General Manager

Club Giraud•San Antonio, TX

10d•Onsite

About The Position

Club Giraud is a private city club located in downtown San Antonio along the River Walk, occupying a historic setting. Founded in the early 1980s, it has a mission that extends beyond exceptional cuisine and hospitality to include the preservation of its historic home and support of arts education. The Club is named after François Giraud, an architect, surveyor, conservationist, city engineer, and former Mayor of San Antonio. The Club has approximately 1,000 prominent San Antonio and Texas member families and celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2023. The historic campus surrounding the Club is now part of The University of Texas at San Antonio, fostering a connection among the Club, higher education, the arts, historic preservation, and the San Antonio community. Club Giraud is known for its elegant yet understated atmosphere, reflecting the warmth, history, and hospitality of San Antonio and Texas, with exceptional food and highly personalized service being central to its identity. The Board of Directors seeks a General Manager to build upon this foundation and lead the Club into its next chapter, with a mandate to 'Protect & Propel' – protecting traditions and hospitality while propelling the Club forward by increasing member utilization, strengthening relevance, developing staff, and introducing new ideas. The successful candidate will understand that these are not competing priorities. Club data includes approximately 1,000 members (170 non-resident), an average membership age of 60-65, annual operating revenue of $3.6M, annual food & beverage revenue of $2M, 45 full-time employees, and operates 6 days a week, 12 months a year. The Club has 7 dining venues, private event/catering capacity for 350 indoors (750 indoors/outdoors for largest events), and a governance structure where the GM reports to a 12-member Board. Five senior/executive staff report directly to the GM.

Requirements

Significant senior-level leadership experience within a respected private club, luxury hospitality organization, high-end restaurant operation or similarly service-intensive environment.
Demonstrated success leading and developing employees and department leaders.
Strong food and beverage knowledge and appreciation for exceptional culinary and service standards.
Experience overseeing private events, catering and high-touch hospitality experiences.
Proven financial acumen, including budgeting, forecasting, cost control and financial reporting.
Demonstrated ability to work successfully with a Board, ownership group or comparable governance structure.
Exceptional interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills.
Strong organizational skills and attention to operational detail.
Demonstrated ability to lead change while maintaining organizational trust and cultural continuity.
Appropriate proficiency with contemporary technology and hospitality/club management systems.
Bachelor's degree preferred.
CMAA involvement and professional certifications such as CCM and/or CCE are valued.

Responsibilities

Lead with integrity, humility, visibility and professionalism, serving as the cultural and operational leader of Club Giraud.
Build strong, trusting relationships with the Club's highly tenured staff while respecting their institutional knowledge and relationships.
Establish clear expectations, accountability and consistent standards throughout the organization.
Recruit, retain, develop and mentor talented department leaders and employees.
Recognize where long-standing practices remain effective while possessing the judgment and courage to address practices, structures or performance that need to evolve.
Develop appropriate succession and staffing plans to ensure continuity as long-tenured employees eventually transition from the organization.
Promote communication and collaboration across all Club departments.
Be highly visible, accessible and approachable to members and guests.
Develop authentic relationships with members while learning their preferences, expectations and traditions.
Preserve Club Giraud's deeply personal style of hospitality and its reputation for gracious, accommodating service.
Ensure that food, beverage, service and events consistently meet the high standards expected by the membership.
Proactively seek member feedback and respond thoughtfully and discreetly to concerns and opportunities.
Develop creative programming, dining experiences and events that provide members compelling reasons to use their Club more frequently.
Seek opportunities to engage newer and younger members while continuing to honor and serve the Club's longstanding membership.
Evaluate member utilization and participation and use that information to help guide programming, communications and operational decisions.
Serve as THE steward of the Club Giraud brand and experience.
Provide executive leadership and oversight of all food and beverage operations.
Partner and lead the culinary and service leadership effectively to maintain exceptional food quality, consistency, and hospitality.
Understand both à la carte dining and private-event/catering operations.
Maintain strong awareness of food and beverage costs, labor, purchasing, pricing and financial performance.
Ensure special events are planned and executed with exceptional attention to detail.
Identify opportunities to better utilize Club facilities and capabilities for member dining, catering at member homes, events, celebrations and unique experiences.
Make increased member utilization a central management priority.
Develop a clear understanding of when, why and how members currently use—or do not use—the Club.
Collaborate with the Board and staff to develop strategies that increase dining participation, event attendance and overall Club engagement.
Strengthen communication of Club activities, experiences and capabilities so members fully understand and appreciate what is available to them.
Help position Club Giraud as an increasingly relevant part of members' business, social and family lives.
Respect the Club's history while helping create new traditions worthy of becoming part of that history.
Serve as a trusted advisor and professional partner to the President and Board of Directors.
Maintain open, timely and transparent communication with Club leadership.
Provide the Board with clear information, thoughtful recommendations and appropriate financial and operational analysis.
Understand and respect the distinction between governance and management, enabling the Board to govern effectively while accepting accountability for managing Club operations.
Execute Board-approved policies and strategic priorities.
Assist the Board in evaluating the Club's long-term opportunities, challenges and strategic direction.
Develop appropriate operating plans and measurable objectives.
Develop, recommend and manage annual operating and capital budgets.
Provide accurate, timely and understandable financial reporting to the President and Board.
Demonstrate strong understanding of revenue, expenses, labor, food and beverage costs, cash flow and operating performance.
Maintain appropriate internal controls and sound business practices.
Identify opportunities to improve efficiency and financial performance without diminishing the member experience.
Evaluate investments and expenditures through the lens of both financial stewardship and member value.
Protect and responsibly manage the Club's financial and physical assets.
Maintain executive oversight of all Club operations and ensure consistent coordination among departments.
Ensure the Club's historic facilities are maintained with care and presented at a standard appropriate to its membership and setting.
Evaluate operational systems, technology and processes and recommend thoughtful improvements where appropriate.
Strengthen internal and member communications so Club activities, experiences and opportunities are effectively promoted.
Maintain appropriate safety, compliance and risk-management practices.