs and support member values.
Ensure robust security and access control protocols are in place and managed, including keycard systems, CCTV policies and front-of-house security staffing when required.
Maintain accurate operational documentation: SOPs, training manuals, inventory records, vendor agreements, incident logs and Board reporting archives to support continuity and governance.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc financial and operational analysis requests from the Board or ownership—model scenarios for membership pricing, capital projects and event profitability.
Contribute to multi-year strategic plans and capital roadmaps that align member growth, amenity investments and long-term financial sustainability.
Collaborate with marketing and communications to produce member newsletters, social content and targeted campaigns that reflect the club’s brand and drive engagement.
Assist committees (membership, events, finance, facilities) by providing data, recommendations and operational follow-through on committee-led initiatives.
Lead technology implementations and upgrades (POS, CRM, reservation systems), coordinating vendors, data migration and staff training to minimize disruption.
Represent the club at industry associations, civic events and local partnerships to raise profile, build referral channels and identify best practices.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

P&L ownership and financial management: budgeting, forecasting, variance analysis and board reporting.
Membership sales and CRM proficiency: pipeline management, lead conversion and member lifecycle strategies.
Food & Beverage operations management: inventory control, vendor negotiations, menu pricing and food safety (ServSafe).
Event planning and private function logistics: contracts, catering coordination, staffing, and profitability analysis.
Facilities and capital project oversight: vendor management, preventive maintenance and project budgeting.
Point-of-Sale (POS) and reservation system administration (experience with Clubessential, Jonas, Lightspeed, Toast, Mindbody or similar).
HR fundamentals: recruiting, onboarding, labor law compliance, scheduling and performance management.
Contract negotiation and vendor management to secure favorable terms and service-level agreements.
Data-driven reporting: KPI creation, Excel financial modeling, dashboarding and presenting insights to stakeholders.
Regulatory compliance knowledge: liquor laws, health & safety regulation, insurance requirements and security protocols.
Inventory, procurement and cost-control techniques to protect margins and reduce waste.

Soft Skills

Member-first leadership and exceptional customer-service orientation.
Strong communication and presentation skills for Board, staff and membership interactions.
Strategic thinking with the ability to translate vision into operational plans and measurable results.
Team building, coaching and conflict resolution to create high-performing cross-functional teams.
Problem-solving under pressure and sound decision-making during events or crises.
Time management and prioritization across competing operational demands.
Influence and negotiation skills with vendors, partners and member committees.
Adaptability in a seasonal business environment and ability to manage fluctuation in demand.
Attention to detail while managing multiple large-scale initiatives.
High level of discretion, professionalism and respect for member privacy.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

High school diploma or equivalent; many clubs accept solid hospitality/operations experience in lieu of a degree.

Preferred Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management, Business Administration, Sports/Leisure Management, or related field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Hospitality Management
Business Administration / Finance
Sports Management / Recreation Management
Event Management
Hospitality/Hotel Operations

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

3–7 years of progressive supervisory experience in private clubs, country clubs, resorts or hospitality operations; many roles prefer 5+ years for higher-capacity clubs.

Preferred:

5+ years in club or multi-department hospitality management with demonstrated P&L responsibility, staff leadership, membership sales success and event programming experience.
Certifications advantageous: Certified Club Manager (CCM) or Certified Hospitality Supervisor, ServSafe Manager, first aid/CPR and industry association memberships (CMAA).