Operations Associate – Destinations Division

KemperSports • Northbrook, IL

3d

About The Position

KemperSports is seeking an Operations Associate to support KemperDestinations, with an initial focus on newly developing resorts in our expanding portfolio. This role is operator-driven and highly collaborative, supporting the full lifecycle of world-class destination resort development—from concept and pre-opening planning through launch and continued growth. Reporting to the KemperDestinations Senior Director of Operations, the Operations Associate will play a key role in operational readiness, financial and performance analysis, procurement/purchasing support, and on-site operational execution across a growing portfolio of destination golf resorts. This is a hands-on opportunity for a detail-oriented, analytically minded teammate who thrives in fast-moving environments and wants meaningful exposure to high-impact hospitality and resort operations—powered by KemperSports’ TrueService principles.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in business, hospitality, operations, finance, or a related field (or equivalent experience)
• 1–3 years of experience in hospitality, golf operations, resort operations, consulting, or analytics
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to work comfortably within, Enterprise AI tools, as well as Excel, Word, and PowerPoint (including basic financial models)
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and capable of managing multiple priorities simultaneously
• Strong written and verbal communication skills

Nice To Haves

• Supporting new openings, development projects, or complex operations
• Background in golf, resort, destination hospitality, or lifestyle brands
• Familiarity with purchasing, procurement, or vendor management
• Comfort working in ambiguous environments where infrastructure and processes are still being built

Responsibilities

• Support pre-opening operational planning for new destination resorts, including staffing plans, operating models, SOP development, and timeline tracking
• Assist with operational readiness checklists, opening schedules, and cross-department coordination
• Support on-site teams during soft openings, preview play, and opening phases as needed
• Assist in analyzing operational performance, budgets, forecasts, and KPIs for destination properties
• Prepare reports, summaries, and dashboards to support leadership decision-making
• Help evaluate operational efficiencies, cost controls, and service standards across properties
• Support purchasing and procurement efforts, including vendor coordination, pricing analysis, and order tracking
• Assist with FF&E planning and purchasing for new openings and capital projects
• Help establish purchasing processes, documentation, competitive analysis, and approval workflows
• Support operations executives and directors as a liaison between development, operations, finance, marketing, and on-site property leadership
• Support project tracking across multiple workstreams and ensure follow-through on action items by driving clear communications to stakeholders
• Assist with meeting preparation, documentation, and follow-up
• Provide ad hoc operational support as needed for destination properties and leadership
• Assist with research, benchmarking, and special projects related to resort operations and guest experience
• Help build scalable systems, templates, and tools that can be used across future developments
• Support and work with the KemperSports Destinations team at key events, activations, and property operations during transitions

Benefits

• Full-time, Salaried, Exempt

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level