Chief Accountant
The role aims to be recognized as a trusted advisor to finance team members and other hotel business partners. This role supports the finance lead to retain and train best-in-class finance professionals and assists in developing their finance team. This role ensures a robust control and compliance environment and supports the hotel / hotels to maximize profit and contributes to implement EMEA Operations Finance innovations and projects.
What will I be doing?
The Chief Accountant will support all activities performed by the hotels Assistant / Finance lead, to include but not limited to, understanding financial performance, ensuring timely and accurate financial reporting and month-end closing activities, reviewing monthly financial statements in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), Uniform System of Accounts and Hilton policies and procedures. The role will ensure a smooth operation of all hotel finance activities in full compliance with the policy, regulatory and contractual framework. The role will business partner with all hotel finance team members and the Hotel Management team, and supports the Assistant / Finance Leader in developing excellent working relationships across a broad range of internal and external stakeholders, including Commercial, IT, Procurement, Operations, Shared Service Centers (where applicable). In absence of the Assistant Finance Manager/Director, the Chief Accountant will assume responsibilities. The role will participation in all relevant Finance training and development programs.
What are we looking for?
JOB ROLES:
Directly manage some AP transactions and cash management
Supervise and maintain the books of the hotel(s) on a daily basis
Responsible for the accuracy and completeness of all transactions to the various accounts and ensure that they are properly recorded in the books on a timely basis and in the correct period
Ensure that all balance sheet transactions are accounted for, documented and properly and timely reconciled
Fully conversant with the Hilton standard chart of accounts and the correct use the same
Ensure that the accounting records comply with local laws and regulations and Hilton Policies and procedures
Ensure the month-end closing process is completed and the timely preparation of all required financial reports for review by the Hotel Finance lead
Ensure the accurate and prompt month-end and year-end closing of the books of accounts
Assist in the completion of forecasts as instructed
Assist in the preparation of monthly financial reports and schedules as directed, required by management and owners
Thoroughly familiar with the duties and procedures of other team members within the finance department over whom the role has supervision
Assist and coordinate the internal and external audit process
Assist in ensuring compliance with legal and taxation legislation
Hands-on and take an active role in daily activities within the department, ensuring that all work is up to date and assists team members where and when required
Assist the Finance Department Head in providing financial information to assist in any decision making process
Actively contribute to team members' development and training programs
Coordinate departmental leave and organise the coverage of positions during team member absence
Create a pleasant working environment, ensure productive and efficient work practices within the Finance team
Ensure that all internal applicable accounting control procedures are strictly adhered to and communicate any perceived weakness to the Finance Lead
Maintain an adequate and up to date filing system
Handle all requests and enquiries in a timely, efficient and friendly manner
Review invoices and other posting documents and check proper account coding allocation
Lead the month-end process relating to stocks, creditors, pre-payments and accruals and ensure all work is completed on time with all relevant accounts reconciled
Ensure the Balance Sheet accounts relating to stocks, pre-payments, creditors and accruals are a fair reflection of the assets and liabilities of the hotel
Maintain Fixed Cost Register and ensure that this is a full and accurate reflection of all contracts in place
Review, clarify and code corporate, affiliated charges and Hilton fees
Posting of selected journal vouchers
Prepare and review vendor tax registers, declaration and any legal accounts payable requirements
Upload of payment file to online banking system (if applicable) and ensure payments to team members, authorities, etc. are made timely
Review and posting of any payroll related month-end accruals, overtime, vacation, bank holidays and other paid leaves, etc.
Spot Checks: Compare employment contracts to data source (GL/Payroll System) and ensure accuracy
Support Assistant in any month-end processes as necessary, eg creation and posting of journal entries, preparation of balance sheet reconciliation, review journal entries of the finance team
Support Assistant in communication and preparation of documentation needed by any internal/external auditor
Prepare journal entries for all bank accounts and ensure accuracy, maintain proper documentation for all bank movements
Prepare and submit any fiscal statistics in accordance with local law"
Ensure the timely delivery of invoices within three working days and that all city ledger invoice batches are posted and reconciled on a daily basis
Ensure the posting of invoices is done using the correct debtor codes
Ensure all advanced payments received are properly recorded
Review month-end aging reports and ensure all reports reconcile and balance against the general ledger
Perform any additional tasks assigned to ensure that the hotel functions smoothly)
Good knowledge of Italian