Author: Katherine Wyles

Director of Finance, New York – Position Filled

Posted on by Katherine Wyles

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

Located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, our client taken over a luxury boutique hotel that is currently undergoing a refurbishment and rebranding. Scheduled to open at the end of 2023 / early January 2024, they are seeking to hire a Director of Finance to join the team.

Reporting into the General Manager as well as Corporate Office including CFO and owners of the group, the Director of Finance will be responsible for overseeing all accounting and financial aspects of the company in line with strategic objectives. They represent the financial authority in the company, upholding the integrity of fiscal data, ensuring transparency and accountability. They collaborate closely with the General Manager and the hotel team, providing financial information and advice with the aim of maximizing value. They work proactively with the GM and management to shape the overall strategy of the company. Their main responsibilities include managing the accounting records and financial reports, providing an effective control, developing best practice financial accounting and control procedures, as well as advising and developing their team. They coordinate activities with external parties and financial services hired or contracted by the company.

Direct reports in to this position include Accounts, Cost control, Purchasing, They will also  work closely with other departments on issues relating to costs, revenues and cash flow, particularly Sales & Marketing, Food & Beverage, Housekeeping, Front Office and HR.

This role would suit someone who has excellent leadership skills, is analytical and has excellent problem solving skills

Candidate Experience:

  • Significant experience in finance with at least 5 years at senior management level
  • Excellent finance, accounting and analytical skills, including experience with cash management, forecasting, revenue management strategies, capital expenditure planning, budgeting and project management
  • Experience in managing professional staff
  • Previous experience working in finance and accounting within the hospitality, hotel or service industry
  • Previously held position as Director of Finance or Assistant Director of Finance

 Education/Qualifications:

  • Degree-level education in a relevant discipline
  • Certified member of an accountancy body or holder of an equivalent qualification
  • Postgraduate qualification/ MBA in a relevant field

 Additional Requirements:

  • Technical savvy with strong Microsoft Office skills, in particular Excel
  • Excellent verbal, writing and presentation skills
  • Firm knowledge of internal controls that are in line with the group
  • Excellent project management skills
  • Experience with accounting system software (desirable)
  • Willingness to travel (desirable)

For more information or to apply, please contact Andrea at fm@fmrecruitment.co.uk or call on +44 20 8600 1161

Is Hospitality really the most stressful industry in the UK?

Posted on by Katherine Wyles

April is Stress Awareness Month, and after a number of publications last year reported that 57% of hospitality employees regularly experience high levels of stress, we want to ask if hospitality really is the most stressful industry in the UK? 

The most stressful industry in the UK? 

In July last year, a report from addiction and rehab specialist Delamere, on the toxicity of the hustle culture, gave a breakdown on stress in various industries. This report was picked up in a number of other articles at the time, and presented hospitality as the most stressful industry in the UK. According to the report, 57.1% of “Accommodation and Food Service” workers reported poor mental health, more than Health and Social Care and Manufacturing which rounded out the top three places. The data to back this up were attributed to Lifeworks’ monthly Mental Health Index. These figures tend to vary by month and while Hospitality is no longer considered the worst offender in terms of workplace stress, it still rates consistently low in areas such as Average Hours Worked and Work-Life Balance.  

The impact of stress on retention rates 

Long Hours and Work-Life Balance, contribute highly towards levels of stress, which can eventually lead to burnout, especially if the level of commitment to the business and its culture begins to wane. Inevitable this can lead to reduced productivity and employee retention levels.  

Last year, we published The Battle for Retention which looked at a number of other factors that can affect employee turnover. 

Advice on how to tackle stress in the workplace consistently revolves around how to spot it in yourself, and in your employees. As individuals, we all have a responsibility to ourselves to recognise when we are working too hard or neglecting our personal commitments. Hospitality Action is a charity that supports hospitality employees both inside and outside of the workplace. In their Advice Hub, they share expert advice and information on how to get further support on a range of issues, including Stress.  

Signs of stress can include:  

  • Difficulty sleeping 
  • Feeling irritated with family, friends or co-workers 
  • Drinking more than usual 
  • Struggling with work deadlines 
  • Feeling isolated and lonely 
  • Physical symptoms such as: panic attacks, headaches, chest pains, indigestion, dizziness, nausea, sweating, breathing problems

Mental health charity Mind recommends some ways to manage it including:  

  • Identify your triggers – Try to prepare for stress by recognising what sets it off 
  • Organise your time – Make a list of your tasks and approach them in order of urgency 
  • Be clear about your limits – While it isn’t always possible to say no to things, let people know if you don’t have the capacity to fulfil their demands 
  • Try to take a short break – it may seem counter-intuitive to take a break when you are stressed but if you can allow yourself one, this can help how you feel 
  • Develop interests and hobbies – Outside of work, try to make time for what you enjoy to take you away from stress 
  • Get enough sleep 
  • Stay physically active 
  • Eat a balanced diet 
  • Spend time in nature 
  • Build a support network – having friends and family, or finding support at work to talk through why you feel stressed can make a big difference 

Employers also have a duty to instill a workplace culture that can help spot the signs of stress and empower them to engage with employees on a more personal level, especially if they are seeing symptoms of stress in the team or in individuals. According to the Health and Safety Executive, signs of stress in a team can include: 

  •  Increase in arguments amongst staff 
  • Higher staff turnover 
  • More reports of stress 
  • More sickness absence 
  • Decreased performance 
  • More complaints and grievances   

 In individuals, leaders may notice a change in the way people act or feel, such as: 

  •  Taking more time off 
  • Arriving for work later 
  • Being more twitchy or nervous 
  • Mood swings 
  • Being withdrawn 
  • A loss of motivation, commitment and confidence 
  • Increased emotional reactions – being more tearful, sensitive or aggressive 

In addition to the free support for hospitality employees, Hospitality Action also offers a number of support packages including Stress and Resilience Training, designed to bolster the resilience and wellbeing of your employees. 

If you would like support with your people strategy in 2023, FM Recruitment are here for you. With a superb track record in finding the right people for the right role, we have long standing relationships with clients and candidates and we can help guide you through challenging and sometimes stressful times.  

 If you would like to chat about your people strategy, please contact us on +44 20 8600 1160.  

 

Assistant Financial Controller, London – Position Filled

Posted on by Katherine Wyles

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

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

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

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

  • A minimum of 4 years’ experience working as an assistant to the financial controller or in a similar role
  • A degree or diploma in accounting from a recognised tertiary educational institution
  • Experience in managing a team
  • 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

  • Group Income Protection – Group Life Insurance – 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 Information Technology, London – Position Filled

Posted on by Katherine Wyles

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

We are working with a very exciting and established London based start-up in the care industry who are placing technology at the core or their business practice, enabling them to deliver a first class service to their residents and employees.

The role of Director of IT will be responsible for leading the proactive and continuous improvement to the IT systems and processes as part of the group technology strategy, ensuring compliance, governance, and IT controls are in place and adhered to.

This is a hands-on role that will continue to grow as the company grows.  Excellent package and hybrid working on offer.

Main Responsibilities: 

  • Developing and delivering the technology strategy and ensuring that it is aligned with business objectives.
  • Overseeing all IT infrastructure including equipment, software, networks, systems, and hardware.
  • Responsible for managing IT systems infrastructure, management information and hardware.
  • Develop the business strategy on data security and ensure technical resilience and security across technology/internal communication platforms and resident/transactional databases.
  • Fully accountable for change management and project delivery aligned to the strategic roadmap and business operating plans.
  • Develop and support the team to respond to current and future demands of a constantly changing technological landscape.
  • Develop a partnership between IT and the business, by developing relationships, managing expectations, and facilitating two-way communication.
  • Develop and maintain relationship with suppliers, contractors, and our third-party IT support

Candidate Specification: 

  • 5+ years of hands-on technical IT roles
  • Infrastructure and networking experience
  • Ability to work both in a management capacity- and in a detailed, hands-on system capacity.
  • Ability to manage business systems
  • Experience managing third party suppliers
  • Project Management experience

Desirable:

  • ITIL qualifications
  • Data analytics with Power BI knowledge
  • Prince2 Practitioner or Agile qualifications
  • Business analysis experience
  • Care sector system experience
  • Change management experience

For more information or to apply, please contact Andrea Shaw at fm@fmrecruitment.co.uk or call on +44 7714 236469

Assistant Financial Controller, London – Position Filled

Posted on by Katherine Wyles

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

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

F&B Cost Controller, London – Position Filled

Posted on by Katherine Wyles

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

Situated in historic Bloomsbury within a whisper of the City, Theatreland, Soho, and the West End our client is a beautiful boutique hotel who now seek to hire an F & B Cost Controller to join the team.

The main purpose of the role would be to work alongside the Finance Manager and General Manager to ensure a smooth running and day to day operation of the Finance Department. In addition the successful candidate will assist the Finance Manager in the administration of all financial aspects of the finance and accounting function for the hotel, to ensure that all company Policies and Procedures are followed.

As a Food and Beverage Cost Controller, you will be responsible for ensuring that proper records are kept for all inventory items and any variances reconciled and explained. This also applies to checking supplier statements, the processing of invoices and verifying that all invoices are supported by duly approved purchase orders when required, signed receiving documentation and/or the approval of authorised management personnel.

Candidate Requirements

  • Good knowledge of Microsoft Office Word, Excel, Outlook, Lightspeed, Protel and Procure Wizard
  • Previous hotel experience

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

The Battle for Retention

Posted on by Katherine Wyles

The Battle for Retention  

The hospitality industry has become very familiar with the phrase War for Talent in the last couple of years. A number of factors have led to recruitment challenges we have not faced for decades. Indeed, last summer we wrote an article on “How can Culture win the War for Talent?” and the role of company culture in attracting the most talented candidates. 

However, as recruitment challenges are expected to continue throughout 2023, it seems clear that the most important battle being fought right now is the ‘Battle for Retention’.  

While recruitment and executive search form a large part of the services we offer, we pride ourselves on our overall strategic people support. Our track record of building and maintaining relationships in the industry has allowed us to support clients with long-term people strategies that focus on retention by supporting natural succession, rather than a reactive continuous replacement strategy. Here we share some of the insights that we have found to support a healthy retention strategy. 

Employee Turnover – Facts and Figures
Firstly, it is important to recognise that employee turnover can be good for business, but only if you can achieve a healthy balance of retention. If you track and record your turnover, identify trends to adjust your strategy, you will have a great opportunity to minimise disruption to your operations through excessive turnover.  According to a study by Fourth, the average hospitality employee turnover rate is currently 6% per month, which equates to over 70% annually. Other industries average just 15% for the whole year. This level of turnover is likely to directly affect customers, due to the impact on the overall service experience.  Longer standing employees are also likely to be affected as they become frustrated with the continuous cycle of onboarding and training. 

In order to understand what causes turnover, let’s look at some of the top reasons given for people leaving their position. According to a Forbes articles from 2022 the number one reason for moving jobs is due to a toxic company culture (62%). This is followed up by low salary (59%), poor management (56%), lack of healthy work-life boundaries (49%) and not allowing remote work (43%). 

Culture
While salary will always be a hugely important factor in moving jobs, company culture is proving to be more important when it comes to deciding to change jobs. With the cost of doing business under the microscope as we head into the new year, ensuring that your company culture reflects your business values and is clearly communicated throughout your team, could be the most value-adding action you take to increase retention rates in 2023.  

How we communicate our company culture and values internally and externally is also crucial to managing your online reputation. Current employees want to feel pride in where they work and potential candidates will thoroughly research positions they apply for. Too often, we come across businesses who have not invested in a company website, or indeed any online presence. This lack of visibility can present a challenge with recruitment and retention and is often more damaging than a below average online presence. 

Recruitment and Onboarding
Hiring the right person for the right position may seem like a very obvious choice. However, it can be very tempting to take shortcuts and gloss over red flags in order to fill vacant positions quickly. Taking time to get to know the candidate by asking the right questions and then sharing accurate information about the role and future opportunities is critical to managing expectations on both sides. Equally important is the onboarding process, where all of the hard work in communicating your strong company culture can be quickly undone in the first couple of days in a role. 

Hospitality Students and Graduates
We would always recommend building strong relationships with hospitality schools and universities to help support the future of the industry. Hospitality students and graduates are some of the most passionate and ambitious members of the sector.  

How they progress within your business is often a fair measure of how well you will retain and attract employees. If you find that they are choosing to leave the business or leave the industry after a fixed term of employment, then there may certainly be opportunities to adapt your strategy. We know that hospitality graduates have higher than average expectations of career progression. While promotions and full-time positions are always dependent on a number of factors, how we encourage and communicate ongoing development and promotions when trying to attract the best and brightest graduates, will directly impact decisions at the end of the program.  

Importance of Exit Interviews
Often overlooked in what can be a period of mixed emotions, exit interviews are critically important to identify trends specific to your business. The questions should have a variety of open questions that appeal to different personalities and encourage interviewees to share their thoughts without fear of offending. This can sometimes be a challenging issue, as some employees may have valuable information to share, but might also be hesitant to burn bridges or get people into trouble. 

However, combined with well-structured and recorded annual reviews, exit interviews can be used to identify opportunities to help develop a strong people strategy that supports succession planning, anticipates natural turnover and increases retention. 

If you would like some support with your people strategy in 2023, FM Recruitment are here for you. Specialising in finance, with a superb track record in finding the right people for the right role, we have long standing relationships with clients and candidates and we can help guide you through challenging times. 

As part of Hospitality People Group we are also able to support all areas of human capital across the global hospitality industry. 

Chris Denison Smith, Managing Director
+44 20 8600 1160 / +44 7775 711923
chrisdenisonsmith@fmrecruitment.co.uk 

Andrea Shaw, Director
+44 20 8600 1160 / +44 7714 236469
andreashaw@fmrecruitment.co.uk 

Tairona Lattanzi, Recruitment Consultant
+44 20 8600 1164
taironalattanzi@fmrecruitment.co.uk 

 

 

Group Finance Director, London – Position Filled

Posted on by Katherine Wyles

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

Our client is a privately owned hospitality group that has diversified into property development and investment, with a primary focus on commercial and residential sectors both in the UK and internationally.

They now wish to hire a Group Finance Director who will be responsible for operational and corporate finance, audit and controls, statutory compliance, regulatory compliance, stakeholder relations and debt facility compliance. The successful candidate will lead the group’s finance function as part of being a senior executive team member. They will also head up the Audit & Controls and hold the post of data protection officer for the group.

In addition the position of Group Finance Director will be responsible for, and independently manage all aspects of Finance (including taxation), audit, statutory and contractual compliance.

The role will be based at their London office with one day per month at a property in Oxford.

 Key Skills Required

  • Qualified accountant (ACCA, CIMA or equivalent)
  • Solid senior finance position experience
  • Strong Communication skills
  • Good interpersonal skills & Demonstrable Initiative
  • A hands-on approach
  • Strong analytical skills & attention to detail

For more information or to apply, please contact Chris Denison Smith at fm@fmrecruitment.co.uk or call on +44 20 8600 1162

HOSPACE 2022 – Overview and looking ahead to 2023 

Posted on by Katherine Wyles

After two years of huge challenges, hospitality enjoyed a bumper year in 2022 as pent-up demand drove business. However, as the Permacrisis (a word that was recently chosen as Collins English Dictionary’s word of the year) shows no sign of abating, 2023 has already been labelled by some as the “year of coping”. In this article, we reflect on some of the insights from HOSPACE and the hospitality industry in 2022 and look forward to what trends we might expect to see in 2023. 

Sustainability
Despite the ongoing cost of living crisis, sustainability continues to be a driving force behind many of the decisions made by owners, operators and investors. The current costs of energy and our reliance on fossil fuels have made more sustainable options a preferred option in terms of future-proofing.  

Speaking at HOSPACE in November, Danny Pecorelli, Managing Director of Exclusive Hotels, noted that while their collection of hotels may include some challenging designs, they have put sustainability into every decision they make. This has led to the introduction of wild swimming pools, technology-led solutions and a gradual movement from gas to induction in the kitchens. 

Unfortunately, many operators noted that none of this comes cheaply, but the cost of not doing something is even higher. 

Danny’s commitment to sustainability was later recognised as he was deservedly announced as the winner of the Inspirational Sustainability Leader of the year award. 

Recruitment
From a recruitment perspective we are continuing to see trends from 2022 expected to continue throughout 2023.  

Culture continues to play a determining factor in decisions candidates make to accept new roles or stay in current positions. We have spoken before about how candidates want to share the same values as their current and prospective employers.  

The way in which companies communicate and act on these values will be seen as a crucial factor in successful recruitment and retention. The cost of living is also a huge factor as many candidates are starting to see moving jobs as being an easier route to an inflation busting pay rise.  

With inflation hitting double figures in recent months, any pay increase less than this is viewed as a real terms pay cut. Moving jobs is often seen as the best way to increase a wage packet and we are now seeing remuneration expectations hitting +20% on current wages.  

2023 – A Coping Year
With these additional costs and an uncertain revenue forecast facing hotel operators in 2023, it is no wonder that a number of commentators at HOSPACE were referring to “A Coping Year” ahead.  

Hospitality has faced huge challenges in the last three years and those that have come through have developed a significant level of resilience.  

In many ways, the Pandemic Pivot was a lifeline for hospitality as it forced operators to adopt new technologies and ways of working to directly improve the customer and employee experience.  

While this agility and adaptability were necessary survival techniques in 2020/1, these skills will be used to continuously improve processes, control costs, boost revenues and drive profits in 2023.  

Previous recessions saw hotels forced to drop rates and drive occupancy to maintain profits. With many hotels still struggling with being under-resourced and the costs of selling a room increasing alongside the cost of living, many hotels will be looking to maintain or even increase rates. Some operators are potentially closing parts of their building or restaurants to save costs.  

Overall, it does look like the luxury sector may be in a stronger position to adapt to the current challenges. Their ability to pass increased costs onto customers who can still afford luxury is a comfort that won’t be reflected at every level of hospitality, which will be faced with a carefully balancing act of cutting costs and raising prices. 

Although 2022 has been a bumper year, we’re seeing a degree of caution for 2023. 

For support with your next career move or to improve your recruitment strategy, please contact FM Recruitment now using any of the below details:   

 Office +44 20 8600 1160 I Email fm@fmrecruitment.co.uk   
Chris Denison Smith +44 7775 711923 I Email:  chrisdenisonsmith@fmrecruitment.co.uk  
Andrea Shaw +44 7714 236469 I Email:  andreashaw@fmrecruitment.co.uk  
Tairona Lattanzi +44 20 8600 1164 I Email: taironalattanzi@fmrecruitment.co.uk

 

Payroll & HR Officer, London – Position Filled

Posted on by Katherine Wyles

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

Situated in historic Bloomsbury within a whisper of the City, Theatreland, Soho, and the West End our client is a beautiful boutique hotel who now seek to hire a Payroll and HR Officer to join the team.

Reporting to the Finance Manager the main objective of the role is to process the Hotel’s payroll for all relevant staff according to both Policies and Procedures, and common law.

Other duties inlcude but not limited to:

  • Process the monthly hotel payroll, (using ADP Freedom), ensuring all staff are paid on the final working day of every month.
  • Administer the recording of the Hotel’s working time directive
  • Liaise on a regular basis with Human Resources and responding to payroll queries
  • Ensure adequate & accurate payroll records are maintained at all times.
  • Ensure monthly filling of support documents to payroll including starters, leavers, PCN’s, commissions payable, service charge due etc.
  • Reconcile on a monthly basis the records from ADP with the Hotel’s financial accounts for the purpose of making Inland Revenue payments monthly, & reconciling the relevant clearing accounts against actual entries from the bank.
  • Process P11d’s & any other Tax/NI information as & when required.
  • To maintain the immigration file of passports and ensure the monthly immigration tracker is checked and completed
  • Ensure all employees files are kept up to date with all relevant information, certificates issued, new starter paperwork etc.

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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