Sage Valley Golf Club - Director of Food & Beverage
Graniteville, SC
Full Time
Senior Manager/Supervisor
CLUB OVERVIEW
Sage Valley Golf Club is one of North America's premier private golf clubs, located just outside Augusta, Georgia, and renowned for delivering an exceptional member and guest experience that extends far beyond championship golf. Designed by Tom Fazio, the Club combines world-class golf, luxury accommodations, fine dining, outdoor recreation, and highly personalized service within an exclusive, invitation-only environment. Its national membership is composed of accomplished business leaders, executives, entrepreneurs, and passionate golfers who expect impeccable standards, attention to detail, and genuine Southern hospitality. Best known for hosting the prestigious Junior Invitational at Sage Valley, the Club has earned an international reputation for excellence by creating a refined, relationship-driven experience where every interaction reflects a commitment to quality and service.POSITION SUMMARY
The Director of Food & Beverage serves as a key member of the Club's leadership team and is responsible for leading all front-of-house and back-of-house food and beverage operations. This individual will establish service standards, develop team members, and create exceptional dining and social experiences that enhance the overall member experience.The successful candidate will be a visible and approachable leader who enjoys being actively engaged in the operation. This is not strictly a admin position. The role requires a hands-on professional who leads by example, builds meaningful relationships with members, supports and develops team members, and is comfortable spending the majority of their time on the floor during service and club events.
Working in close partnership with the Executive Chef, who oversees culinary and back-of-house operations, the Director of Food & Beverage will help shape and execute a shared vision for hospitality excellence. The ideal candidate will thrive in a highly collaborative environment and work effectively alongside a detail-oriented Executive Chef who maintains elevated execution standards and a commitment to continuous improvement. Together, these leaders will drive a culture of excellence while ensuring a seamless integration of service, cuisine, and hospitality.
With nine distinct dining experiences throughout the property, food and wine are central to the culture and member experience at Sage Valley Golf Club. The Director of Food & Beverage will play a critical role in continuing to elevate both programs by creating memorable dining experiences, developing innovative beverage offerings, and fostering a service culture built on warmth, professionalism, southern hospitality and attention to detail.
A passion for wine is essential. The successful candidate will possess extensive wine knowledge and the ability to lead a sophisticated wine program that includes cellar management, wine education, curated member events, and thoughtful food-and-wine pairing experiences. Wine is deeply woven into the Club's hospitality philosophy, and this individual will serve as a champion of that culture while helping create meaningful experiences for members and guests.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
The Director of Food & Beverage will be responsible for the following:Club Dining & Operations
- Dynamic and highly regarded Food & Beverage operation serving an active national membership.
- Nine unique dining experiences throughout the property, including clubhouse dining, member events, social functions, and exclusive seasonal dining venues.
- Highly seasonal membership activity.
- Breakfast, lunch, and dinner service throughout the year.
- A culture centered around exceptional hospitality, personalized service, and memorable member experiences.
- Focus on elevated yet approachable dining experiences delivered with consistency and attention to detail.
- Lead, mentor, and develop a front-of-house team including managers, servers, bartenders, and support staff.
- Recruit, train, inspire, and retain team members while fostering a positive and accountable culture.
- Partner closely with the Executive Chef and Executive Sous Chef to create a seamless member dining experience.
- Maintain a highly visible presence throughout service periods and Club events.
- Oversee beverage programming with a strong emphasis on wine leadership and member engagement.
- Lead and continuously elevate the Club's wine culture through thoughtful wine programming, cellar management, member education, wine dinners, tastings, and curated wine experiences.
- Serve as the Club's primary wine ambassador, fostering member engagement and appreciation through exceptional wine service and programming.
- Develop annual Food & Beverage budgets and meet or exceed departmental financial goals.
- Manage inventory controls, purchasing, and beverage cost performance.
- Oversee payroll management and operational financial performance.
- Lead event planning and execution to ensure exceptional member experiences.
- Deliver service standards that consistently exceed member expectations.
- Deliver operational consistency through reliable training, accountability, and standardized service systems.
- Advance and elevate the Club's beverage program, including wine programming, cellar management, and member wine experiences.
- Serve as a visible ambassador of the Club's culture, ensuring every dining experience reflects the organization's commitment to excellence and hospitality.
CANDIDATE PROFILE
The Director of Food & Beverage is responsible for leading the Food & Beverage team to achieve Sage Valley’s strategic objectives while advancing its culture of service excellence and community. To ensure alignment with this environment, the following qualifications and competencies have been identified through extensive job analysis:- Minimum 5 years of progressive leadership experience in food and beverage operations, preferably in a private club or luxury hospitality environment.
- Strong leadership presence with a hands-on, team-oriented management style.
- Extensive wine knowledge and a demonstrated passion for wine education, programming, and member engagement.
- WSET Level 3 Award in Wines, Advanced Sommelier certification through the Court of Master Sommeliers, or equivalent advanced wine education strongly preferred.
- Deep understanding of wine cellar management, wine purchasing, inventory controls, wine list development, and food-and-wine pairing.
- Experience creating and executing wine-focused member experiences including wine dinners, tastings, educational events, wine locker programs, and vineyard partnerships.
- Strong knowledge of beverage operations, wine programs, and inventory management.
- Financial acumen with experience managing budgets, inventory, payroll, and cost controls.
- Passion for training and staff development, including mentoring team members in wine and beverage knowledge.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
- A service philosophy centered around creating exceptional member experiences.
- Understands and embraces the culture, traditions, and service expectations associated with a premier private club environment.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
- Capable of working extended hours, including weekends and holidays as necessary.
- Able to see well enough to read faint or partially obscured writing or printing, with corrective lenses if needed.
- Must be able to speak English in a clear and understandable voice so that various types of communications may be conducted with people of various levels of education and capabilities.
- Position involves kneeling, stooping, bending, pushing, shoving, lifting, carrying, and moving objects that can weigh up to 50 pounds. This can occur throughout the day.
- Must be able to interact with all types of individuals, be mentally alert, detail-oriented, and possess strong reasoning skills.
- Must be able to transport oneself throughout the property.
- Must have a valid state driver's license.
EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS
Bachelor's degree preferred. Equivalent hospitality leadership experience will be considered.Professional wine education is strongly preferred, including WSET Level 3 Award in Wines, Advanced Sommelier certification through the Court of Master Sommeliers, or equivalent advanced wine credentials.
OTHER BENEFITS
Salary is open and commensurate with qualifications and experience.Sage Valley Golf Club offers a highly competitive compensation and benefits package designed to attract and retain exceptional hospitality professionals, including:
- Employer-sponsored medical, dental, vision, and life insurance.
- 401(k) match plan.
- Paid Time Off.
- Paid Holidays.
- Paid Life Insurance.
- Golf privileges (on select days) and Pro Shop discounts.
- Continuing education and professional development support.
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