Executive Director of Food & Beverage - Saint John's Resort

Schulte Hospitality Group • Plymouth, MI

2h • Onsite

About The Position

Saint John's Resort is a premier destination resort rooted in purpose, hospitality excellence, and community impact. Situated on 200+ acres in Plymouth, Michigan, the property blends historic architecture with modern luxury and operates as a flagship Humanitarian Hotel—where profits support charitable initiatives through the Pulte Family Charitable Foundation. The resort features a high-volume, complex, multi-outlet Food & Beverage operation, including elevated restaurants and lounges, expansive banquet and catering services, large-scale weddings and social events, corporate conferences, and Food & Beverage operations supporting a Championship Golf Course. This role oversees a dynamic, fast-paced environment requiring strong operational discipline, financial acumen, and a hands-on leadership approach. With an emphasis on guest experience, associate engagement, and execution at scale, Saint John’s Resort offers a rare opportunity to lead one of the region’s most robust and visible resort Food & Beverage platforms while shaping strategy, elevating standards, and driving continuous improvement across all outlets. The Executive Director of Food & Beverage provides strategic leadership and executive oversight of all F&B operations at Saint John's Resort. This role is responsible for driving operational excellence, cultivating a service-first culture, and delivering exceptional guest experiences across all outlets, banquet operations, and event services. The Executive Director partners closely with the Assistant Director of Food & Beverage, who manages daily operations, while focusing on strategic planning, performance optimization, financial stewardship, and the development of a high-performing leadership team.

Requirements

• 8+ years of progressive leadership experience in food & beverage operations across outlets and high-volume events.
• Minimum 5 years in an executive or senior leadership role (Director level or above).
• Proven track record of driving measurable improvement in guest satisfaction, financial results, and team culture.
• Strong financial acumen with demonstrated success in budgeting, forecasting, P&L management, and cost controls.
• Exceptional leadership, coaching, and communication skills with the ability to inspire high-performing teams.
• Experience managing multi-outlet operations including restaurants, bars, in-room dining and high-volume banquet and event operations (weddings, corporate events, golf outings).
• Flexibility to work evenings, weekends, and holidays as business demands require.
• Strong acumen in ProfitSword and Actabl Suite.
• Minimum of High School education, post-high school education preferred.
• Minimum of 3 years experience as a Restaurant General Manager or Director of Food & Beverage.
• Knowledge of alcohol serving practices and standards.
• Knowledge of federal and state labor laws as well as local health and sanitation laws and regulations.
• Experience in the recruiting, interviewing and hiring of restaurant, bar and culinary talent.
• Experience managing Restaurant and Bars in the capacity of Assistant General Manager or higher.
• Extensive passion for and an understanding of the Restaurant and Bar industry and proven track record of success.
• Leadership and supervisory practices and skills; effective verbal and written communication skills.
• Team player.
• Ability to exceed expectations of guests.
• Problem solving, decision-making and conflict-resolution skills.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in a Forbes 5 star/5 diamond luxury hospitality, resort, and large-scale conference center environments.
• Culinary background or deep understanding of kitchen operations.
• Bachelor's degree in Hospitality Management, Business Administration, or related field.
• Certification in food safety management (ServSafe Manager or equivalent).
• Bachelors Degree in Hospitality/Restaurant Management or equivalent is preferred.
• Food Handler and Alcohol Awareness Certifications (if applicable).

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the annual F&B strategic plan aligned with resort objectives, market positioning, and ownership expectations.
• Lead menu engineering initiatives, pricing strategies, and concept development to maximize revenue and guest satisfaction.
• Identify and implement innovative programming, seasonal offerings, and experiential dining concepts that differentiate the resort.
• Conduct competitive analysis and market research to inform strategic decisions and maintain competitive positioning.
• Partner with Sales and Events to optimize banquet and catering strategies, ensuring seamless execution of weddings and large-scale events.
• Establish and enforce operational standards, systems, and SOPs that ensure consistency, efficiency, and quality across all F&B outlets.
• Oversee outlet performance through structured audits, inspections, and compliance reviews.
• Drive accountability for food quality, presentation standards, timing, and service execution.
• Monitor and optimize inventory controls, vendor relationships, and procurement practices.
• Ensure full compliance with health, safety, and sanitation regulations; maintain inspection-ready status at all times.
• Champion a service culture rooted in anticipation, personalization, and exceeding guest expectations.
• Ensure F&B outlets consistently achieve guest satisfaction benchmarks and service excellence goals.
• Maintain visible leadership presence across outlets; engage with guests proactively to build relationships and gather feedback.
• Monitor guest survey feedback and ensure timely review, response, and corrective action by outlet leaders.
• Implement and sustain service training programs that reinforce luxury hospitality standards.
• Oversee divisional P&L performance including revenue optimization, labor productivity, cost of goods, and controllable expenses.
• Develop accurate forecasts, annual budgets, and capital plans; deliver sustained profitability improvements.
• Analyze daily, weekly, and monthly financial reports to identify trends, variances, and opportunities.
• Partner with Finance to close budget gaps, reduce chargebacks, and optimize profitability across all revenue centers.
• Ensure accurate billing, revenue capture, and inventory controls for all F&B operations.
• Build and sustain a positive, high-performance culture founded on accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Lead consistent one-on-one meetings with direct reports and facilitate weekly leadership huddles to align priorities and outcomes.
• Recruit, develop, and retain top talent; strengthen the leadership pipeline through coaching, mentorship, and succession planning.
• Reduce turnover, enhance engagement, and foster an environment where team members thrive and grow.
• Model the values and behaviors expected of the team; lead by example in professionalism, service, and work ethic.
• Oversee completion and sustainment of all F&B training programs, certifications, and SOP compliance requirements.
• Serve as the executive liaison between ownership, senior resort leadership, and the F&B division.
• Provide executive-level direction while empowering the Assistant Director of Food & Beverage to oversee daily operations.
• Partner cross-functionally with Rooms, Sales, Events, Engineering, and other divisions to ensure alignment and seamless guest experiences.
• Represent F&B in executive committee meetings, ownership reviews, and strategic planning sessions.
• Responsible for budgeted revenues and expenses and improves profitability related to the Food & Beverage Department.
• Monitors budgets in all areas of cost control with consistent focus on cost of inventory, sales, and payroll.
• Increases level of guest satisfaction by delivery of an outstanding product and service.
• Understands and executes all brand directives for strategic partners.
• Complies with brand dictated menus and programs.
• Directs the daily activities and assignments of staff, ensure appropriate coverage, develop and communicate departmental strategies and goals, and assign/prioritize work.
• Directs Supervision to the Executive Chef to provide excellent quality and presentation of all food to the guests.
• Provides direct oversight of the property wide Banquet and Catering options.
• Partners with the Sales Department to review all F+B minimums and selling guidelines.
• Collaborates with Director of Sales on sales and marketing strategies.
• Accountable for all Brand Standards related to Food and Beverage.
• Directly leads all aspects of banquet operations including developing and maintaining managerial and captain oversight of all operations.
• Reviews and approve all menus and pricing in restaurant outlets and banquet/catering.
• Ensures that evaluation of food product, front-of-house employee performance, and development of product consistent with our market position.
• Develops a selection and pricing strategy for all liquors and wines, and supervise their procurement.
• Ongoing maintenance of the physical asset through capital planning as required in the budget process.
• Follows all Health and Safety regulations.
• Interviews, hires, and trains employees; plan, assign, and direct work; appraise performance; reward and coach employees; address complaints and problem solve.
• Other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Work Today, Get Paid today, with Daily Pay!
• Free Telemedicine and Virtual Mental Health care access for All Associates starting day one!
• Multiple Health Insurance and Life Insurance options
• 401k Plan + Company Match
• Paid Time Off
• Holiday Pay
• Pet Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program
• Schulte Savings Marketplace Discounts on event tickets, electronics, gym memberships + more!

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive
• Education Level: High school or GED
• Number of Employees: 11-50 employees