Financial Controller

St Michaels Resort; Truro; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Staff discount on food & drink

Preferential room rates

Spa discount

Free gym membership

Job summary

St Michaels Resort seeks a hands-on Financial Controller to lead the finance function and partner with senior management. The role drives profit targets through accurate management reporting, strong financial controls, and commercial acumen across the business.

Reporting to the Finance & Performance Director, the position oversees budgeting, cash flow, management accounts, payroll for ~200 staff, and year-end statutory affairs.

Qualifications

• 3+ years’ experience in a Finance Manager/Financial Controller role in hospitality

Responsibilities

• Lead and run the finance function, reporting to the Finance & Performance Director
• Produce monthly Management Accounts and KPI dashboards
• Prepare budgets, cash flow, and investment plans
• Oversee payroll processes for approx. 200 employees
• Manage procurement, stock, and cost of sale processes
• Ensure statutory compliance including VAT and audits
• Develop the Finance team and financial acumen across staff
• Provide ad hoc financial analyses and performance insights

Skills

Hospitality sector exp

Forecasting

Payroll

Multi-site experience

Financial reporting

Leadership

Analytical

Communication

Commercial awareness

Integrity

Customer focus

Education

CIMA/ACCA Qualified Accountant

Tools

Xero

Excel

Job description

The Financial Controller is a key member of the management team at St Michaels Resort and the day-to-day lead for the finance function.

The role is critical in helping to ensure that St Michaels meets its overall profit and performance targets through accurate, insightful management reporting and by building financial acumen across all staff in the business. You will be responsible for the running of the finance function.

This is a genuinely "hands on" Financial Controller role, as well as encompassing a wide-ranging commercial brief to help improve the performance and efficiency / productivity of the business.

The role reports to the Finance & Performance Director, with 2 direct reports (1 full time, 1 part time) and close liaison with the senior team.

Scope of the Role

Budgetary / Planning

• Work closely with senior managers in the preparation of annual business plans and detailed budgets
• Undertake regular performance reviews and ensure that all financial / business forecasting is well developed
• Prepare annual investment and capex plans
• Prepare annual cash flow plans

Financial Accounts & Reporting

• Production of monthly Management Accounts and Business Model to include detailed Departmental trading performance
• Maintain and update the monthly management accounts lead schedules

Performance Management

• Report daily, weekly, monthly on business performance through the creation of key management KPI dashboards and performance monitors
• Set clear and accountable performance measures, KPIs and performance ratios in conjunction with the Finance & Performance Director, Board and senior management
• Provide ad hoc financial analyses as required, review of historic data, investment of capital expenditure, pricing decisions etc
• Oversee the monthly production of the self-catering owner packs, ensuring owner statements, revenue splits, commissions and recharged costs are accurate, consistent and issued to deadline
• Act as the finance point of contact for owner queries arising from the packs, working with the Reservations and Sales teams to resolve discrepancies promptly

Processes, Systems & Controls

• Ensure all financial procedures, processes, and systems are agreed, documented and well understood by all relevant personnel across the business
• Strive to improve all procedures and make them more efficient
• Undertake regular checks and reviews to ensure all processes are properly followed and that an adequate system of controls over accounting transactions is in place
• Stay constantly alert to any irregularities and investigate as necessary. Ensure all cash handling is well managed and sales revenue against monies received is well analysed
• All Debtors Accounts are managed and controlled on a regular basis
• All bank accounts are reconciled on a monthly basis

Procurement / Bought Ledger / Stockholdings

• Ensure the business procures all its goods and services as cost effectively as possible and our process of procurement delivers us excellent value in a clear, accountable, and transparent manner
• Ensure all suppliers are well managed and paid in accordance with agreed terms
• Ensure all procurement, stock holding levels, stock management, receiving etc is managed well and accurate cost of sale figures are produced as a result
• Ensure regular stock takes and analysis of findings across all stocked items takes place

Payroll

• Process monthly payroll for approx. 200 employees, currently processed in house, with a review of outsourcing planned
• Administer the monthly tronc, including allocation, distribution, record keeping and associated reporting

Statutory, Compliance & Audit

• Provision of annual financial statements to external accountants for detailed audit review and thereafter submission to Companies House
• Handle the onsite audit
• Responsible for all statutory requirements of the business including VAT, payroll filings (RTI, P11Ds, pension auto-enrolment) and liaison with related parties
• Ensure compliance with all licences, and statutory matters

Team / Development

• Develop a strong, motivated, accurate, reliable, insightful Finance department with a good level of retention and development
• Create a strong financial awareness and understanding of financial control across the business

Person Specification

You will be a well-rounded finance professional, with at least 3 years' experience in a Finance Manager, Assistant Financial Controller or Financial Controller role. Ideally you will have worked across larger and smaller companies and had the right blend of being mentored and taking real responsibility.

• Experience of the hospitality sector is highly desirable, preferably leisure-oriented hotels
• CIMA / ACCA Qualified Accountant, finalist, or QBE
• Confident in forecasting and preparing budgets
• Hands-on payroll processing experience, ideally within a multi-site environment
• Experience of tronc administration is desirable
• Experience of working across a multi-entity, multi-site group
• Highly analytical and efficient in producing financial reports
• Excellent communication skills to liaise with Department Heads
• Strong team leadership, training and development skills
• Highly commercial and astute
• Good sense of humour
• High integrity & honesty
• Friendly and warm hearted
• Strong customer orientation
• Experience with Xero preferred
• Preferential room rates*
• 25% staff discount on food and drink
• 25% discount on spa treatments and retail products*
• Free gym membership and discount for family and friends

*Subject to availability and eligibility