Author: Katherine Wyles

Assistant Financial Controller, Luxury Hospitality Company – London

Posted on by Katherine Wyles

Our client is a hospitality and leisure company that operates luxury hotels, train services and river cruises worldwide.

They now have a opportunity for an Assistant Financial Controller to join the Finance Department at their office in London. This position offers a Hybrid working system- three days in the office and two days working from home.

Position Overview
Reporting to the Financial Controller, the successful candidate will be responsible for assisting with the management of all Central functions for the Trains and Cruises business units, including, General Ledger, Revenue Accounting, Accounts Receivables, Accounts Payable, Taxation, Cash Management and the preparation of information that will assist management in making educated decisions.

Key responsibilities

  • Balancing of the passenger ticket revenue, deferred revenue, credit card refunds, discounts, cancellation revenue, rate discrepancy report and miscellaneous charges and staff charges to Travel Studio.
  • Overseeing the completion of daily banking tasks to ensure that all receipts recorded in Travel Studio posted by the Revenue and Central Accountant have been correctly reflected in the bank/credit card accounts.
  • Communicating the monthly revenues and ensure that all revenues are reviewed and approved by the Financial Controller (FC) and General Manager (GM) of the business units.
  • Supervising and managing the Central and Revenue Accounts Assistant and Credit Controller and Central Accountant including providing effective performance feedback in yearly reviews.
  • Assisting the FC with the preparation of the monthly reporting of the entire financial results of the business in established corporate formats and in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (locally and as established by Corporate Office).

A full job description will be shared upon application

Candidate Requirements

  • 2 years+ relevant experience within a similar role
  • Proven leadership ability and experience in handling and coordinating different team
  • A diploma or relevant certificate from a recognised tertiary educational institution
  • Hospitality experience advantageous, preferably in a 5-star environment
  • An ability to communicate with all levels of staff and service providers
  • VAT and Income Tax knowledge advantageous
  • Ability to work under pressure, multitask and prioritise
  • Accurate data entry & advanced Microsoft Excel skills
  • Experience in balance sheets and familiarity of accounting systems

Benefits

  • Competitive salary
    Private healthcare, Employer contribution pension
  • Hybrid working
  • Enhanced maternity and paternity pay

For more information or to apply, please contact Tairona at fm@fmrecruitment.co.uk or call on +44 20 8600 1164

Director of Finance, Luxury Resort – Hawaii

Posted on by Katherine Wyles

We have an amazing opportunity for a Director of Finance to join the team at a luxury resort in the beautiful destination of Hawaii.

Reporting to the Managing Director, the main focus of the role is to oversee and manage the Finance Department and ensure its effective and efficient operations resulting in accurate financial and management reporting in a timely manner.

Main duties include:

  • Ensuring the internal control environment of the resort is maintained and complied with at all times in the resort
  • Providing key financial acumen support to the Managing Director and assist in driving hotel performance
  • Work closely with the Department Heads for Financial Support and advise them on spending and internal control matters.
  • This position will manage all key hotel finance employees and provide support for their monthly operation.

A full position description will be shared upon application

Candidate requirements:

  • Bachelors Degree – Typically degree in Accounting/ Finance/ Business, and a professional accounting designation or MBA in business are typically important.
  • International Managerial Accounting/Finance experience in luxury hotel/resort industry ideally 8+ years within a minimum of ideally 2 recognized branded properties or globally renowned properties.
  • Experience managing small finance teams
  • Competent in the use of Microsoft Office suite of products essential, especially Microsoft Excel
  • Strong knowledge and acceptance of USALI conventions for the Hospitality Industry reporting
  • Strong analytical and accounting skills
  • Good verbal, written communication (English) & interpersonal skills
  • Self-motivated, well organized & meticulous person, with an eye for details
  • Ability to plan, prioritize & implement effectively, multi-task while working effectively in a fast paced and ever changing and challenging environment
  • Must be able to adhere strictly to deadlines
  • Must legally be able to work in the United States

For more information or to apply, please contact Andrea at fm@fmrecruitment.co.uk or call on +44 7714 236 469

Financial Controller – Dusseldorf

Posted on by Katherine Wyles

Our client is one of the largest privately held hospitality organisations in the world, with almost 500 hotels across three continents and has formed strategic alliances with many of the world’s largest hotel brands.

They now have an opportunity for a Financial Controller to join the team at one of their hotels situated Dusseldorf. Situated 10 minutes from the city centre, the hotel is also close to the River Rhine and accessible to many city attractions.

Reporting to the General Manager, the role of Financial Controller is to supervise and direct the financial activities of the Hotel, safeguarding the assets, preparing all financial reports in accordance with GAAP and serving as  financial advisor to Hotel Management and Ownership.

Candidate Requirements:

  • Knowledge of departmental and hotel operations.
  • Knowledge of business law, federal, state, and local taxes.
  • Knowledge of insurance, employee benefits, claims and liability.
  • Knowledge of Uniform Systems of Accounting.
  • Ability to read, write, and speak the German and English language to communicate effectively.
  • Ability to exercise judgment in evaluating situations and in making sound decisions.
  • Ability to analyze and interpret financial data.
  • Leadership and organizational skills (team orientation, flexible, adaptable).
  • Ability to analyze large volume of complex financial information from many sources and create reports, forecasts projections.
  • Basic understanding of complex computerized financial systems and ability to use it including manual dexterity to operate all office machines.

For more information or to apply, please contact Tairona at fm@fmrecruitment.co.uk or call on +44 20 8600 1164

Practice Accountant – Hospitality Accountancy, London

Posted on by Katherine Wyles

Our client is a boutique management accountancy practice who are looking for a Practice Accountant to be their next key team member. As specialists within the hospitality industry they provide their clients with reporting and advice that allows them to control and grow their business. Their offices are based in a South West London with good transport links.

This full-time role is a great opportunity for an ambitious individual to develop their professional skills within a flexible and fluid working environment. Working with a small team you will get a unique insight into the financial and operational world of restaurants and bars. While the role will initially be as advertised, if the successful candidate shows an aptitude in other areas of the business, then the company will help cultivate this. The position requires the successful candidate to be in the office 2 days a week with the others to be worked at from home if preferred.

The role reports to the partners and you will be responsible for producing accounts for our clients and reviewing the work of your colleagues. Therefore, successful applicants must have great attention to detail and be able to manage and prioritise their workload to complete their duties to high standard in a timely manner. You must have good technical knowledge, client facing skills and are able to hit the ground running.

Responsibilities include (but not limited to):

  • Managing a portfolio of clients.
  • Preparation of monthly management accounts for director review.
  • Preparation of financial reporting packs.
  • Monthly meetings with business owners where financial reports are presented.
  • Overseeing and reviewing the work of junior accountants.
  • Creating good internal working relationships to ensure the clients’ needs are met.

 Required skills and experience:

  • ACA/ACCA, recently qualified.
  • A minimum of five years’ work experience in a similar role.
  • Excellent IT skills including Sage 50, Google Docs, Excel, and all Microsoft Packages.
  • Strong communication skills.
  • High level of numerical and analytical skills.

All applicants must be eligible to work in the UK.

For more information or to apply, please contact Tairona at fm@fmrecruitment.co.uk or call on +44 208 600 1164

Director of Finance, Luxury Resort – Mauritius

Posted on by Katherine Wyles

We have a fantastic opportunity for a Director of Finance to work in a luxury resort on the beautiful Indian island of Mauritius.

The 5 star resort offers beautiful views of the Indian Ocean from its exclusive accommodations and sandy white beaches.

Reporting to the Vice President of Finance, the successful candidate will be responsible for ensuring timely and accurate preparation of financial and management reports, in compliance with quality, standards, and objectives specified by Corporate Office, holding company and General Manager.

Other duties include but not limited to:

  • Verification and Signing of Hotel Documents
  • Management of Risks
  • Implementation of Internal Control System
  • Supervision of Payroll
  • Staff Productivity
  • Preparation and Control of Hotel Budgets
  • Tax Reporting & Planning
  • Overseeing Internal and External Audit
  • Loan Administration and Treasury Management
  • Financial Evaluations

A full job description will be shared upon application.

Candidate requirements:

  • Fluency in French and English
  • CPA, University Degree or other relevant accounting professional qualifications
  • Preferably 5 years’ experience in an audit firm or 3 years as Asst. Financial Controller in an international class hotel OR at least 3-5 years’ experience as a Financial Controller in an international class hotel.
  • Familiar with Hotel’s Property Management and Point of Sales Systems.

For more information or to apply, please contact Chris at fm@fmrecruitment.co.uk or call on +44 208 600 1160

Cluster Financial Controller – Manchester

Posted on by Katherine Wyles

Our client is a hotel operator with hotels situated across the UK and Ireland. They now have an opportunity for a Cluster Financial Controller to be based in Manchester.

Position Summary:
The Cluster Financial Controller is expected to ensure the efficient running of the finance function within their hotels with responsibilities including:

  • Clear and consistent management of controls and compliance
  • Ensuring that the high level of reporting standards are being maintained
  • Provide business acumen to parties both within and outside the finance function to ensure that risk is mitigated and opportunity taken
  • Partner with the GM’s and other non-finance related disciplines to deliver on the overall objectives of the business

The successful candidate will also need to set out clear and concise instruction as to the role of their resources having a communication plan that sets out the objectives, goals and progress being made.  This should include the business plans and strategy in the following areas:

  • Commercial Focus
  • Controls & Compliance
  • Month End
  • Weekly Tasks
  • People Focus

Additional Responsibilities:

  • Co-ordinate the Year End and Interim Audit processes of the portfolio including the review and sign-off of information being submitted to External Auditors
  • Budgeting / Interim Presentations – detailed reviews before submission. Ensure that the numbers make sense and reflect the strategy of the property.
  • Assist with the capital expenditure process, work with GM’s and senior team members to ensure accuracy of applications and submissions of requests.
  • ESG responsibility to include the monitoring of energy, gas, water & waste. To effectively communicate consumption and to fully support the ESG committee.

For more information or to apply, please contact Tairona at fm@fmrecruitment.co.uk or call on +44 20 8600 1164

Area Director of Finance, New York

Posted on by Katherine Wyles

Our client is a London-based rapidly expanding lifestyle hotel group leading the pack in new ways of travel.  We are seeking an experienced and dynamic Area Director of Finance to join the NY finance team and oversee the financial operations of 2 New York City hotels that are both actively trading and very successful in their own rite.

The Area Director of Finance will play a critical role in ensuring the financial success and growth of these properties while maintaining the highest standards of financial integrity.

Responsibilities will include but not limited to:

  • Financial Strategy and Planning
  • Cost Control, Cash Flow and Expense Management
  • Financial Compliance
  • Team Leadership and Development
  • Strategic Partnerships

The ideal candidate will have:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Business, Hospitality, or a related field (Master’s preferred)
  • Minimum of 8 years of experience in finance, including at least 4 years in a leadership role
  • Strong knowledge of hotel financial operations
  • Proficiency in financial software and systems (e.g., Excel, financial reporting tools)
  • Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills
  • Strong leadership and team management abilities
  • Be highly commercial
  • Have a genuine interest and enthusiasm for what you do
  • Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, both written and verbal

Salary:   Excellent Base Salary and benefits

For a full job description, please send your send your resume to Andrea at fm@fmrecruitment.co.uk or cell number and a time you can speak.

The Middle East’s Undimmed Investment Lure: Future Hospitality Summit 2023 in Abu Dhabi with Andrea Shaw and Tairona Lattanzi

Posted on by Katherine Wyles

Last week, Andrea Shaw and Tairona Lattanzi attended the Future Hospitality Summit (FHS) in Abu Dhabi, which attracted industry professionals from around the world to explore, discuss, and decipher the current status and forward trajectory of the hospitality sector in the Middle East. Here, Andrea shares her comprehensive insights and experiences from the summit, providing a nuanced look at the opportunities, challenges, and emergent trends in the industry. 

Investment Landscape
Contrary to the whispers at the International Hotel Investment Forum (IHIF) earlier this year that suggested that investment opportunities in the Middle East were reaching a plateau, this event hinted at a far from exhausted investment landscape there. Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi have all accelerated their ambitions in recent years, but we found that this event had a considerable focus on Dubai and how it has astutely steered itself to hold substantial weight in the global hospitality industry, luring investors with its infrastructural marvels, technological advancements, and dynamic customer base. In particular, the Russian and Chinese markets are being eyed as potential catalysts for sustained investment. 

Russian and Chinese Investment
As the global ramifications of the war in Ukraine continue, Russian investors and tourists are tending to spend considerably longer in the region. A strong relationship seems to be budding between Russian nationals and the Dubai hospitality sector, signalling a niche for tailored services and more authentic experiences. By understanding their preferences, spending habits, and cultural nuances to craft offerings that seamlessly align with their expectations, the hospitality industry in the region can maximise profits in a market that holds an uncertain future. 

Touted as a colossal market with untapped potential, the Chinese traveller stands on the cusp of being a significant player in Middle Eastern hospitality. While a large section of the market is yet to re-embrace travel after the pandemic, there is a significant expectation that this will happen soon, and hospitality operators are eager to make preparations for it yet cautious enough to protect costs and cash flow in the meantime. Again, understanding their buying behaviours, shopping habits, and technological usage (like their predilection for platforms like WeChat and Weibo) will be vital to winning market share. Tailoring marketing strategies and operational aspects to accommodate and attract this segment could pave the way for a torrent of opportunities in the not too distant future. 

Sustainability 
A discernible thread through the summit was the heightened emphasis on sustainability. Dialogue with investors underscored the imperative of embedding eco-friendly practises into the very early stages of planning and construction. The financial and operational challenges of retrofitted adaptations seem to be rather easier to negate in the Middle East, with a stronger new build culture than they might be in other parts of the world. While sustainability was being pushed as a key theme during the event, the buy-in from attendees was sometimes disappointing given the low turnout at these sessions. 

With authenticity playing such an important role in appealing to customers, it seems clear that a robust and transparent environment, sustainability, and governance strategies will be crucial in appealing to both internal and external audiences. Branded hotels now tend to include operational standards to address basic ESG requirements that appeal to third party booking platforms, including corporate booking partners, and this could add to the appeal of branded hotels, which we will discuss in further detail below. You can also read more on the key role ESG can play in recruitment and employee retention, which Hospitality People Group published recently.

Food and Beverage Conundrum
With the Global Restaurant Investment Forum (GRIF) taking place on the first day of FHS, the food and beverage domain garnered unanimous attention. An interesting debate that peppered the sessions concerned the question of how food and beverage outlets should be managed. While some advocated for the inclusion of celebrity chefs and high-profile names, others veered towards third-party management or even in-house handling of F&B. The strategic choice in this regard can significantly mould the guest experience and brand positioning in the hyper-competitive market, but the general consensus was that there was no consensus, which suggests that any of these management strategies can be successfully implemented in the right circumstances. Unfortunately, this also suggests that any of these can fail when the conditions aren’t suitable. 

Brand vs. Independent
In a similar vein to the question of how best to manage food and beverage outlets, the summit raised the topic of affiliating with established brands or steering through the market as independent entities. The Middle East, with its penchant for brand recognition and associated prestige, seemingly tilts the balance in favour of brand affiliations. However, there’s a sprouting of independent hotels, no doubt hoping to appeal to the growing trend for unique and authentic experiences, and they seem keen to challenge this assumption. There didn’t seem to be any evidence so far to measure the impact of this, but with so many large hotel operators with newer brands that offer the best of both worlds (e.g., Marriott’s Autograph Collection or Hilton’s Curio Collection), we may see this develop over the next few years. 

Conclusion
Andrea and Tairona’s time at the Future Hospitality Summit was a journey through a landscape of ideas, opportunities, and genuine connections. The spirit of the region, ever-resilient and ambitious, continues to embrace the global challenges in the hospitality industry, and this event will continue to linger in the minds and strategies of those hospitality professionals, operators, owners, and potential investors who attended. 

If you would like to discuss any of the topics that have been discussed here or any other elements of your people strategy, then please do not hesitate to contact Andrea Shaw at  andreashaw@fmrecruitment.co.uk or on +44 20 8600 1160. 

Assistant Financial Controller, London

Posted on by Katherine Wyles

Our client is a hotel operator with hotels situated across the UK and Ireland. They now have an opportunity for an Assistant Financial Controller to join the team in one of their hotels based in London.

This is a great opportunity for someone who would like to become a Financial Controller in the next couple of years. The company is going through a significant expansion, and there is plenty of opportunity for growth.

Reporting to the Financial Controller & General Manager, the Assistant Financial Controller will assist in ensuring the efficient and effective running of the finance function within the hotel. This will include an innovative management of controls and compliance to ensure that a high level of reporting standards are being maintained. They should consistently seek to provide business acumen to parties both within and outside the finance function to ensure that risk is mitigated, and opportunity taken.

The main focus areas for the AFC include, but not limited to:

  • Commercial Focus
  • Controls & Compliance
  • Month End
  • Weekly tasks which includes income audit, debtors, forecasting and payroll management

In addition, the successful candidate will be required to carry out the co-ordination of Year End and Interim Audit processes including the review and sign-off of information being submitted to External Auditors. They will also assist in preparation of the numbers with the FC so that they make sense and reflect the strategy of the property.

All candidates must be eligible to work in the UK.

For more information or to apply, please contact Tairona at fm@fmrecruitment.co.uk or call on +44 208 600 1164

Payroll Manager, London – Position Filled

Posted on by Katherine Wyles

This position has now been filled. Please check our latest job opportunities here

We have a great opportunity for a Payroll Manager to join the finance team at a luxury hotel company.

Superbly situated in Central London our client occupies one of the city’s most prestigious addresses. Newly built and impeccably designed to harmonise with the surrounding heritage buildings, the hotel is just steps away from Kensington Gardens, and other iconic attractions. Offering 190 exquisitely styled guest rooms and suites this hotel is focused on excellence and its guest can be assured of warm hospitality, luxury and elegance.

Reporting to the Assistant Director of Finance the position will be responsible for the processing of Payroll for the Company’s team and for maintaining overall control of the management payroll system.

Other responsibilities include but not limited to:

  • Ensuring a proper month-end payroll closing with timely preparation of accurate payslips and payments for all contractual obligations, with all internal controls being respected
  • Preparation of  the relevant tax returns and ensure payment is processed in a timely manner
  • Preparation all month-end entries, completion of  accurate financial statements and month-end reporting
  • Generate accurate daily, weekly and monthly reporting for labour management analysis
  • Assist in the preparation of statistical reports as required by local management, government authorities and area office
  • Ensure that an organised, up-to-date filing system is maintained for all pertinent payroll records in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. Liaise with regulator, internal and external auditors to provide them with required documentations and backups

Offering a competitive salary and other fantastic benefits which include:

  • Generous service charge distributed equitably to all colleagues
  • Life Insurance
  • Pension
  • Tronc
  • Medical cash plans including optical and dental coverage
  • Enhanced maternity and paternity leave plan
  • Workplace nursery salary exchange program
  • State of the art heart of house facilities including a gym, fitness classes, relaxation room
  • On-site occupational health and safety nurse and wellbeing education sessions
  • High street and online shopping discounts
  • Rewards and recognition initiatives
  • Dry cleaning

For more information or to apply, please contact Tairona at fm@fmrecruitment.co.uk or call on +44 20 8600 1164

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