COO / GM

About the Role

The Chief Operating Officer/General Manager is responsible for the overall leadership, operational performance, financial health, and strategic execution of Shanty Creek Resorts, with full P&L accountability for the resort enterprise. Reporting directly to Ownership, this position provides executive leadership across Shanty Creek Resorts' four-season operations, including lodging, ski and snow operations, golf, food and beverage, events, facilities, and related resort businesses.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership:
  • Partner with Ownership to establish short- and long-term business objectives, strategic priorities, operating plans, organizational goals, and measurable financial and operating targets.
  • Translate Ownership's strategic direction into clear operational priorities and measurable objectives for the Executive Leadership Team.
  • Evaluate business conditions, operational performance, guest trends, market conditions, and organizational needs and recommend changes when appropriate.
  • Lead implementation of major organizational initiatives, projects, policies, and operating strategies.
  • Provide executive leadership for major capital projects and resort reinvestment initiatives, including prioritization, budgeting, scheduling, disruption management, and coordination with Ownership, department leaders, contractors, consultants, and other outside professionals.
  • Maintain a forward-looking approach to resort operations, identifying opportunities for growth, efficiency, service improvement, and long-term sustainability.
• Operational Leadership:
  • Provide executive oversight of resort operations across all properties, departments, and business units.
  • Establish expectations for effective, consistent, and efficient operations throughout the organization.
  • Ensure operating policies, procedures, and organizational standards are effectively communicated and implemented.
  • Collaborate with executive and department leaders to identify operational challenges and develop practical solutions.
  • Promote coordination and communication between departments to improve efficiency and the guest and employee experience.
  • Maintain a visible, hands-on presence throughout resort operations, particularly during peak periods and significant operating conditions.
  • Ensure appropriate leadership coverage and operational preparedness during peak periods, special events, severe weather, emergencies, and other significant operating conditions.
• Financial Management:
  • Lead the development of annual operating budgets, capital budgets, financial objectives, cash-flow expectations, and business plans in partnership with Ownership and financial leadership.
  • Assume full P&L responsibility for resort operations and establish expectations for revenue generation, expense management, labor productivity, EBITDA, cash flow, profitability, and responsible use of organizational resources.
  • Regularly review financial statements, forecasts, departmental performance, labor costs, EBITDA, cash flow, operating results, and other key performance indicators.
  • Work with executive and department leaders to address financial variances and implement corrective strategies when necessary.
  • Evaluate financial performance and communicate meaningful trends, risks, opportunities, and recommended actions to Ownership and executive leadership.
• Executive and Organizational Leadership:
  • Lead, support, coach, and hold accountable members of the Executive Leadership Team.
  • Establish clear responsibilities, authority, accountability, goals, and performance expectations for direct reports.
  • Conduct weekly Senior Leadership Team meetings focused on operations, financial performance, staffing, guest experience, safety, strategic priorities, and organizational needs.
  • Evaluate executive leadership performance based on established goals, organizational expectations, policy compliance, leadership effectiveness, and contribution to resort objectives.
  • Promote consistent leadership practices and decision-making throughout the organization.
  • Lead succession planning, leadership development, employee engagement, retention, and organizational continuity.
  • Foster a workplace culture in which employees are treated professionally, understand expectations, feel valued for their contributions, and recognize their role in the success of the resort.
• Guest Experience:
  • Champion Shanty Creek Resorts' commitment to exceptional guest service and the unique Northern Michigan experience.
  • Establish expectations for guest service and ensure department leaders maintain appropriate service standards.
  • Monitor guest feedback, service trends, and operational concerns and ensure significant issues are appropriately addressed in a timely manner.
  • Maintain visibility and accessibility to guests during appropriate resort operations and events.
  • Ensure operational and financial decisions consider their impact on the overall guest experience and long-term reputation of the resort.
• Risk Management, Safety, and Compliance:
  • Ensure appropriate risk-management practices are established and supported throughout resort operations.
  • Promote a strong organizational commitment to employee and guest safety.
  • Partner with appropriate resort leaders to ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations, licensing requirements, internal policies, and industry standards.
  • Ensure significant risks are identified and appropriately addressed.
  • Support emergency preparedness, incident response, business continuity, and crisis-management planning.
• Stakeholder and Community Relations:
  • Serve as a senior representative and public face of Shanty Creek Resorts.
  • Build and maintain productive relationships with resort property owners, homeowner and condominium associations, community leaders, government entities, vendors, suppliers, business partners, and industry organizations.
  • Represent the organization professionally in community, business, governmental, and hospitality-industry settings.
  • Maintain constructive relationships with major customers, business partners, and other stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated senior leadership experience in a complex resort, hospitality, recreation, or comparable multi-business operating environment.
• Demonstrated P&L responsibility and strong financial literacy, including budgeting, forecasting, labor management, EBITDA, cash flow, and capital planning.
• Proven ability to lead, develop, and hold accountable a multi-disciplinary executive and departmental leadership team.
• Experience planning and executing significant capital projects and reinvestment programs while maintaining ongoing operations.
• Experience with one or more major resort disciplines (lodging, ski operations, golf, food and beverage, events, or facilities), with broad four-season resort experience strongly preferred.
• Strong communication, judgment, relationship-management, and organizational skills.
• A leadership style that combines accountability, operational discipline, visibility, collaboration, and genuine respect for employees and guests.

Shanty Creek Resort is a Four-Season Ski and Golf Resort located in the Village of Bellaire, Antrim County, Michigan. This is a full-time, year-round, exempt position.