Financial Controller at Fairmont Hotels & Resorts

Job Description

• To co-ordinate an effective and efficient Payroll Management / Resource allocation through establishing a flexible work force throughout the Division, based on the principles of Multi Skilling and Multi Tasking.
• To represent the Accounting & Finance Department on the hotel's Executive Committee.
•  To support the needs of other departments based on the hotel priorities and anticipated business levels.
• To be demanding and critical when it comes to departmental standards.
• To maintain complete and supported accounting records of the hotel as per hotel Policies & Procedures.
• To implement local accounting procedures to ensure compliance with the local government regulations, after approval from the Regional Offices.
• To prepare, supervise, scrutinize and to approve monthly journal entries, balance sheet and income statement.
• To prepare and interpret the financial statements and reports of the hotel.
• To submit monthly reporting package on a timely basis.
• To audit the accounts, records and transactions of the hotel, aided by the ongoing efforts to streamline internal control procedures.
• To review the monthly bank reconciliation statements.
• To scrutinize the monthly financial reports, to investigate unusual variations and to prepare comments to be attached to the report.
• To verify the prepaid expenses, deferred charges are up-to-date and in agreement with the books.
• To understand MGallery and the Hotel’s tax obligations, using the assistance of locally appointed auditors or tax experts.
• To assist the General Manager and Heads of Department in the compilation forecasts covering all activities of the hotel.
• To assist the General Manager in the compilation of Business Plan.
• To assist General Manager in the preparation of Capital Expenditure Authorization Request.
• To ensure that each section of the Accounting & Finance Department is managed efficiently, maximizing utilization of Technology.
• To ensure that the physical inventories of all supplies and operating equipment are being taken on a monthly and a quarterly basis respectively.
• To implement all necessary control in order to safeguard the assets of the hotel and to maintain records for the fixed assets, operating equipment, supplies and inventories.
• To review the reports compiled by Cost Controller and to liaise with the Purchasing Manager to ensure proper procedures and control of inventories.
• To know all terms and conditions of the management agreement and ensure that they are adhered to.
• To monitor requirements set out in management agreement checklist.
• To keep and to safeguard all contracts, leases, insurance policies and all legal and financial documents.
• To obtain the requisite licenses for foreign exchange dealing, imports, liquor, tobacco, entertainment and so forth from the appropriate regulatory authorities.
• To administer ACCOR and local insurance matters in conjunction with ACCOR and locally appointed insurance agents.
• To liaise with ACCOR and hotel appointed legal consultants for all legal matters.
• To administer the Information Technology Department and to ensure that the hotel computer system and its software are fully utilized, well safeguarded, properly maintained and all licenses are up to date.
• To administer credit and collection procedures that has been established in accordance of the regional offices.
• To liaise with both internal and external auditors in compliance with the hotel requirements.
• To assist General Manager in the compilation of all the departments’ written Policies & Procedures into the hotel’s own in-house policy manuals.
• To sign bank cheques jointly with General Manager of those banks designated by the Regional Office and the Owning Company.
• To sign all contracts jointly with General Manager ensuring all terms are in compliance with the local laws, management agreement, Sofitel policies and sound commercial judgment.
• To approve all disbursement vouchers, expenses claims after ascertaining that all necessary documents are attached, processed and certified for receipt of merchandises or services both in quality, quantity and prices.  To verify the distribution of charges and to ascertain the availability of funds for such disbursements.
• To approve all purchases in view of availability of funds, necessity and the budget.
• To receive daily, the receipts of bank deposits and to verify against General Cashier’s Summary of Receipts.
• To ascertain the daily receipts are deposited on the next succeeding banking day.  To review surprise cash count of General Cashier’s fund and other house banks and to report to the General Manager in case of great difference.
• To satisfy that Accounts Receivable activities and to ensure that the monthly trial balance of accounts are correctly aged and the totals are in agreement with the controlling balance.  
• To co-ordinate monthly credit meeting with Executive Committee Members. 
• To prepare reports to General Manager indicating trend of balances, accounts requiring special attention, accounts turned over to special attention and those recommended to be written off etc.  To bring to the attention of General Manager of any deficiency in the system.
• To watch daily the adequacy of bank balances and to report in writing as to any anticipated cash deficiency to General Manager, with copy to Regional Office.
• To examine and to approve daily manual and computer reports.
• To ensure all travel agents’ commissions are paid promptly.
• To spot check the prescribed foreign exchange transactions procedures are correctly adhered to.
• To examine daily costing reports and discusses with the Cost Controller for any special action. 
• To ensure that monthly computation of material consumption, costs and inventories are correct and the totals in agreement with the controlling balance.
• To examine and to approve all payroll hiring, status changes and terminations.  To ensure that all overtime reports are submitted to General Manager for approval.
• To ascertain that all taxes, contributions, licenses, interest and management fee are paid when due.
• To send out debtors' confirmation letter directly at random.
• To arrange monthly section meetings for operation review.
• To ensure that all keys control and issuance procedures are correctly applied and adhered to.
• To recommend to the Regional Office improvements in accounting and internal control.
• To provide statistics to external parties as approved by Sofitel and hotel management.
• To ensure that all Departmental Operations Manuals are prepared and updated annually.
• To conduct weekly Accounting & Finance Meeting.
• To ensure that all meetings are well planned, efficient and results oriented.
• To select and recruit Accounting & Finance ambassadors who are able to work within the decentralized management philosophy, following Financial, Operational and Administrative philosophies outlined above and who understand and support MGallery philosophy of Multi Skilling and Multi Tasking.
• To ensure that each Accounting & Finance Supervisor plans and implements effective training programs for their ambassadors with the Training Manager and Departmental Trainers.
• To develop departmental trainers, assign training responsibilities and meet with Departmental Trainers monthly.
• To conduct yearly performance appraisal and give ambassadors regular feedback on their job performance.
• To project at all times a positive and motivated attitude and exercise self control.
• To carry out quarterly, bi-yearly, yearly inventory of operating equipment.

Qualifications

For this role as a Financial Controller, we’re looking for someone who has the following skills and experience:

• You are a qualified CA/CPA with strong technical accounting skills (including income tax, FBT and Customs Duty experience)
• You have experience working as a Financial Controller / Control Manager
• You have management experience and are a strong leader
• Previous experience working with hotel property management systems strongly preferred