Director of Food & Beverage

Club:
High Hampton

Location:
Cashiers, NC

Position:
Director of Food & Beverage

The Director of Food & Beverage (DFB) Opportunity at High Hampton:
An amazing opportunity exists for a candidate with a successful track record of leadership and high-quality F&B operations management in hotels, resorts, private clubs or high-end establishments in the hospitality industry. We are conducting the search for the Director of Food and Beverage at one of the premier club properties in the United States, High Hampton. The successful candidate will be an integral part of a high-performing team at a world-class Club.

The primary focus of the role is on the overall member experience, which is of utmost importance to the social fabric of the Club. The ability to consistently "look forward" in planning, innovations, organization and overall departmental leadership is a critical skill set required for success in this position.  Equally important is the ability to intuitively embrace the need to be visible and highly interactive with the members and staff; leadership in this area begins and ends with approachability and accessibility.

About High Hampton:
High Hampton is a 1400-acre, 450 homes estate, resort and Inn property with 58 total rooms in a national historic district nestled in the mountains of western North Carolina, in the Cashiers Valley in Jackson County. The property includes a 100 year old spectacularly renovated Inn to be run by Blackberry Farms, an 18 hole Tom Fazio re-designed golf course, practice range, three Food and Beverage venues, recreation lake in addition to 14 miles of hiking trails with breathtaking mountain views. It should be noted that Blackberry Farms will separately operate two food and beverage venues at the Inn and have direct oversight of catering and events on property. 

Carefully balancing preservation with the promise of thoughtful improvement, High Hampton's new leadership is working to maintain all the heartwarming charm of the legendary Inn and club community, while refining and elevating the experience for guests, owners and members. The DFB role is an important one as the High Hampton team has set its sights high. It will be a five-star property with the highest levels of service and hospitality available anywhere. 

The club is targeting a May 2021 opening and construction is in full swing.

High Hampton by the Numbers:

• 3 Food and Beverage Venues
• Projected 1.5M Food and Beverage Revenue
• 15 Full Time Employees, 30 Seasonal - Staff Housing available for those desiring it
• 13,000 rounds projected
• Jonas POS System

High Hampton Website:
www.highhampton.com  

Director of Food & Beverage Position Overview:
The Director of Food & Beverage (DFB) is ultimately responsible for all food & beverage service operations daily, including its activities, dining options, and relationships between Club members, guests, and employees. 
 
The DFB must be a team player and enjoy the outdoor lifestyle. Also, being the "public face" of these operations with a hands-on approach and an understanding that full "on-the-floor" member and staff engagement is critical to success in this position. The DFB consistently provides superb dining and other food and beverage experiences for the Club's membership and their guests. This senior level position works closely with, and reports to, the General Manager.  The relationship with the executive chef and management team is especially important to this position, ensuring collaborative and harmonious relationships between front and back of house operations.

Key Responsibilities:
The Director of Food & Beverage will:

• Be the primary coordinator of food and beverage budgeting, hiring, coaching, training, orientations and creating a culture of teamwork, and the supervision of associates to ensure all is done in accordance with approved Club policies compliance with governmental regulations.
• Oversee the hiring and training of all seasonal F&B staff to include J1 and H2B employees.
• Have a strong and highly visible and respectful presence with the membership, be an exceptional communicator, have adroit interpersonal skills, and the maturity to instinctively know how to treat members and guests with a high-level of service. He or she must be able to communicate these expectations to a staff with diverse backgrounds and motivate them positively to understand and execute to those expectations.
• Enhance and when necessary, establish standard operating procedures, procurement and processes for all clubhouses while maintaining the brand identities of each venue.  
• Oversee all dining areas to ensure smooth and consistent experience commonality in all operations, high levels of member and guest satisfaction, quality food products and exemplary service in conjunction with managers and clubhouse chefs.
• Direct oversight of the wine program for members, wine tastings and dinners. Oversee a progressive beverage program including craft cocktails and beer.
• Contribute to development and implementation of marketing programs to increase participation in all F&B related activities. 
• Hold weekly staff meetings with direct reports to keep them informed of necessary and relevant activities and expectations at the Club. Assist in planning and be responsible for ensuring that special club events are well-conceived and executed.
• Oversee all club social functions, including member and member sponsored events.
• Be responsive to members' requests for menu selections, event planning, etc., and strive to find creative ways to accommodate reasonable requests; have a belief in a service philosophy of "the answer is 'yes,' what is the question?"
• Clearly understand the metrics for successful attainment of financial goals and objectives in F&B operations, and consistently review these expectations with his or her direct reports to ensure understanding and 'buy-in' from those contributing to their attainment.
• Develop and monitor plans, budgets and procedures to provide direction and controls for food and beverage operations; implement corrective procedures as necessary to help ensure that budget goals are attained.
• Have a strong sense of urgency and responsiveness, while also maintaining quality and integrity of the division's business plan.
• Recommend, monitor and manage policies, operating procedures and staffing for all F&B areas; recognize the needs and consistently perform to high levels of service in each of these operating areas.
• Ensure adherence to, and compliance with, all health, safety, liquor consumption, and all other food and beverage regulations.  Keep current on all matters pertaining to the food and beverage industry. 
• Be responsible for the management of all alcoholic beverage inventories and purchases.
• Consistently monitor payroll and labor resource allocations to ensure they are in line with financial forecasting and goals.
• Be an active and dynamic recruiter of team members and someone who inherently enjoys developing and building his/her team and leading them to significant, positive membership satisfaction outcomes.
• Be a collaborative team player who is willing to be "hands on" when necessary but understands when to step back and lead the team.
• Involve associates in the decision-making process of how 'work gets done' and creates a work environment people want to come to and participate every day.
• Have a passion and aptitude for teaching and training and develop and enhance training programs for all food service personnel, working, as necessary, with the managers responsible for those operations.
• Be a focused and consistent evaluator of personnel, ensuring that standards of conduct and delivery are met; this includes oversight of high standards of appearance, hospitality, service, and cleanliness of the clubhouse facilities.
• Establish and consistently enhance operating standards for personnel in areas of responsibility and consistently evaluate knowledge, understanding and execution to these high standards.
• Conduct and/or oversee training programs for food service personnel on various issues including service techniques, knowledge of menu items and daily specials, sanitation, team building and conflict resolution; regularly test and evaluate knowledge and understanding of these expectations.
• Ensure that an effective orientation and onboarding program exists in all areas of responsibility, along with consistent professional development and training.
• Ensure effective and efficient staffing and scheduling for all facilities and functions while balancing financial objectives with member satisfaction goals.
• Work closely with the Executive Chef to facilitate a strong relationship between kitchen and restaurant departments.
• Ensure that associates clearly understand performance expectations and that assigned tasks are reasonable, well-conceived and appropriately conveyed. Provide resources necessary to allow employees to perform their jobs effectively and create an exceptional ambience for members and guests.
• Establish and uphold expectations for dress, decorum and other service standards and always monitor for adherence. 
• Take personal ownership of his or her area of responsibility, with special attention to the physical plant and overall appearance of the operation and understand the need to be consistently "member ready" in both appearance and service.