GENERAL MANAGER/CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER PROFILE:
BURLINGAME COUNTRY CLUB
HILLSBOROUGH, CA
GENERAL MANAGER/CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER AT BURLINGAME COUNTRY CLUB
The General Manager/Chief Operating Officer (GM/COO) position at Burlingame Country Club presents an exceptional opportunity to lead one of the West's most prestigious and nationally recognized family clubs. The ideal candidate will be a thoughtful, articulate, and diplomatic professional with outstanding interpersonal and communication skills. He or she will demonstrate high emotional intelligence, prioritize both member and employee experiences, and embody exceptional leadership. Acting as the "face of the Club," the GM/COO will provide visible support and thoughtful guidance to the Board and serve as a steward of the Club's timeless traditions while preserving its long-standing culture of understated excellence.
Located in the San Francisco Bay Area, Burlingame Country Club is a sanctuary for its multigenerational community, offering members and their families a retreat from the outside world since its inception. Known for its prominent role in the community, the Club boasts a variety of exquisite amenities and a legacy of stability and tenure within its highly respected management team. Looking ahead, Burlingame will undertake a phased, comprehensive master plan to enhance and elevate its facilities, ensuring that the Club meets the needs of current and future generations. The incoming GM/COO will play a pivotal role in shaping and implementing this vision, leaving a lasting legacy that will impact the Club and its members for years to come.
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ABOUT BURLINGAME COUNTRY CLUB
When the Burlingame Country Club was founded, it was a Club in the country. In 1893, a group of sporting enthusiasts, Major J. L. Rathbone, William H. Crocker, William H. Howard, J.B. Casserly, Hall McAllister, and John Parrott led the effort to organize a country club with overnight accommodations for up to twenty or more persons with, "of course, the usual restaurant facilities." Among the foremost of these leaders was William H. Crocker, the Club's first Treasurer, whose residence, New Place, is the Club's present Clubhouse.
The Club's original purpose was to provide the opportunity for members to participate in the popular sports of the day, polo, fishing and horse racing, riding, and driving. In the beginning, the emphasis was on the horse and all the sports, accessories, and activities involving the animal. The current logo of the Club represents these early interests. As the decades passed, other sports and activities were added. Tennis, golf, and swimming are the current sporting activities of the membership.
The advantage of the Burlingame Country Club, as its original members saw it in 1893, was the availability of a place and facilities to participate in sporting activities. However, as women and significant others began also participating in certain athletic endeavors, the Club soon became the hub of social activity and was the site of many themed dinners, elegant balls, and other society events that continue to this day.
Today, the Burlingame Country Club is recognized as one of the premier country clubs in the nation. The Club's history, traditions, and unwavering commitment to providing the best in services, facilities, and amenities are carried out by a staff of over one hundred hard-working and dedicated employees.
Burlingame Country Club is located 20 miles south of San Francisco, not far from San Francisco International Airport in a gracious and strictly residential community with one of the top school districts in the state. Facilities include a magnificent, century-old, villa-style clubhouse that offers overnight guest suites and rooms, an 18-hole golf course, eight tennis courts, pickleball, a swimming pool, and associated pro shops and maintenance areas.
The Club offers families a variety of activities to choose from, but most notable are the aquatics program and summer camps. Additionally, the Club's robust social calendar appeals to members of all ages to enjoy, from lavish events to cocktail parties, as well as cultural events to bridge and dominoes.
BURLINGAME COUNTRY CLUB BY THE NUMBERS

• Rounds of Golf annually: Approximately 16,000
• Approximate Gross Volume: $13.5M

General manager/chief operating officer - position overview
The General Manager/COO reports to the Club President and is responsible for directly overseeing all Club operations. He or she will directly supervise the Controller, Clubhouse Manager, Head Golf Professional, Golf Course Superintendent, Head Tennis Professional, Executive Chef, and Building Engineer. The ideal candidate will be affable, poised, and possess the sophistication and gravitas to appropriately interact in a professional manner with the members, their guests, and staff. The GM/COO, by credentials, reputation, and performance, will work proactively with the Board of Governors and committees in preparing and executing annual budgets, strategic plans, and appropriate member-oriented programs that will ensure that the culture, traditions, standards, and deliberately low-profile visibility that have characterized Burlingame Country Club for over 120 years continue to flourish. Excellent interpersonal, oral, and writing skills are required for long-term success in this position.
The GM/COO will attract, develop, lead, appropriately supervise, and motivate a top-quality staff. He/she is responsible for the proper interpretation and fulfillment of Club policies and procedures. The Club currently has several excellent, long-tenured employees in place who work very well together as a team.
Like many clubs, BCC has a number of new, younger members with families, and the balance of tradition with relevance to today's members' needs and expectations is a critical success factor. Supporting and effectively working with committees, who are an important part of BCC's long history and success, is a necessary and important skill set.
Due to the future Master Plan that is currently being developed at BCC, the GM/COO will play an integral role in the planning and execution of this multiphase project which will leave an impact on the legacy of the future. Project management skills and execution are critical skills for the GM/COO.
INITIAL PRIORITIES OF THE NEW General manager/chief operating officer

• Listen, learn and observe. Get to know the culture, traditions and history of Burlingame Country Club. Be a thoughtful, engaging, genuine, consummate professional and diplomatic leader who gets to know the team and members, their families, and their involvement as well the community of Hillsborough.

• Gauge member and employee satisfaction levels by conducting surveys, evaluating metrics, and gathering feedback.
• Evaluate service standards throughout the operation, specifically in food and beverage. Make changes as necessary to ensure operational consistency and a premier member experience.
• Assess and refine the BCC member experience, establishing standards of excellence and creating expectations for the team to follow as well as upholding a culture of accountability.
• Conduct a full HR review. Evaluate existing practices in place, review the organizational chart and make recommendations for changes needed. Prioritize the attraction, retention, development, and engagement of human resources.
• Develop a complete understanding of the master plan and capital projects that are underway and in development. Establish relationships with external partners to continue the path of successful development, execution, and completion.
• Create a "State of the Club" report to the Board after ninety days of evaluation and observation, providing keen insights and recommendations for procedures, staffing, programming, and other key processes within the Club.

CANDIDATE QUALIFICATIONS

• Significant progressive management experience in a well-regarded, private club or similar hospitality environment. Preferably, strong and verifiable experience in leading a traditional "family-centric" club environment with significant recreational and social activities and amenities. While having a preference for those who have experience in the General Manager or GM/COO role, current Assistant General Manager "Rising Stars" at well-recognized clubs, with verifiable records of achievement, may be considered for this role.
• The ability to provide leadership and direction to long-tenured department heads and staff.
• Outstanding interpersonal skills, diplomacy, emotional intelligence, and verbal and written communication skills are paramount to this position.
• High engagement and visibility to the membership and staff.
• A history of recruiting the best talent, mentoring them as they develop their skills, and cultivating their internal career progression.
• Possessing solid and verifiable success in food and beverage operations, including the proven ability to inspire, train, and set standards.
• Strong financial acumen, budgeting, and presentation skills, along with an intuitive "ROI" mindset, being able to effectively communicate the vision behind the numbers.
• Capital project experience and the ability to plan and oversee projects from inception to completion on time and on budget.
• A true appreciation of tradition, history, golf and how to deliver an exceptional "experience" to members and guests.
• A verifiable history of success in working in a volunteer, member-owned organization, appreciating the need to gain consensus and "buy in" to well-conceived, majority interest objectives benefiting the long-term well-being of the organization.
• Strong and polished personal presence and "executive gravitas," with an intuitive desire to meet, interact with, and build strong relations amongst all constituents.

Other Desired Characteristics/Qualifications:

• Maturity, confidence, soundness of judgment, and ability to achieve and maintain credibility and trust with the Board, committees, members, and staff.
• Experience in traditional, distinguished, well-established club cultures will be viewed positively.
• Driven by a sense of service leading to a high level of customer satisfaction.
• Pleasant, professional, and personable demeanor exhibiting an outgoing, genuine, and friendly personality that relates well with others. Possess a degree of humility enabling him/her to keep the interests of the club and its members first.
• Unquestioned integrity and trustworthiness in all personal and professional aspects of conduct.
• An organizationally focused individual who recognizes that details and consistency of delivery at a high-level result in high member and associate satisfaction, high levels of quality, and an overall outstanding member experience. Keen understanding of quality in all aspects of the club and club operations (F & B, recreational amenities, maintenance, programming, etc.), as well as demonstrable success in leading clubs to continued relevancy and successfully managing evolving membership demographics.
• Communication skills (active listening and presenting)

EDUCATIONAL AND CERTIFICATION QUALIFICATIONS

• A bachelor's degree is preferred, with a focus on Hospitality Management.
• Substantial private club or hospitality experience will be considered in lieu of the degree.
• Industry certifications such as CCM, CCE, CMC, or PGA are encouraged but not required.

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: $325,000 - $425,000 plus optional housing.
INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO APPLY
Please upload your resume and cover letter in that order using the link below. You should have your documents fully prepared to be attached when prompted for them during the online application process. Please be sure your image is not present on your resume or cover letter; that should be used on your LinkedIn Profile.
Prepare a thoughtful cover letter addressed to Mr. Rick Gruber, Search Committee Chair. Clearly articulate your alignment with this role, why you want to be considered for this position at this stage of your career, and why Burlingame Country Club and the San Francisco Bay area will benefit you, your family, your career, and the Club.
You must apply for this role as soon as possible but no later than Friday, March 7th. Candidate selections will occur mid-March, with the first Interviews expected in March and the second interviews a short time later. The new candidate should assume his/her role in June 2025.
IMPORTANT: Save your resume and letter in the following manner:
"Last Name, First Name - Resume" &
"Last Name, First Name - Cover Letter - Burlingame"
(These documents should be in Word or PDF format)
Note: Once you complete the application process for this search, you are not able to go back in and add additional documents.
If you have any questions, please email Alice Stevens:
Lead Search Executives:
Marcie Mills, CCM
Search & Consulting Executive
484-577-6762 (M) - Scottsdale, AZ
Thomas B. Wallace III, CCM, CCE, ECM
Partner
412-670-2021 (M) - Cleveland, OH