Corporate Controller

The Corporate Controller will provide the financial expertise to enable the successful completion of assigned hotel entities’ business goals and objectives. This position supports the CFO, Corporate Azul and assigned hotel’s management and ownership by providing timely and accurate financial reporting and oversight of all accounting operations of the assigned hotels.  

Essential Responsibilities

• Supports the hotels and Corporate Azul’s business strategies through established accounting principles.
• Produces monthly P&L Statements and Balance Sheets, timely and accurately, for each hotel.
• Performs a monthly reconciliation of all balance sheet accounts.  Any accounts not reconciled in a month are reconciled within the quarter.
• Involved with hiring and evaluation of Corporate and property accounting staff.
• Provides training and support to Corporate and property accounting staff.  
• Manages, monitors, and ensures the accuracy of the work performed by the corporate accounting staff, including bank reconciliations, accounts payable batch review, journal entry production, etc.  
• Manages, monitors, and ensures the accuracy of the work performed by property accounting staff, including cash deposits, chargeback response, account receivable billing and collection, vendor invoice input and statement reconciliation, brand premium and loyalty reconciliation, etc.  
• Ensures accurate recording and payment of service charges and gratuities. 
• Ensures all required accounting documentation is retained in Corporate shared files.  
• Reconciles and ensures timely payment of occupancy and sales taxes.  
• Assists in the implementation and administration of other taxes, regulations and ordinances applicable to the hotel.  
• Ensures compliance with local, state and federal government reporting requirements related to the accounting function.  
• Analyzes differences between actual costs versus budget and/or forecast to determine the reasons for the variances and to implement procedures and cost controls, as necessary.
• Implements, reviews and ensures compliance with established procedures and controls to manage business risks. 
• Produces or assists in the production and monitoring of Weekly Cash Position reports to determine if appropriate funds are available for payables and Owner distributions. 
• Understands the Corporate goals and can effectively communicate these goals to Corporate and property accounting staff in a way that fosters positive acceptance and compliance.
• Advises General Managers, Regional VP, CFO, and other internal customers as needed on current or anticipated financial or operational issues affecting accounting or finances.
• Communicates effectively with Ownership group or asset manager on financial reporting, cash position and other financial or operational issues impacting accounting or finances.  
• Works with property accounting staff and hotel management to fulfill requirements of occupancy, sales tax, and financial audits.  
• Works with General Manager, Regional VP and others in the production or review of annual operating budgets and monthly forecasts.  
• Participates in department meetings and training sessions. 
• Enforces Corporate safety standards. 
• Other and all duties, projects, and tasks as assigned by the CFO.

Key Relationships
Chief Financial Officer, Ownership Representatives, Regional VPs, General Managers, Corporate and property accounting staff, and Company Principles.

Exempt Position
Exempt Staff Members are not covered by the overtime provisions and do not receive overtime pay. Exempt Staff members are paid a fixed salary that is intended to cover all the compensation to which they are entitled.

Qualifications, Skills and Abilities Requirements
The individual must possess the following knowledge, skills and abilities and be able to explain and demonstrate that he or she can perform the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation, using some other combination of knowledge, skills, and abilities:

• Thorough understanding of general ledger accounting. 
• Understanding of the Uniform System of Accounts for the Lodging Industry (USALI), currently utilizing the 11th Edition.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, including Excel, Word and PowerPoint.  Excel proficiency to cover pivot tables, lookups and formulas.  
• Experience with M3 Accounting Core software is preferred.
• Experience and knowledge of property management and point of sale systems is preferred.
• Strong organizational capabilities to manage multiple priorities and tasks.
• Work effectively in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Problem-solving, decision-making and conflict resolution skills.
• Must be able to evaluate and implement effective systems and processes. 
• Ability to work in a team environment as well as self-motivated in individual projects.
• Strong personal accountability and work ethic.
• Ability to travel on occasion, as needed. 
• Must be able to speak, read, write, and understand the primary language used in the workplace.
• Must be able to read and write to facilitate the communication process. 
• Requires good verbal, written and electronic communication skills.
• Must have excellent leadership capability and customer relations skills. 
• Ability to interact effectively with internal and external customers with high levels of patience, tact, and diplomacy.
• Adhere to strict confidentiality guidelines. Refer to the confidentiality, non-disclosure agreement. 

Education

• High school or equivalent education required. 
• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, Finance, or related field preferred.

Experience

• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in a high-level accounting position required. 
• Experience in hotel accounting and/ or multi-entity, multi-state Corporate Accounting preferred.
• Brand and systems experience preferred (Marriott, Choice, Hyatt, Hilton, IHG)

Physical Demands

• Environmental conditions are inside.  A job is considered inside if staff spends approximately 90 percent or more of the time inside. Temperature is moderate and controlled by office environmental systems.
• Must be able to sit or stand at a desk for up to seven (7) hours per day. Walking and standing are required the rest of the working day. Length of time of these tasks may vary from day to day and task to task. 
• Position requires individuals to see, hear, and speak (verbally and audibly).
• Required to sit, stand, lift, bend, stoop, and kneel.  
• Must be able to use hands to finger, handle or feel.  Occasional reaching with hands and arms is required.  
• May be asked to drive or travel by car, air or other transportation for business purposes. 
• Must be able to function effectively in a loud, fast-paced working environment.  Natural and regular stressors occur on the job. 
• Must be able to lift up to 15 lbs. occasionally.
• Requires grasping, writing, standing, sitting, walking, repetitive motions, bending, climbing, listening and hearing ability and visual acuity.
• Requires visual ability to observe and detect signs of emergency situations.
• Talking and hearing occur continuously in the process of communicating with colleagues and clients and ownership representatives.
• Must have finger dexterity to be able to operate office equipment such as computers, printers, 10-key adding machine, filing cabinets, photocopiers, dolly and other office equipment as needed. 

Licenses or Certifications
N/A 

Grooming

All Staff Members must maintain a neat, clean and well-groomed appearance per Azul Hospitality standards. Refer to the required grooming and uniform standards policy.

Attendance

Regular attendance in conformance with the standards, which may be established by Azul Hospitality from time to time, is essential to the successful performance of this position. Staff with irregular attendance / tardiness will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment. Upon employment, all staff are required to fully comply with Azul Hospitality rules and regulations for the safe and effective operation of the office facilities. Staff members who violate Company rules and regulations will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment. Due to the cyclical nature of workflows, staff members may be required to work varying schedules to reflect the business needs of the Company. In addition, attendance at all scheduled training sessions and meetings is required. This job description is not an exclusive or exhaustive list of all job functions that a staff member in this position may be asked to perform from time to time.