About Jumeirah
Jumeirah Al Wathba Desert Resort is a luxury desert resort located 50km to the south east of Abu Dhabi in the Al Wathba District (40 minutes’ drive from Abu Dhabi). It consists of 103 keys in total (90 Guestrooms and 13 Villas), restaurants and bars, conference and meeting facilities, Talise spa and leisure facilities.
About the role
Your key responsibilities will include:
Pre-Opening:
- As this role is Pre Opening and leads into an Operational situation, the Financial Controller is expected to prepare and be involved in the control of all aspects of Pre-Opening Budgets, Operating Equipment Purchases and other Pre-Opening Finance and Business related activities as may be necessary.
- Maintain a monthly reconciliation with owners on the pre-opening budget and confirm full closing balance within 90 days after the opening.
- Regularly report to regional office the progress and update on the opening critical path and ensure a success opening by completing 100% of pre-opening plan.
- Establish and build a strong professional relationship with owners and their representatives.
- Select and hire finance colleagues.
- Coordinate and plan with IT department system setup, implementation and trainings.
- Understand the full term of the management agreement and ensure compliance with all key clauses.
- Prepare cash flow projection and working capital requirements for first 3 months of trading.
- Prepare first year of operation budget.
- The main responsibilities are managing the accounting records, financial reports and oversee the issuance of SBUs financial reporting.
- To ensure that the books, records and accounts are maintained accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and administration of the assets of the hotel.
- Ensure general ledger posting are in compliance with uniformed system of accounting for lodging industry.
- Establish a strong cash management controls, prepare monthly cash flow forecast, and recommend actions accordingly.
- Ensure all balance sheet accounts are fully reconciled on a monthly basis and discrepancies are immediately identified and corrected.
- To oversee the Finance and Accounting department in the hotel, and ensure its smooth running so that all financial and management reports are accurate and available by their due dates.
- Generate and discuss with relevant parties special operation analysis reports with an objective of minimizing variances versus budget and prior year, flow through analysis, outlet menu engineering, profit margin analysis, manning structure and payroll cost, etc.
- Establish and recommend to management major financial objectives for hotel.
- Direct preparation of annual budgets and monthly forecasts; establish and/or recommend to management major economic objectives and policies for hotel.
- Draft and maintain accurate yearly financial statements, in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards.
- Generate and discuss with relevant parties special operation analysis reports with a strategic objective of minimizing the variance: performance versus budget and versus prior year, flow through analysis, outlet menu engineering, profit margin analysis, manning structure and payroll cost, etc…
- Develops SBU finance strategies by contributing financial and accounting information, analysis, and recommendations to strategic direction; establishing functional objectives in line with organizational objectives.
- Prepare a 5 year capital budget plan and 5 year operation projections.
- Prepare and present return on investment evaluation for capital development projects when needed.
- Maximizes return on invested funds by identifying investment opportunities; maintaining relationships with asset management.
Communication and relationship:
- Establish a professional and strong relationship with owner and asset managers.
- Report monthly to regional, corporate and asset management group on the property financial performance.
- Work closely with the General Manager and Executive committee of the property and act as a business advisor and risk advocate.
- Work closely with regional team and corporate on any specific requirement.
- To maintain close communication with third parties such as the public auditors, external auditors, and local authorities.
- Provide training in hotels to enhance the financial skills of the Management Team as a whole. You should be the "coach" to both the Hotel Finance teams and non-Financial Managers.
- Set individual development plan for each individual colleague and strive for their future development.
- Work on special assignment set by regional or corporate team and meet specific deadline set by the group.
- Manage the coordination with the finance shared service based on agreed SLA. (Applicable in a shared service environment.
- Ensure compliance with company finance directives and delegation of authority.
- Ensure that the company complies with all legal and local regulatory requirements
- Coordinate with Internal Audit on compliance according to company financial policies, governance, risks and fraud.
- Comply with the company’s ethic code of conduct and report any variation.
- Coordinate with government authorities for tax compliance.
- Monitor any legal issues involving the property and report to owner and corporate office accordingly.
- To devise and maintain a system of internal accounting control sufficient to ensure that transactions are executed in accordance with Management’s general and specific authorization and in compliance with generally accepted accounting principles and specific country legislation.
- Maintain relations with external auditors and investigate their findings and recommendations.
- To review and certify any hotel internal or external financial reporting before distribution.
- Mitigate any key risk on the asset and the company IP in general.
- Conduct monthly performance reviews with HODs and establish a combined action plan.
- To regularly organise credit meetings with the participation of the General Manager and all concerned Heads of Department where all debtors’ balances are analyzed.
Others:
- Ensure the right person in the right role, in an environment of continuous development.
- Implement and create best practices that could be shared with Finance LeadershipCommittee.
- Complete ad hoc requests when required.
About You
Minimum of 4 years experience in a similar role in a 5* luxury brands.
This position offers a highly competitive salary and package which includes; housing allowance, annual flight tickets allowance, medical and dental coverage, pension, life and accident insurance, retail and leisure discounts, 50% discount off Jumeirah F&B Outlets and reduced hotel rates. Married colleagues will enjoy family benefits for up to two children which include education assistance.
