Cluster Director of Finance

Location

Bangalore | India

Job description

With thousands of hotels in over 100 countries and territories, Hilton offers countless opportunities to delight. From an open door to a welcoming smile and an exceptional experience, we offer the millions of travellers who stay with us every year a welcome they will never forget. In addition to our flagship brand, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, the family of brands includes Waldorf Astoria, LXR, Conrad, Canopy, Curio Collection, DoubleTree, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton and many others.  

If you appreciate the impact global travel can have on the world, you may be just the person we are looking for to work as a Hilton Team Member. Because it’s with Hilton where we never forget the reason we're here: to delight our guests, Team Members, and owners alike.  

The Cluster Director of Finance is an integral part of the 4D structure within the hotel, providing support and technical expertise to other members of the team. This role is responsible for all accounting and financial requirements for the hotel in an environment of tight control. He / she will provide financial support, advice and expertise to the General Manager and hotel team, with the aim of maximizing value, developing the quality of the Finance function within the hotel.   

What will I be doing? 

As the Cluster Director of Finance, you will be responsible for performing the following tasks to the highest standards at Hilton and Hilton Garden Inn Bengaluru Embassy Manyata Business Park & Hilton Bangalore Embassy Golflinks. 

Financial Accounting & Control: Best practice financial accounting processes in a robust control environment

• Overall management of the accounting records and financial reports of the hotel ensuring compliance with company, owner, statutory and fiscal requirements and timetables.
• Where applicable the above must include the accounts for Hilton International’s branch or subsidiary.
• Ensure that the balance sheet is a fair reflection of the assets and liabilities of the hotel. The balance sheet must be regularly reviewed, and reconciliations performed of all accounts.
• Ensure compliance with the Management agreement with Hilton International, and any Owner / Lease agreement.
• Maintain a focused system of internal controls, which will provide an effective and efficient control over the hotel assets, liabilities, revenue and costs, ensuring compliance with company policy.
• Maintain control over the hotel’s assets, liabilities, income and expenditure on behalf of both the Operator and Owner and provide management, leadership and accountability for the financial performance of the hotel.
• Ensure legal and tax compliance and that adequate insurance cover is maintained managing the pension scheme, where applicable, ensuring that adequate accounting, actuarial and legal controls are in place.
• Ensure valid permits and licenses have been obtained for such matters as importation, currency transfers and hotel operations (bars, clubs, casinos etc.).
• Take responsibility for the safekeeping and updating of all leases and contracts, which may affect the financial status of the hotel.
• Liaise and co-operate with both Internal and External Audit, ensuring that an effective programme of in-hotel audit is in place and that corrective action is promptly taken where required.
• Give particular emphasis to ensuring that all revenue is captured, making use of a monthly control checklist and conduct interim self-audits as required.

Develop best practice financial accounting and control procedures, with continuous review and development with the aim of maximizing both impact and efficiency.

Management Reporting: Focused, innovative and balanced reporting that stimulates management action

• Develop high quality management information and performance measurement that is timely and accurate. Reporting should be thought provoking and action oriented.
• Implement reporting that incorporates benchmarking, identification and measurement of key performance indicators, and use of the balanced scorecard. Reporting should not only look to historical performance within the hotel, but also outward and forward.

Ensure corporate reporting is timely and accurate, internally consistent and that, inter alia, Datalink report, Pro-plant system, management reports, trends of operation reports, incremental conversion reports, profit and loss statements, balance sheets and cash flow reports reconcile to the trial balance. Maintain proof of such reconciliations which are conducted each month.

Business Support: Provision of the highest standards of financial and commercial support to the Business

• Support and advice on financial and commercial matters to the General Manager and to the hotel team, including the interpretation of financial data.
• Review management information for the hotel and make proposals for the General Manager for value added initiatives. Where appropriate, play the “Devil’s Advocate” to challenge practices and proposals.

Provide financial and commercial skills to support business development initiatives, major pricing decisions and other commercial decision-making.

Information Technology & Systems: Optimize the use of I.T. within the finance department to improve efficiency and information

• With Project Managers, support the implementation of financial systems in the hotel.
• With the ISM ensure proper use and maintenance of financial systems, including adequate security and back up procedures.
• Act as the guardian of the integrity of data flowing into the accounting system, ensuring that the control process is sound in systems that interface directly or indirectly with the accounting system.
• Work with colleagues to ensure that errors are corrected at source and processes amended as required to eliminate rather than correct errors.

Continually develop the usage of financial systems in order to ensure highest levels of management reporting, processing and staffing efficiency and thereby return on investment.

Investment Optimizing returns on capital investment

• Utilize project evaluation techniques to assist in directing investment to those projects which optimize returns both for the individual project and the enterprise as a whole.
• Prepare annual capital plan and direct implementation of this plan, ensuring funding and necessary buying (e.g. Owners) are in place so that the note can be kept at the highest possible standard.
• Prepare and review the AFE, ensuring financial accuracy and sound commercial and business judgment is applied to the process, and that authorization is obtained prior to commitment of the hotel to expenditure.
• Perform post investment audit on major capital investments, communicating results of post investment reviews within the Management team and ensures actions are taken to learn from such results and maximize returns.
• Ensure compliance with HI capital policy, maintaining proper control and recording of project spends.

Where applicable, prepare review and be involved in the production of financials for new developments and acquisitions.

Looking Ahead: Operating against meaningful strategic plans and budgets with accurate forecasting

• Take a support role to the General Manager in hotel strategic planning, with particular emphasis on Master-Planning and “thinking outside the box” to identify value opportunities.
• Manage the formulation, review and approval process for budgeting within the hotel.
• Ensure a regular cycle of forecasting takes place within the hotel with content and detail appropriate to the needs of the operation.
• Provides alerts to Senior Management and to Area Office via regular forecasts, outlook reports or via ad-hoc reporting concerning positive or negative trends in the business.

Work with colleagues and the General Manager to ensure consistency and accuracy of communication regarding future trends in the business. Avoid surprises.

Investment in People: Ensuring the best person in each job, in an environment of continuous development

• Recruit and retain the best people for the job, especially at Assistant Controller level, making use of succession planning to develop and replace individuals effectively.
• Establish and maintain good employee relations within the Finance department.
• Aim to maximize efficiency in the accounting department and optimum staffing levels.
• Recognize that a highly organized Accounts office is often a sign of an efficient department.
• Develop the effectiveness of the hotel finance function through the ongoing training and development of the team.
• Lead and motivate the team to high levels of performance.
• Ensure that you manage to specific measurable objectives, giving regular feedback including appraisals.
• Both the Director of Finance and Assistant Financial Controller should have a personal development plan.

Provide training to enhance the financial skills of the Management Team as a whole, utilizing tools such as Hilton University and Hilton LEXUE.

Cash & Working Capital: Optimize cash position in an environment of tight control

• Minimize the level of working capital, with particular emphasis on the management of debtors, stocks and sundry receivables.
• Maximize interest earnings and minimize interest expense.
• Maintain accurate cash flow forecasts for at least one year ahead, and ensure adequate notice is given to Hilton, and to Owners, of any future cash requirements.
• Ensure full reconciliation of all bank accounts on a weekly basis, maintaining the highest standards of control over all cash and bank balances at all times.
• The role of the Cluster Director of Finance is to establish robust credit control and credit management policies with the General Manager and the Commercial Director within the guidelines set out by Group Policy and following best practice principles – once established, the Director of Business Development applies such policies and controls.
• It is the responsibility of the Cluster Director of Finance to ensure that controls over accounts receivable are being applied correctly and to take action to rectify any problems identified if they are not.
• The Cluster Director of Finance must review all accounts receivables with the Commercial Director on a monthly basis and ensure that there are no recoverability issues.

It is the responsibility of the Cluster Director of Finance to maintain an appropriate reserve for bad or doubtful debts.

Cost Management: Support the operation to optimize efficiency of the cost base

• Understand and measure cost drivers for the hotel, utilizing innovative analysis to stimulate thought and management action.
• Ensure that adequate purchasing procedures are in operation so that purchases of goods and services are made in the most cost-effective manner.
• Benchmark costs against other hotels, identifying cost reduction opportunities and managing financial risks of the business.
• Set an example to the hotel by operating an efficient and cost-effective Finance department.

Additional Notes

• The Cluster Director of Finance has a direct responsibility to the General Manager of the hotel combined with a responsibility to the Regional Finance Director for the maintenance of professional standards.
• In the rare event that this dual responsibility gives rise to a conflict, the matter must be referred to the Regional Ops VP and the Regional Finance Director for guidance.
• The appointment dismissal and transfer of the Director of Finance is made by the Regional Finance Director / Area VP Finance in consultation with the hotel General Manager.
• No changes to the remuneration package of any Cluster Director of Finance (or Assistant Controller) may be made without the written approval of the Regional Finance Director / Area VP Finance.
• The Cluster Director of Finance has unlimited rights of access to all financial figures and facts of the operation.
• The Cluster Director of Finance exercising reasonable tact may visit any department to ask questions and make any study in fulfilment of his / her duties.
• The General Manager must consult the Regional Finance Director / Area VP Finance over the completion of any appraisal or Personal Development Review for the Cluster Director of Finance.

Any bonus scheme for the Cluster Director of Finance must be agreed with the Regional Finance Director / Area VP Finance in advance.

What are we looking for?

To successfully fill this role, you should maintain the attitude, behaviours, skills, and values that follow: 

• Able to work under pressure, meet deadlines & tasks and responsibilities.
• Displays high levels of flexibility, initiatives, sincerity and Team Work
• Excellent Communications and presentation skills.
• University qualification and above. 
• Finance / Accounting major and certified, e.g. CA/ CPA/MBA
• 12-15 years of experience in large scale & upper upscale hotels 5 year in hotel accounting with at least 2 years in similar position with Hilton hotels or any other international brands. 
• Possess system skills in OnQ, Check SCM, SUN, OPERA / OnQ PMS, MICROS, HRLINK,  
• Strong in Internal and External Audits and process oriented
• Strong Leadership abilities and organizational skills;
• Entrepreneurial, thinks out of the box;
• Understanding of Digital Technology and platforms
• Strong relationship management, influencing and negotiation skills.
• Able to drive change and look for operational & admin efficiencies/synergies across the hotels
• Go-getter; comfortable taking ownership of projects and expanding scope of responsibilities.
• Dynamic and result oriented

What will it be like to work for Hilton? 

Hilton is the leading global hospitality company, spanning the lodging sector from luxurious full-service hotels and resorts to extended-stay suites and mid-priced hotels. For nearly a century, Hilton has offered business and leisure travellers the finest in accommodations, service, amenities and value. Hilton is dedicated to continuing its tradition of providing exceptional guest experiences across its global brands. Our vision to fill the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality unites us as a team to create remarkable hospitality experiences around the world every day. And, our amazing Team Members are at the heart of it all! 

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