Financial Manager

A luxury hospitality destination in the heart of the Winelands is seeking to appoint an experienced and detail-oriented Finance Manager to lead and oversee the full finance function of the hotel. This is an excellent opportunity for a hands-on finance professional with strong hospitality finance experience, sound commercial acumen, and the ability to work closely with operational departments to support financial performance, controls, reporting, budgeting and compliance. Key Purpose of the Role The Finance Manager will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of the hotels finance function, including financial reporting, accounts payable oversight, cashbook and reconciliations, debtor control, payroll review, budgeting, forecasting, stock and cost control, statutory compliance, audit preparation, and internal financial controls. The successful candidate will provide meaningful financial support to the Hotel Director and Heads of Departments by delivering accurate financial information, monitoring performance, managing budgets and cash flow, and helping drive sound financial decision-making across the business. Key Responsibilities: The successful candidate will be responsible for, but not limited to: 1. Financial Management & Reporting Prepare, review and submit monthly management accounts and financial reports within agreed deadlines Monitor revenue, expenses, departmental performance, profitability and key financial results Review financial performance against budget, forecast and prior year, and provide meaningful variance analysis and commentary Ensure that all financial records are accurate, complete, properly supported and processed in the correct accounting period Maintain strong financial controls across all areas of the finance function 2. Accounts Payable, Cashbook & Petty Cash Oversight Oversee the daily processing, reconciliation and timeous payment of creditors Review supplier reconciliations, payment batches and supporting documentation before approval Oversee weekly electronic supplier payments Monitor creditor balances and supplier payment terms in line with cash flow requirements Oversee cashbook processing, bank reconciliations and petty cash controls 3. Debtors & Payroll Review Oversee debtor collections and monitor outstanding accounts Review debtor age analyses and assist with overdue account follow-up Review payroll information prior to final processing, including salary journals, deductions; overtime; leave pay and payroll allocations Ensure payroll-related transactions are accurately recorded and allocated 4. Month-End, Journals & Reconciliations Prepare and process month-end journals including accruals, prepayments, provisions; salary journals, stock journals and depreciation Review general ledger accounts and ensure month-end reconciliations are completed accurately and on time Investigate unusual variances or incorrect allocations 5. Stock, Cost Control & Revenue Oversight Monitor stock movement, cost of sales and stock variances across relevant departments Prepare monthly stock and trading summaries and distribute relevant reports within deadlines Support Heads of Departments with cost control, stock losses and gross profit improvement Review weekly revenue reporting and ensure revenue is accurately recorded and reconciled between operating systems and accounting records 6. Budgets, Forecasting & Cash Flow Lead and coordinate the annual budgeting process in conjunction with the Hotel Director and Heads of Departments Consolidate departmental budgets into the overall hotel budget and provide financial analysis and commentary Monitor actual results against budget and highlight risks, overspending and underperformance Manage cash flow requirements and support financial forecasting and planning Assist Heads of Departments in understanding and managing their budgets effectively 7. Statutory Compliance, Audit & Fixed Assets Ensure VAT and statutory submissions are completed accurately and timeously Manage year-end audit preparation, including audit schedules, reconciliations and supporting documentation Maintain and review the fixed asset register and ensure capital expenditure is properly approved and recorded Ensure compliance with company policies, internal controls and relevant legislation 8. Operational & Departmental Support Work closely with operational departments including Front Office, Reservations, Food & Beverage, Kitchen, Housekeeping, Spa, Sales and Revenue Management Provide financial guidance on budgets, supplier accounts, stock, cost allocations, expenditure and profitability Identify financial risks, control weaknesses and opportunities for improvement Support the Hotel Director with financial and operational decision-making Minimum Requirements: Relevant finance, accounting or bookkeeping qualification Previous experience in a Finance Manager, Assistant Financial Manager, Management Accountant or similar finance role Hospitality industry experience is essential / highly advantageous, preferably within a hotel environment Strong experience in management accounts, budgeting, forecasting and cash flow management Good understanding of creditors, debtors, cashbook, reconciliations, payroll review, VAT, stock control and month-end processes Strong Excel skills and good general systems knowledge Knowledge of hotel and accounting systems such as ProtelAir, Opera, Lightspeed, Micros, Pastel, Xero, ChiDesk or similar will be advantageous Strong attention to detail, accuracy and ability to meet deadlines Ability to work effectively with both finance and non-finance team members High levels of integrity, professionalism and confidentiality Key Competencies Financial reporting and analysis Budgeting and forecasting Cash flow management Cost control and variance analysis Accounts payable and supplier management Debtors and credit control oversight Payroll review and salary journal processing Stock and cost of sales monitoring Audit preparation and statutory compliance Leadership, organisation and time management Problem-solving and financial decision support We are looking for a candidate who is: Honest, trustworthy and acts with integrity Reliable, organised and deadline-driven Detail-orientated and accurate Proactive in identifying and resolving issues Able to work independently and take ownership Comfortable operating in a busy hospitality environment Professional in dealing with management, suppliers and team members across the business