Organization

Plandome Country Club, founded in 1928, is located in the charming village of Plandome, a part of Manhasset, a suburban area in Nassau County, Long Island's North Shore approximately 20 miles from Manhatten. Living in Manhasset offers a mix of suburban tranquility with convenient access to the amenities and opportunities of New York City. The Manhasset Union Free School District serves the area and is highly regarded for its quality education. The district includes several elementary schools, a middle school, and Manhasset High School.

Manhasset is well-connected. The Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) provides a convenient and quick commute to Manhattan, making it a popular choice for people working in the city. Additionally, major highways and roadways like the Long Island Expressway (I-495) are easily accessible.

The Plandome Golf Club was an afterthought, a fallback position. When the Club's founding fathers purchased the middle part of the Leeds estate in 1928, their concept was a prestigious residential development. The property extended along Stonytown Road, from Plandome Road to Port Washington Boulevard. However, The Stock Market Crash of 1929 intervened, and the land was for a golf club instead. Fortunately, aside from its challenge, Plandome is perhaps, the most picturesque golf course in Nassau County. Its first hole may well be the toughest opening hole in the entire Met Area.

In its early years, Plandome was considered an English-style golf club and shared a reciprocal arrangement with the Garden City Country Club. Country club facilities were added later on. The original Leeds farmhouse, a three-story, twenty-room white clapboard and white pillared structure, was enhanced and served as the clubhouse, with the second floor the exclusive domain of the ladies. On December 23, 1958, during a major snowstorm, a fire that caused $350,000 in damage and took the life of the club's night watchman destroyed the recently renovated building. It was replaced by the present brick building, with its circular entrance drive.

The Club was reorganized in 1955, at which time the new Plandome Country Club purchased the golf course and buildings from the Plandome Golf Club, therefore averting the possibility the property would be sold for real estate developments.

Recent improvements at Plandome include a complete renovation to both the Ladies' and Men's Locker Room, and a brand new pool/terrace kitchen. Other amenities include an Olympic-sized pool with a bathhouse, a basketball court and playground for the children, three clay tennis courts, three paddle courts, a paddle/tennis hut and access to the LIRR Plandome station.

Plandome's gross dollar volume exceeds $11M with dues of $6.9M, and annual Food and Beverage volume of $2,800,000. The Club hosts approximately 20,000 rounds of golf per year. There are currently 599 memberships in all categories and the average age of the membership is 54 and trending lower.

The current full initiation fee is $50,000 plus equity. Full dues are $17,700.There are 13 Board members and 9 standing committees which include: Nominating, Executive, Long Range Planning, Finance, Pool, Membership, Tennis, House, Green and Golf Committees. Plandome has 95 year-round staff members and employs about 125 in peak season. The Club closes the last Sunday in January and re-opens the first Wednesday in March. The clubhouse is open five days a week off season and six in season and administrative services remain open year-round.

Position Overview

The Director of Food & Beverage's direct reports include the Clubhouse Manager and the Restaurant Supervisor and will assist Management as directed. The position reports to the General Manager/COO and works closely with the Assistant General Manager.

The Director of Food and Beverage will be a dynamic, visible and accessible leader for staff and members.

He or she will be responsible for the leadership and coordination of the F&B Operation, primarily taking responsibility for all outlets that encompass casual dining to fine dining experiences as well as Club events. He or she will work to maintain and improve operational standards for both the front-of-the-house and back-of-the-house to ensure all guests receive exceptional and genuine service at all times, reflective of luxury service standards.

Operational responsibility and emphasis on staff training and development. The candidate must have the ability to strengthen the "Plandome Country Club service culture" where member dining consistently exceeds expectations. The Dining & Clubhouse Operations Manager will "set the pace of service" as an example to all employees. He or she will be proactive (not reactive) to member needs and have a high degree of integrity.

Potential candidates will possess all the requisite skills, leadership qualities and personal traits suited for a high-level private club environment. A friendly, polished, outgoing personality is a must as is a strong working knowledge of first-class, high-end Food and Beverage service and management. He or she will be an excellent communicator who drives the service culture of the team while delivering excellent service as a standard.

Key Responsibilities

• Directly supervises all Food & Beverage activities as well as the planning and execution of all Club events and family activities.
• Ensures proper staffing and schedules in all F&B venues.
• Formalizes the training programs for new employees, ongoing training of current staff and building a strong and positive culture within the service staff.
• Assures that member/guest satisfaction standards are consistently attained.
• Responsible for the Club's point of sale system and the training of staff to properly utilize the system.
• Maintains records of special events and restaurant covers and makes sure all billing is entered into the accounting system properly.
• Focuses on achieving consistency and quality in service, working closely with our highly regarded chef in planning creative and varied menus, beverage and wine inventories, maintaining the wine list, establishing par stocks and bringing consistency and a standard of excellence to the food and beverage departments.
• Plans and coordinates training and professional development programs for himself/herself and Club personnel.
• Conducts training and other meetings with department staff, especially concerning restaurant operations.
• Responsible for the monitoring of all sales reports to recognize trends and concerns.
• Monitors labor; evaluates scheduled and actual labor hours and costs.
• Helps to develop new Club events and creative ways of marketing them.
• Works with Golf, Greens, Pool and Tennis Departments to make sure everyone is aware of special events and collaboration is maximized.
• Interacts with members answering questions, solving problems, overseeing services and cleanliness to assure maximum member satisfaction.
• Receives and resolves complaints from Club members, guests and employees.
• Participates in daily facility inspections throughout the Club to ensure cleanliness, maintenance, safety and other standards are consistently attained.
• Attends management and staff meetings as scheduled.
• Undertakes special projects as requested by the General Manager/COO.
• Ensures that all legal requirements are consistently followed.
• May perform clubhouse opening and closing duties including those related to security.
• Monitors employee dress codes and member dress codes as applicable.

Attributes

• An outgoing and friendly personality with a high potential to identify with and embrace the Club's culture.
• Highly energetic; a self-starter with a "hands-on" approach to management.
• A strong sense of service with proven staff development and training skills.
• Decision Making – Resolves common problems and challenges regularly with high judgment. Looks at problems from many angles.
• Teamwork – Fosters a collaborative team spirit. Actively helps and supports others. Deals with conflict in a positive manner.
• Strategic Thinking – Understands all the key departments and functions and how they work collectively to achieve larger goals. Provides advice, information and direction to others to support the achievement of team and/or department goals. Recommends optimal approaches to address critical issues in the immediate and medium-term.
• An intelligent and articulate individual who can relate to people at all levels of an organization and possesses excellent written and oral communication skills. Must be able to communicate policies, procedures, regulations, reports, etc., to staff, members and guests.
• Able to work in a rapidly changing work environment. Must be able to adapt to changes, manage competing demands and deal with frequent changes, delays or unexpected events.
• Remain open to others' ideas and exhibit a willingness to try new things.
• Ability to envision the Club's future and continually come up with ways to improve the entire experience.
• Possesses a good sense of humor and the ability to have fun.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Hotel/Restaurant Management, Business or a related field and experience that provides the required skills and knowledge. In place of a degree, substantial club or hospitality experience will be considered.
• Strong knowledge of Food & Beverage, Banquet & Catering, Club events and wine knowledge.
• Excellent leadership, communication and interpersonal skills. Ability to work in a team environment as well as independently.
• Strong organizational skills, paying attention to details and multitasking abilities.
• A career path marked with stability and professional achievement.
• A person of exceptional character and social etiquette; motivated, energetic, friendly and dedicated to the profession.
• A friendly and outgoing personality with strong communication skills and high visibility.
• Excellent verbal and written skills. Experience using various forms of social media as a marketing tool.
• The ability to operate a computer to enter, retrieve, or modify data utilizing Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, email, internet and other software programs at a high level of proficiency. Knowledge of Northstar Software POS & Programming would be considered a plus.
• The role requires extended hours, including evenings and weekends, especially during peak season. Available to work a flexible schedule which includes nights and weekends.
• Impeccable and verifiable references. All candidates will be subject to a thorough background check.

Competitive Compensation

• Competitive compensation/salary and an annual performance-based bonus.
• Healthcare, Medical, Disability, 401k
• Paid time off and work/life balance
• Professional dues (CMAA), educational allowance expenses, and other expenses per the annual budget
• Relocation assistance (if from outside the area)

To be considered for this outstanding opportunity all cover letters and resumes should be received as quickly as possible but no later than December 31, 2024. All information received will be kept in the strictness of confidence.

Professionals who meet or exceed the established criteria are encouraged to send a compelling cover letter addressed to Mark Sheehan, CCM, CCE outlining their qualifications, experience, interests, and why Plandome Country Club and the Nassau County area of Long Island will be beneficial for you, your family and your career along with their resume to:

Manny Gugliuzza, CCM, CCE
Principal & Search Consultant
mannyg@gsiexecutivesearch.com
731-618-8665

GSI Executive Search has been serving the private club industry for nearly 30 years, providing a wide range of executive search and placement services. In addition to GM searches that have been performed recently, GSI consultants have done over 100 GM searches around the US in the last three years.