GENERAL MANAGER PROFILE: WINDRIVER LAKEFRONT & GOLF COMMUNITY LENOIR CITY, TN GENERAL MANAGER AT WINDRIVER LAKEFRONT & GOLF COMMUNITY WindRiver Lakefront & Golf Community (WindRiver) in Lenoir City, Tennessee, is seeking an exceptional and experienced club leader to join its growing internal team. A leader who embodies a passion for hospitality is both strategic and analytical and has excellent financial and business acumen to maximize the long-term value of the WindRiver Club. This individual should also be innovative and creative, with a proven track record of maintaining strong operational management while integrating creative, value-enhancing initiatives. The GM will be responsible for opening the new clubhouse at WindRiver, which is scheduled to open in the summer of 2026. Click here to view a brief video about this opportunity. ABOUT WINDRIVER LAKEFRONT & GOLF COMMUNITY WindRiver is a gated, master-planned lakefront and golf community located along Tellico Lake in Lenoir City, Tennessee, just outside Knoxville. Known as the Lake Capital of the South, this area offers convenient access to major interstates, McGhee Tyson Airport, hospitals, shopping, dining, and cultural attractions. Family-owned and operated by the Ayres family, WindRiver is positioned as a legacy project, with a strong emphasis on community engagement and development. The community is designed to combine resort-style amenities with a strong connection to the surrounding natural environment. WindRiver features a championship, par-72 golf course designed by Bob Cupp, offering six sets of tees ranging from 4,146 to 7,453 yards. It is Tennessee's first course certified through the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses, ensuring habitat preservation and sustainable practices. The WindRiver Marina provides year-round access to Tellico Lake with secure docking, covered slips, electricity, a fuel station, and private facilities. A key part of the community's future is the Clubhouse Village, currently under construction and expected to open in the summer of 2026. This development will include a clubhouse, fitness center, pro shop, social and dining venues, multipurpose spaces, and expanded outdoor recreation areas, and Golf Villas serving as the centerpiece of The Club at WindRiver. WindRiver offers a variety of residential options, including custom homesites and thoughtfully designed neighborhoods. The Highlands features English Country-inspired carriage homes in a park-like setting overlooking Tellico Lake. Navigator provides main level living homes with fairway and pond views. Planned Golf Villas will provide accommodations for visitors and Stay and Play experiences. Recreational amenities include a sports and wellness complex with a resort-style zero-entry pool, tennis and pickleball courts, basketball court, and fitness facilities. Residents have access to over 30 miles of the East Lakeshore Trail System, which winds through wooded landscapes and along the lakeshore. Brightwater Park, a six-acre waterfront park, offers open green space, event lawns, and future amenities such as walking trails, a pavilion, and a courtesy pier. WINDRIVER LAKEFRONT & GOLF COMMUNITY BY THE NUMBERS
- Approximate Rounds of Golf Annually: 18,000-20,000
- # of Employees: FT: 62/Seasonal: 7
- Company POS System: Jonas
WINDRIVER LAKEFRONT & GOLF COMMUNITY WEBSITE: www.windriverliving.com GENERAL MANAGER - POSITION OVERVIEW The General Manager will play a pivotal role in shaping and enhancing the personality, culture, and overall experience of the WindRiver Club. With a vision of establishing WindRiver as a best-in-class destination in the Knoxville area, the community features an exceptional golf course, a new clubhouse set to open next year, and high-end residential neighborhoods. This role calls for a dynamic leader who is passionate about the club industry, experienced in residential communities, and skilled in providing strategic direction to help guide the future of the community. The GM will be instrumental in leading, growing, and enriching the club's offerings, drawing on expertise in hospitality and club operations to elevate the member experience while ensuring operational excellence and long-term financial stability. As WindRiver embarks on new projects, the GM will have the opportunity to lay the foundation for future growth and success. Collaborating closely with ownership, department managers, and partners, the GM will ensure that standards are consistently upheld across the community and that best business practices are implemented. Responsibilities include evaluating and refining standard operating procedures, establishing effective processes and performance metrics, and assessing team roles to ensure alignment with membership goals and the company's vision. The GM will provide ownership with comprehensive financial and operational reporting, offering insights to monitor performance, assess financial health, and plan strategically for the future. Acting as both a leader and advisor, the GM will oversee adherence to operational goals while serving as a trusted resource for managerial counsel. By working in close partnership with WindRiver's executive team, the GM will focus on maximizing member satisfaction and engagement, while fostering sustainable growth in both operations and financial performance year after year. Key Characteristics of the New General Manager Include:
- Ability to lead and mentor department heads, providing strategic oversight and fostering accountability, alignment, and excellence to drive a unified organizational vision.
- Passionate, detail-oriented, approachable, humble, engaging, polished, and a strong role model for staff and members.
- Proven reputation for wowing people as a creative strategist, executor, and leader who thrives on delivering unexpected and memorable experiences.
- Visionary leadership with the ability to create and enhance high-value initiatives that positively impact members, elevate their experiences, improve club operations, and drive staff efficiency.
- Skilled at using creativity to design and execute exceptional experiences, whether meticulously planned or developed on short notice, that deliver value across multiple club functions.
- Expertise in developing an elevated golf and social membership experience that is unique, engaging, and aligned with the standards of the very best customer service.
- Strong background in golf, food and beverage, and member services, with the proven ability to deliver at the highest level in each area.
- Exceptional communication skills combined with an analytical mindset, capable of developing clear performance objectives that drive member satisfaction as a top priority.
- Experienced in implementing performance management systems that ensure the highest standards of conduct, hospitality, service, facility cleanliness, and financial accountability.
- Demonstrated success in all aspects of staff leadership, professional development, and growth initiatives that build strong, effective teams.
- A role model of WindRiver's family-oriented leadership model, emphasizing mentorship, staff well-being, and personal career development at every level of the organization.
- Skilled in growing and launching new programs, including junior programming, to strengthen member engagement and expand community involvement.
INITIAL PRIORITIES OF THE NEW GENERAL MANAGER
- First active responsibility is preparing for the opening of the new Clubhouse in June 2026, including building steps of service, defining opening duties, establishing KPIs, creating preparation plans, hiring key staff, promoting the opening, and collaborating with developers on building restrictions and requirements.
- Develop and enhance staff's ability to make more advanced and ongoing data-driven decisions (utilizing reports, data, member activity, communication, and accountability standards) as well as equipping management with additional data-driven tools for evaluating performance, strategic planning, daily operations, and member experiences.
- Implement consistent efforts to capture member activity, interests, preferences, and other customization to facilitate effective personalized communication and marketing efforts.
- Analyze the organizational structure in comparison to other clubs to identify needed changes, improve consistency, and uncover opportunities for economies of scale that have previously been overlooked.
- Build a comprehensive training program for staff across facilities that encourages career development and internal promotion, with training in member experience, guest greeting, cross-department skills, and staff role responsibilities.
CANDIDATE QUALIFICATIONS
- A minimum of 5-7 years of progressive leadership/management experience having a consistently upward tracking leadership experience in a contemporary business model or similar hospitality operation known for high service standards.
- Strong financial, management is valuable for this position.
- Strong foundation of club industry knowledge, benchmarks, performance metrics, and the like.
- Being part of starting up a new property or considerable construction of new facilities is an added benefit in the experience arena.
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills - strong written and verbal, process-driven, and goal-oriented.
- Good judgment and sound decision-making skills. Resolves problems promptly, as confirmed in reference checking and interviewing.
- Detail-oriented with the ability to exercise good time management skills, and the ability to instill such proficiencies in others with whom they will be working if selected.
- Comfortable working with and innovating, implementing, and utilizing technology to make data-driven decisions and increase efficiency or productivity.
EDUCATIONAL AND CERTIFICATION QUALIFICATIONS
- A Bachelor's degree in golf operations, hospitality management, or business with a PGA background
- Substantial private club or hospitality experience will be considered in lieu of the degree.
- Industry certifications such as CCM, CCE, CAM, or PGA are encouraged but not required.
EMPLOYMENT ELIGIBILITY VERIFICATION In compliance with federal law, all hired employees must verify their identity and eligibility to work in the United States and complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire. SALARY AND BENEFITS Salary is open and commensurate with qualifications and experience. The club offers an excellent bonus and benefits package, including association membership. INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO APPLY Please upload your resume and cover letter in the order listed using the link below. When prompted for them during the online application process, you should have your documents fully prepared to attach. Please be sure your image is not on your resume or cover letter; it should be used on your LinkedIn Profile. Prepare a thoughtful cover letter addressed to the Director of Human Resources/Ms. Lauren Almquist. Clearly articulate your alignment with this role, why you want to be considered for this position at this stage of your career, and why WindRiver and the Lenoir City, TN area will benefit you, your family, your career, and the Club if selected. You must apply for this role as soon as possible, but no later than Friday, October 10, 2025. Candidate selections and first interviews in October with second interviews in early November. The successful candidate should assume his/her role in January 2026. IMPORTANT: Save your resume and letter in the following manner: Last Name, First Name - Resume & Last Name, First Name - Cover Letter - WindRIver (These documents should be in Word or PDF format) Note: Once you complete the application process for this search, you are not able to go back in and add additional documents. If you have any questions, please email Alice Stevens: ...@kkandw.com Lead Search Executives: Michael G. Smith, CCM, CCE, ECM Search Executive O: (833) KKW-HIRE, ext. 719 M: (585) ###-#### ...@kkandw.com Kurt D. Kuebler, CCM, CMAA Fellow Partner O: (833) KKW-HIRE, ext. 701 M: (407) ###-#### ...@kkandw.com