The Organization

Harbor Pines Golf Club is an award-winning, upscale, high-end and daily fee golf and banquet facility located in Atlantic County, New Jersey, just minutes from the beaches of Atlantic City and Ocean City and outside Philadelphia.

The property, 650 acres, was acquired over many years in the 80s and 90s by the Gurwicz family who have been real estate developers in South Jersey for over 70 years. Expanding its projects and home communities and taking advantage of the trend at the time to build golf course communities, The Gurwicz Organization designed the Community of Harbor Pines & Estates complete with an 18-hole championship golf course.

The exceptional 18-hole course caters to golfers of all skill levels. Designed by renowned golf course architect Stephen Kay in 1996, the course boasts subtle and breaking greens, challenging even the most experienced players. The course's wide and open fairways meander through a stunning natural landscape, featuring 17 acres of water and 520 acres of forestry and certified as a National Audubon Sanctuary. With a par of 72 and a total length of 6827 yards, Harbor Pines Golf Club provides a well-rounded golfing experience, whether you're seeking a challenging round or a leisurely game of golf.

The course and homes were designed at the same time and aimed to maximize the number of lots with views of the golf course and nature. The final design created a unique layout where the homes are lined on one side by the course with woods behind. With the golf running around the outside of the homes, there is only one area where there are parallel holes (1, 9 &18). The rest is a unique "linked up" style parkland course.

Harbor Pines Golf Club celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2022 and used the milestone to evolve with the times, announcing a three-part expansion plan. Stage one of the expansion was to build a new state-of-the-art pro shop, which was completed in 2022. Stocked with the latest clothing and equipment trends, the Pro Shop, like the course and Club is open to the public with experts on hand to guide your purchases.

The new Pro Shop opened the space needed for stage two, a dedicated bar and restaurant with an independent kitchen and a deck overlooking the 1st and 18th holes. Over time, it became apparent that the Club needed an additional dedicated venue for daily food and beverage, in addition to the banquet and event space, situated in a way that took advantage of the amazing views at Harbor Pines. With that, The Roost Pub & Grill, a modern Gastropub with a great vibe that includes 2500 square feet of indoor space and 2000 square feet of outdoor seating, opened in May 2023. With its exposed brick and beams, thick butcher block tabletops, and a leathered granite bar top, the indoor space can be characterized as an "industrial farmhouse." The outside space features both high and low-top dining under umbrellas, comfy lounge seating, and Adirondack chairs by the fire pit, providing that perfect laid-back spot for enjoying food, friends, and amazing sunsets over the golf course.

The final stage of the Harbor Pines Golf Club expansion was to update the banquet facility, which was finished earlier this year. The existing ballroom was completely redone, enlarged and modernized, capitalizing on its prime location and unbeatable views. The fully renovated clubhouse offers multiple event areas including:

• The Sun Room is enclosed with expansive windows that allow guests to enjoy the manicured golf course and blue lake.
• The St. Andrews Room features a timeless and elegant ambiance with a sophisticated style.
• The Pines Room is for more intimate affairs and meetings that prefer a traditional banquet setting.
• The ownership believes that there is a tremendous opportunity to grow the banquet and wedding business at the Club and is an intricate part of the new General Manager's responsibilities.

Harbor Pines Golf Club currently employs 17 full-time employees and close to 100 in season. Additional information regarding the Club will be shared with qualified candidates.

Position Overview

The Club's mission is to create extraordinary experiences and foster meaningful connections with both guests and the Club's long-time valued employees. The ownership is seeking an ideal candidate with an entrepreneurial spirit, strong initiative and exceptional teamwork skills. This individual will have a keen ability to anticipate guests' needs, build strong relationships and elevate their overall experience. This is not a "caretaker" General Manager position.

The General Manager (GM) will guide all Club operations with a focus on delivering exceptional guest services in support of the priorities established by the ownership. The GM is a partner with the ownership in achieving the Clubʼs mission. He or she also assists the owner in developing a format for assessing the progress of the Club and reviews any issues of concern.

The owner is desirous of attracting a relevant professional who understands current industry trends and can deliver on high standards of all operational aspects, therefore enabling the ownership to be more strategically focused in their capacity. As an advisor to the owner, the GM will make meaningful recommendations backed by sound arguments and facts. A new GM must be a capable advisor and fully engaged in the Club's operations.

The GM at Harbor Pines Golf Club will report directly to the owner. The GM has responsibility for all day-to-day operations of the Club, including coordination of staffing, amenities and activities across all programs to ensure consistent service delivery to the guests. The GM will receive the support of the ownership and will be considered a true partner.

This position offers a remarkable opportunity for an experienced general manager who is passionate about golf and eager to contribute to one of the premier golf clubs in South Jersey. The successful candidate will play a pivotal role in enhancing the Club's profitability through the strategic promotion and management of banquets, weddings and golf outings.

Responsibilities

• Provide proactive, high-quality leadership and a positive image for HPGC, its facilities, and its amenities to the guests. Ensure that guests receive premier service and treatment in all undertakings.
• Daily Operations: Oversees the busy daily golf operations with a heavy emphasis on revenue/yield management and tee sheet management, pro shop management, customer service, tournament planning and execution, restaurant oversight, marketing/social media efforts and the promotion of banquets, weddings and golf outings.
• Facility Oversight: Direct all aspects of the facility, including clubhouse, golf operations, food and beverage services and administrative functions.
• Staff Coordination: Lead and manage the entire staff, ensuring the highest quality of products and services to maximize customer satisfaction.
• Event Innovation: Develop and inspire new events and programs to attract and engage members and guests, with a focus on increasing banquet, wedding and golf outing bookings.
• Ownership Communication: Maintain clear and effective communication with ownership, providing regular updates and reports on the Club's operations and financial performance.
• Evaluate operating results in terms of costs, budgets, policies of operation, trends and increased profit possibilities. The GM needs to "know" the numbers.
• Prepare budgets and financial forecasts in coordination with the various departments.
• Analyze financial information monitor budgeted versus actual expenditures and advise ownership about variances and their potential causes.
• Coordinate with the department heads to optimize guest experience across all events.
• The development and execution of all standards and operating policies will be the foundation of a true service culture. The Club believes that great service is in paying attention to the small details.
• Enumerate key aspects of the operation, including selling and managing high-quality events (such as weddings and banquets) and organizing fundraisers and other similar events.
• Oversee the Clubhouse staffing and scheduling. Enforce service standards, housekeeping standards, and dress codes, and evaluate house personnel.
• Collaborate with department heads and committees to prepare the annual operating, capital and other budgets and forecasts.
• Negotiate and recommend contracts for approval, seeking competitive bids for larger projects.
• Foster the development of new and entrepreneurial concepts and activities for revenue generation and member enjoyment.
• Become an adept user of management technology as well as website management and other appropriate social media to facilitate membership communication.
• Proven experience in a high-end daily fee golf facility, with a passion for golf, food and beverage management and guest services.
• Strong leadership and team management skills.
• Exceptional organizational and communication abilities.
• Innovative and entrepreneurial mindset.
• Experience in reporting to ownership and maintaining effective communication channels.
• The active promotion and positive representation of the Club to the Egg Harbor Township community.

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

• A 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.
• Five to Seven years minimum experience as General Manager or in a similar position at a club or hospitality-related field. An exceptional Assistant General Manager "rising star" with the proper training and mentorship would be considered.
• A career path marked with stability and professional achievement.
• A person of exceptional character; 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.
• 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.
• 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 based on the profitability of the Club
• Healthcare, Medical, Disability, 401k
• Paid time off and work/life balance
• Professional dues, educational allowance expenses, and other expenses per the annual budget
• Relocation assistance (if from outside the area)

To be Considered

To be considered for this outstanding opportunity all cover letters and resumes should be received as quickly as possible. 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 Mitchell Gurwicz, Owner outlining their qualifications, experience, interests, and why Harbor Pines Golf Club and the Jersey Shore area will be beneficial for you, your family and your career along with their resume to:

Manny Gugliuzza, CCM, CCE
Principal
mannyg@gsiexecutivesearch.com
732-618-8665