Club Management Rotational Intern

Experience the Club. Learn the Business. Build Your Future.

At Medinah Country Club, an internship is more than spending a summer working in one department. Our Club Management Rotational Internship is designed to give aspiring hospitality and club management professionals an inside look at what it takes to operate one of the country’s premier private clubs.

Throughout the program, interns will rotate through multiple areas of the Club, work alongside department leaders, interact with employees and members, and gain firsthand experience in the many moving pieces that come together to create the Medinah experience.  With critical thinking and leadership at the core of the program, our goal is not just to teach you how to work in a private club.  We want to prepare you for your future as the person responsible for the success of an entire organization, from the arrival experience to the board room.

Why Choose Medinah?

Medinah Country Club is a large, complex private club serving more than 1,000 members and supported by a team of more than 500 employees during peak season.

For an intern interested in hospitality, club management, or business operations, that means exposure to far more than one department or one type of experience.

You will have the opportunity to see how departments work independently and, more importantly, how they work together to serve our membership and operate the Club successfully.

Meet Your Internship: The Rotational Experience

Rather than spending the entire internship in one department, Club Management Interns will rotate throughout Medinah's operations.

Rotations may include:

• The Life of the Leader – What matters most to the person in charge
• Housekeeping & Engineering
• Human Resources
• Finance and Capital Planning
• Membership recruitment and retention
• Food & Beverage 
• Catering Sales & Event Planning
• Sports & Recreations Programs, including racquet sports, pool and shooting sports.
• Golf Operations
• Grounds
• Guest Relations & Safety
• Valet Operations

Certain specialized areas will be shorter observational rotations and others will be more detailed.  As the internship progresses, interns will also complete a two-day advanced rotation in an area of particular interest, allowing them to return to a department and gain deeper exposure.

At a Glance

Program Length: Approximately 8–10 weeks
Internship Class: Approximately 3–4 interns
Program Liaison: Jeff Okland, Assistant General Manger
Housing: Available at approximately $600 per month
Experience: Department rotations, leadership development, hands-on learning, member service, operational observation, and professional development

You Might Be A Great Fit If…

You are interested in building a career in club management, hospitality, or a related field and want to understand how a large, first class operation works and how to lead people up, down and across the organizational chart.

You enjoy working with people, asking questions, learning from experienced professionals, and jumping into new environments.

You are also someone who:

• Has a genuine interest in hospitality and service
• Is curious about the business of private clubs
• Enjoys working in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment
• Is comfortable interacting professionally with members, employees, and leadership
• Takes initiative and asks thoughtful questions
• Is willing to learn outside of their primary area of interest
• Can adapt as priorities and operational needs change

What You’ll Be Doing

Experience the Club

Rotate through key departments to understand their purpose, responsibilities, staffing, challenges, and contribution to the overall member experience.

Learn from Leaders

Spend time with department heads and Club leaders to understand how decisions are made, teams are managed, and departments collaborate.

Get Involved

This is not intended to be an observation-only internship. When appropriate, interns will participate in day-to-day operations, projects, meetings, events, and member service.

Keep a Journal

Throughout the internship, you will maintain a weekly journal documenting what you learned, what stood out to you, questions you have, and opportunities or challenges you observed.

The Program Liaison will review the journal regularly and use it to help guide conversations and learning throughout the internship.

Think Like a Consultant

Beginning around the midpoint of the program, interns will start identifying operational challenges or opportunities they have observed during their rotations.

These observations will become the foundation of a final consultant-style project. Interns will select an issue or opportunity they believe is worth exploring, evaluate what they have learned, and develop a thoughtful recommendation for Medinah.

The goal is not simply to point out a problem. We want interns to think critically about why something is happening, how it impacts the Club, and what could realistically be done to improve it.  In this exercise, the observations and reasoning are more important than the recommendations.

Go Deeper

Near the end of the program, you will complete a two-day advanced rotation in an area that has particularly interested you, providing an opportunity to gain additional experience and explore a potential career path.

Qualifications

What We’re Looking For

Ideal candidates are currently pursuing a degree in Hospitality Management, Club Management, Business, Food & Beverage Management, Recreation, or a related field.

Previous hospitality experience is helpful, but curiosity, professionalism, initiative, and a willingness to learn are equally important.

Candidates should demonstrate:

• A desire to work with all types of people and personalities
• Genuine curiosity and a desire to learn beyond the classroom
• Professionalism and good judgment
• A positive, service-oriented attitude
• Dependability and accountability
• Willingness to receive feedback
• Ability to work collaboratively with different personalities and departments

What Is In It For You?

This internship is designed to give you something difficult to gain in a classroom: perspective.

By the end of the program, you will have experienced numerous areas of private club operations and developed a better understanding of where your own interests and strengths may fit within the industry.

You will also gain:

• An understanding of the difference between leading and managing, and how to think like a leader
• Exposure to multiple career paths within the private club industry
• Direct access to experienced department leaders
• Hands-on operational experience
• Experience working within a large-scale hospitality organization
• Opportunities to strengthen your professional communication and leadership skills
• A meaningful project to discuss in future interviews
• Greater understanding of the relationship between operations, employees, leadership, and the member experience

A Few Important Details

Private club operations do not always follow a traditional Monday through Friday schedule. Interns should expect schedules to vary based on their assigned department, Club events, and operational needs.

Some rotations may require early mornings, evenings, weekends, or holidays.

Interns will be expected to maintain Medinah's standards for professionalism, appearance, confidentiality, conduct, and member service throughout the program.

Specific rotations and schedules may be adjusted based on Club operations and learning opportunities available during the internship.

Ready to Start Your Club Management Career?

If you are looking for an internship where you can experience the full scope of private club operations, learn directly from industry professionals, and discover where your strengths could take you, we would love to meet you.

Come experience Medinah from the inside and see where a career in club management can lead.

This job description is intended to provide an overview of the position and does not include every responsibility or task that may be required. Duties and responsibilities may change based on business needs and may include additional assignments as directed by management. This role requires availability to work nights, weekends, holidays, and special events.

All offers of employment are contingent upon satisfactory completion of a background check.