Cedar Brae Golf Club

CLUB OVERVIEW Cedar Brae Golf Club, nestled in the scenic Rouge Valley in northeast Toronto, is a member-owned private club with a rich history spanning over 100 years. The Club features a challenging, award-winning 18-hole course designed by renowned architect CE (Robbie) Robinson, a disciple of Stanley Thompson.  The course is a picturesque parkland course featuring numerous elevation changes, large, fast greens, and multiple tees, providing a wide range of challenges for golfers of all skill levels. The club’s primary mission is to provide its members and guests with a truly exceptional golfing experience through a premier golf course layout, practice areas, clubhouse, and dining facilities. The members and the club’s leadership team strive to deliver these high-quality services and operate the club in a financially prudent, forward-looking manner. In 2025, Cedar Brae Golf Club stewarded a new Strategic Plan, confirming the priorities for the Club, and solidifying a new Purpose Statement: Cedar Brae Golf Club – where golf is our focus. Our members. Our strength. The culture of Cedar Brae is steeped in tradition yet mindful of both the opportunities and challenges the game of golf faces in the future. To that end, they embrace the opportunity to elevate Cedar Brae’s reputation and brand as both a championship-level golf course and as a highly desirable member of the private golf club community in Toronto.  GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE OF THE GM ROLE  The General Manager of Cedar Brae Golf Club is solely accountable for the efficient and effective execution of the golf club's operations.  In day-to-day operations, the GM reports directly to the Club's member-elected President and to an Executive Committee composed of 4 Directors. On matters relating to achieving the Club’s strategic objectives, the GM reports to the full Board, which consists of an additional six Directors, for a total of 10.  The annual evaluation of the GM’s performance is the responsibility of the Executive Committee. The GM leads a full-time Management team comprising the course Superintendent, the Clubhouse Manager, the Executive Chef, the Food and Beverage Manager, the Head Golf professional, the Controller, and a small team of general administrative staff.  During the outdoor golf season (~April to October), the Club will have approximately 140 occasional and full-time staff accountable to the 515 golfing members.   The Club's total revenues are just over $5.2m, with annual dues accounting for approximately $3.5m. OVERVIEW OF SEARCH PROCESS An ad hoc search committee has been formed to lead the search, and it has full operational responsibility for executing all key elements.  The process will end when the search committee provides their recommended candidate(s) to the full Board of Directors for review and final approval.  The search committee, working with the search consultant, has identified several key competencies to be used in identifying, evaluating, and selecting the final candidate to fill the role of General Manager.  These competencies reflect the Club's operational and strategic needs today and tomorrow and have been validated through an intensive analysis conducted by a search firm with proven experience and expertise in the golf sector.   These key competencies relate to practical skills and proven abilities that align with the Club’s current and foreseeable needs. In addition, the search process will seek to identify specific behavioural attributes the Club considers necessary for the selected candidate to succeed in the GM role.  The skills and abilities, together with specific behavioural attributes, have been summarized below.  The search process will evaluate applications based on their ability to demonstrate a high level of expertise or command of many of these competencies.  KEY COMPETENCIES  The General Manager is responsible for leading the team to achieve Cedar Brae Golf Club’s strategic objectives while advancing its culture of excellence, innovation, and community. Success in this role requires a strong fit for Cedar Brae Golf Club's current and future needs.  To ensure alignment with this distinctive environment, the following key competencies have been identified as critical: Leadership  The GM must build, train and mentor an effective leadership team and ensure that each direct report has clear accountability, performance metrics, succession plans and responsibility for creating and sustaining a positive and inclusive work environment.    An effective GM also takes responsibility for the delivery of key elements of the member experience including, but not limited to, the conditions of the golf course, the quality of all food and beverage services, a high level of service by golf professionals and other clubhouse staff who provide services to both member events and other non-golf activities e.g. weddings, social celebrations and corporate events.  The successful GM will ensure all financial operations, including but not limited to annual capital and operational budgeting, monthly financial reporting, and will be responsible for ensuring Club operations remain compliant with all external audit and regulatory requirements.    An effective GM operates as the primary steward of the Club's brand and reputation, both externally and internally, i.e., with members, staff, and other key stakeholders.    Communication The GM will ensure timely, transparent, and fulsome communication with the Board of Directors, members, and staff regarding operating plans, strategic initiatives, and other elements of the Club’s strategic plan.  A key to success for the GM will be their ability to oversee all marketing and member relations programs that actively promote the Club’s services and facilities to members, potential members, and other external parties.  A successful GM will build and sustain strong professional relationships with the Board of Directors and committee chairs, in addition to taking responsibility for mediating divergencies that may arise between members and the Club’s leadership and/or governance structure. The GM will work to ensure that all decisions are ethical and serve the best interests of the entire Club, not any specific interest group or party.  Skills / Knowledge Cedar Brae seeks an individual with proven experience in hospitality and service.  Expertise in golf club management, with an emphasis on golf course operations or food and beverage, is preferred.  Enhancing/sustaining the quality of the golf course has been identified by the membership as the Club’s top priority.  A successful candidate will be able to describe how their skills and knowledge will enable them to achieve this objective.  A successful GM candidate will be able to articulate examples where they have developed and effectively deployed key performance indicators (“KPI’s”) for their direct reports and describe how these indicators were successful in making positive changes in performance.  Unforeseen events pose risks to the club, and an effective GM will be able to describe specific examples from their experience with business continuity, and crisis and event management activities that resulted in desired outcomes.  An effective GM will be able to provide specific examples demonstrating their ability to oversee the delivery of major capital projects on time and within budget, within the context of a business of similar size and scope to Cedar Brae.  It would also be illustrative if the candidate could describe the steps that they took when capital budgets exceeded both financial budgets and time horizons. KEY BEHAVIOURAL ATTRIBUTES  Emotional Intelligence An effective GM will demonstrate self-reflection, as evidenced by understanding their own strengths and challenges.  High EQ individuals have developed a reputation for understanding diverse social dynamics and navigating challenging interpersonal relationships.  Individuals who have developed elevated EQ scores can manage disruptive emotions and impulses effectively. This is an effective way to build and maintain a positive, productive work environment where employees feel they are treated fairly and that their opinions are heard.    Being able to manage one’s emotions while understanding the emotional needs and impulses of others is evident among many high EQ individuals, who are often effective at building trust and consensus, even in complex and challenging situations.  Change and Innovation An effective GM demonstrates a genuine passion for providing an exceptional level of service to their customers or clients.  They are also open to alternative methods and can embrace innovative changes that elevate a service, product, or work environment.    The Club seeks someone who can provide illustrative examples of how they have learned from past experiences and demonstrate how they have adapted their strategies or approaches to reflect those lessons. Hospitality and Service Excellence A key priority for the GM role at Cedar Brae is someone who maintains a supportive, visible and active presence amongst members and staff, especially during the golf season. This attribute denotes the highly desirable trait of someone “who is always present” and accordingly accountable to listen to members and guests share their experiences at the club.    Members and guests can easily “feel the passion and commitment” from an effective GM that influences the overall experience while taking advantage of any of the Club’s services. Like other behavioural attributes, this is something that is seen and felt rather than simply done for appearance’s sake.  Interpersonal Leadership  The desired candidate can provide examples of how they have effectively created positive, collaborative work environments for a diverse range of employees across an organization.  Being seen as someone who effectively builds a wide range of interpersonal relationships is a cornerstone of the capacity to effectively address employee performance issues and missteps.  Being able to articulate new ideas persuasively and to influence others' behaviour through partnership is a highly desired attribute.  A successful candidate will be able to provide examples where their behaviour resulted in specific enhancements or changes that improved customer or client experiences and/or outcomes. Education & Credentials Bachelor’s degree in business, hospitality, or related field preferred. Extensive club management, hospitality and/or facilities management experience required. Certified Club Manager (CCM) or related professional accreditation preferred.  COMPENSATION The Club will offer an attractive year-round compensation package, commensurate with experience, including a competitive base salary, bonus, full benefits, and allowances for education, clothing, and food. The base salary will exceed the threshold disclosure amount set out in the Pay Transparency Act, Ontario (2026). The search process will be compliant with the Act.  Powered by JazzHR