Cost Controller

JOB SUMMARY

The position champions and implements property-wide strategies that deliver products and services to meet or exceed the needs and expectations of the brand’s target customer and property employees. The position provides the financial expertise to enable the successful implementation of the brand service strategy and brand initiatives while maximizing the return on investment.

CORE WORK ACTIVITIES

Supporting Strategic Planning and Decision Making

• Analyzes financial data and market trends.

• Assists in analyzing information, forecasts sales against expenses and creates annual budget plans.

• Compiles information, analyzes and monitors actual sales against projected sales.

• Assists in developing means to improve profit, including estimating cost and benefit, exploring new business opportunities, etc.

• Analyzes differences between actual budget wages and forecasted wages for more efficient budget planning.

• Thinks creatively and practically to develop, execute and implement new business plans

• Protects and strengthens our competitive advantage by advocating and supporting sound business and financial decision making.

• Implements a system of appropriate controls to manage business risks.

Leading Accounting Teams

• Utilizes interpersonal and communication skills to lead, influence, and encourage others; advocates sound financial/business decision making; demonstrates honesty/integrity; leads by example.

• Communicates the goals and the owner priorities to subordinates in a clear and precise manner.

• Provides excellent leadership by assigning team members and other departments managers' clear accountability backed by appropriate authority.

• Holds staff accountable for successful performance.

Developing and Maintaining Finance and Accounting Goals

• Supports property strategy from a finance and accounting perspective

• Submits reports in a timely manner, ensuring delivery deadlines.

• Ensures Profits and Losses are documented accurately.

• Achieves and exceeds goals including performance goals, budget goals, team goals, etc.

• Ensures appropriate corrections are made to audit results if necessary.

• Reviews audit issues to ensure accuracy.

Managing Projects and Policies

• Monitors all taxes that apply, ensuring that taxes are current, collected and/or accrued.

• Generates and providing accurate and timely results in the form of reports, presentations, etc.

• Ensures compliance with standard and local operating procedures (SOPs and LSOPs).

• Oversees internal, external and regulatory audit processes.

• Ensures compliance with Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

• Ensures that the P&L is accurate (e.g., costs are properly matched to revenue, costs are recorded in the proper accounts).

Anticipating and Delivering on the Needs of Key Stakeholders

• Understands and meets the needs of key stakeholders (owners, corporate, guests, etc.).

• Understands the owners' perspective and ROI expectations.

• Anticipates and addresses owner needs and involves ownership in key decisions.

• Leverages strong functional leadership and communication skills to influence the executive team, the property's strategies and to lead own team.

• Advises the GM and executive committee on existing and evolving operating/financial issues.

• Facilitates critique meetings to review information with management team.

• Attends owners meetings in order to provide context and explanation for financial results.

• Attends meetings and communicates with the owners, understanding the priorities and strategic focus.

• Demonstrates a commitment to meeting the needs of all key stakeholders.

• Communicates financial concepts in a clear and persuasive manner that is easy to understand and drives desired behaviors.

Managing and Conducting Human Resource Activities

• Ensures team members are cross-trained to support successful daily operations.

• Ensures property policies are administered fairly and consistently.

• Ensures new hires participate in the department’s orientation program.

• Ensures new hires receive the appropriate new hire training to successfully perform their job.

• Creates appropriate development plans which develop team members based on their individual strengths, development needs, career aspirations and abilities.

MANAGEMENT COMPETENCIES

Leadership

• Adaptability - Determines how change impacts self and others; displays flexibility in adjusting priorities; and communicates both the reasons for change and how it impacts the workplace.

• Communication - Customizes approach to conveying complex information and ideas to others in a convincing and engaging manner; appropriately interprets verbal and non-verbal behavior; and models active listening to ensure understanding..

• Problem Solving and Decision Making - Models and coaches others on breaking complex issues into manageable parts, identifying and evaluating alternatives and their implications before making decisions, and involving and gaining agreement from others when making key decisions.

• Professional Demeanor - Exhibits behavioral styles that convey confidence and command respect from others; makes a good first impression and represents the company in alignment with its values.

Managing Execution

• Building and Contributing to Teams - Leads and participates as a member of a team to move the team toward the completion of common goals while fostering cohesion and collaboration among team members.

• Driving for Results - Sets high standards of performance for self and/or others; assumes responsibility for work objectives; initiates, focuses, and monitors the efforts of self and/or others toward the accomplishment goals; proactively takes action and goes beyond what is required.

• Planning and Organizing - Gathers information and resources required to set a plan of action for self and/or others; prioritizes and arranges work requirements for self and/or others to accomplish goals and ensure work is completed.

Building Relationships

• Coworker Relationships - Interacts with others in a way that builds openness, trust, and confidence in the pursuit of organizational goals and lasting relationships.

• Customer Relationships - Develops and sustains relationships based on an understanding of customer needs and actions consistent with the company’s service standards.

• Global Mindset - Supports employees and business partners with diverse styles, abilities, motivations, and/or cultural perspectives; utilizes differences to drive innovation, engagement and enhance business results; and ensures employees are given the opportunity to contribute to their full potential.

Generating Talent and Organizational Capability

• Organizational Capability - Evaluates and adapts the structure of team assignments and work processes to best fit the needs and/or support the goals of an organizational unit.

• Talent Management - Provides guidance and feedback to help individuals develop and strengthen skills and abilities needed to accomplish work objectives.

Learning and Applying Professional Expertise

• Applied Learning - Seeks and makes the most of learning opportunities to improve performance of self and/or others.

• Business Acumen - Understands and utilizes business information to manage everyday operations and generate innovative solutions to approach team, business, and administrative challenges.

• Technical Acumen - Understands and utilizes professional skills and knowledge in a specific functional area to conduct and manage everyday business operations and generate innovative solutions to approach function-specific work challenges

o Economics and Accounting - Knowledge of P&L statements, operating budgets, forecasting and scheduling, and the reporting of financial data.

o Auditing and Reconciliation - The ability to recognize, research, and resolve discrepancies in financial data, and create flow charts on main accounting and control cycles (A/R, AP, Cash) to facilitate understanding of key control points.

o General Finance and Accounting - The ability to perform bookkeeping procedures, proficiently use financial systems technology, and accurately complete general ledger entries; knowledge of database structures in order to obtain financial queries; establish Cash flow statements and cash flow forecast with a good understanding the financials flows and the working capital needs.

o Analysis - The ability to create and maintain spreadsheets as well as analyze and summarize financial data using appropriate financial software.

o Accounting Knowledge - Knowledge of general accounting principles and current company accounting policies and procedures. This includes general accounting and financial reporting, auditing, accounts payable, and accounts receivable.

o Accounting and Internal Control Knowledge - Knowledge of local Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (local GAAP), Marriott International Policies (MIP), and International Standard Operating Procedures (ISOPs).

o Legal - Ability to read and understand basic contract elements, e.g. royalty fees, management agreement, terms, priorities and profit distribution.

o Auditing Skills - The ability to perform auditing procedures, including the ability to recognize, research, and resolve discrepancies in financial data.

o Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable - Knowledge of Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable processes, including knowledge of subledger reconciliation and controls.

• Basic Competencies - Fundamental competencies required for accomplishing basic work activities.

o Basic Computer Skills - Uses basic computer hardware and software (e.g., personal computers, word processing software, Internet browsers, etc.).

o Mathematical Reasoning - Demonstrates ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly, correctly, and in a way that allows one to solve work-related issues.

o Oral Comprehension - Demonstrates ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

o Reading Comprehension - Demonstrates understanding of written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

o Writing - Communicates effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.