Director of Golf Operations in Sydney

Lingan Golf Club is offering a senior operating role for an energetic, commercially minded golf leader who can grow rounds and revenue, strengthen the customer experience, and help build a collaborative management and team culture. Lingan Golf Club is one of the older courses in Nova Scotia having its origin in 1895 while the club has been in its present location since 1913. Lingan Golf Club has a strong membership base and is a mid-range priced public golf course that prides itself on being conveniently located within the Cape Breton Municipality with a very walker friendly topography.

In addition to the 18 hole golf course, Lingan has a Golf Shop/Cart Rental and excellent driving range/practice facilities, dining facility, special events room and canteen service offering quality service to customers and events. Lingan Golf Club's entire management and employee team is focused on delivering a high level of customer service in all aspects of the Club's golf, food and beverage and event management services.

Job Summary

Lingan Golf Club is seeking a Head Golf Professional and Golf Operations Manager to lead its golf operations, financial performance, retail activity and golfer experience. Reporting directly to the Board of Directors, the successful candidate will be accountable for the day-to-day golf business and its continued growth.

Responsibilities

• Golf Operations: Lead customer service, tee-time management, pace of play, cart operations and overall golfer satisfaction; optimize the use of Lightspeed, and other operating systems.
• Financial Management: Participate in annual operating and capital budgets, monthly financial reporting, purchasing, inventory control, cost control and capital planning and work with the club's bookkeeper.
• Revenue growth: Develop strategies to increase rounds, average revenue per round, green-fee revenue, golf-shop sales, leagues, tournaments, corporate events and develop a strong junior program and other special golf programs.
• Retail Leadership: Create seasonal merchandising and promotional plans, manage purchasing and inventory, and improve golf-shop sales and profitability.
• People leadership: Recruit, schedule, coach and develop golf-operations employees while establishing clear service standards and performance expectations.
• Cross-department Collaboration: Work collegially with Food & Beverage and Course Maintenance to improve events, restaurant activity, course presentation and the overall guest experience.
• Innovation and Technology: Evaluate practical uses of artificial intelligence, dynamic pricing, labour scheduling, marketing automation, customer communications and operating analytics.

Qualifications

• PGA of Canada Class "A" membership or equivalent senior golf-industry management experience.
• At least five years of management experience in golf, hospitality or club operations.
• Demonstrated leadership, sound judgment and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a busy public-golf environment.
• Strong budgeting, financial analysis and monthly reporting capabilities, including annual operating and capital budgets.
• Experience with tee-sheet and reservation systems, retail purchasing, merchandising and inventory control.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel or comparable spreadsheet skills and comfort using data to guide decisions.
• Excellent written, verbal, interpersonal and customer-service skills.
• Exposure to food and beverage operations, weddings, tournaments and special events.
• An innovative, practical approach to technology, including familiarity with business applications of AI tools such as ChatGPT, Claude or similar platforms.

Compensation

Base Salary: $70,000-$80,000 (subject to experience and annual review). Additional benefits and performance incentives are available.

First Year Priorities:

• Build a unified management culture based on collaboration, accountability and continuous improvement.
• Develop and implement a plan to maximize course rounds while maintaining or increasing average revenue per round.
• Establish and expand league and special-event offerings or club tournaments where commercially practical.
• Develop a strong junior program and other programs to increase enrollment.
• Improve golf-shop merchandising, inventory management and profitability.
• Support coordinated growth in offered services, tournaments and corporate events.
• Introduce useful KPI dashboards and approved technology or AI initiatives that improve revenue, customer service or operating efficiency.

Lingan Golf Club is committed to an inclusive recruitment process. Accommodation is available upon request for candidates participating in the selection process.