Director of Finance (Florence, Italy)

Our Company and Our Property
Auberge Resorts Collection is a portfolio of extraordinary hotels, resorts, residences, and private clubs. While each property is unique, all share a crafted approach to luxury and bring the soul of the locale to life through captivating design, exceptional cuisine and spas, and gracious yet unobtrusive service. With 24 hotels and resorts across three continents, Auberge invites guests to create unforgettable stories in some of the world’s most desirable destinations. Please visit aubergeresorts.com to learn more about our Collection.  Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram: @AubergeResorts and #AlwaysAuberge.

Our mission is to be the best-loved operator of one-of-a-kind luxury properties and experiences.  We are best loved because we are intimate, stylish, soulful and deeply personal. 

Auberge’s latest European escape takes inspiration from the artistry and perfection of Renaissance greats whose eye for beauty bridges past and present. Tucked down a cypress-lined entrance north of Florence’s cobblestoned centro storico, wrought-iron gates open onto Collegio alla Querce, an exquisite cluster of reimagined 16th-century UNESCO buildings once serving as a cultural institution, preparatory school, chapel and theater. The hotel grounds, embraced by acres of magnificent Baroque gardens, gaze upon panoramic views of the iconic Duomo and terracotta cityscape, and on the opposite side, miles of lush Chianti winelands. Offering all the pleasures of a refined country home, Collegio alla Querce balances the sophistication of Florence with the relaxed pace of Tuscany in characteristic Italian style https://aubergeresorts.com/collegioallaquerce/

Role Summary

Become one of the authors of our story. Join our team as Director of Finance at Collegio alla Querce in Florence Italy, reporting to the General Manager with a dotted reporting line to SVP, Finance Operations.  You will be responsible for leading and building our finance discipline by deepening ownership trust and confidence, building the team, setting up protocols, oversight of multiple budgets and post opening, driving strong financial performance. We look to the person in this position to deliver superior financial performance, ensure operational efficiencies, implement effective financial controls, and put in place practical, non-bureaucratic policies and procedures.

Core Responsibilities
Please note that this is not an exhaustive list of everything that needs to be done  Within this, the key responsibilities for this position are:

• Lead the financial input into the formulation and implementation of the Hotel Strategic Plan and Budget, and any other key strategic planning exercises

• Maximize cash flow performance of the hotel

• Establish and maintain adequate controls for all revenues and expenses and protection of assets

• Deal honestly and fairly with clients, customers, suppliers, and financial partners

• Maintain accurate and timely financial information and provide analysis interpretations and projections

• Take responsibility for the professional development of all team members by identifying training needs and supporting the funding of necessary training

• Maintain an awareness of and adherence to all applicable laws, rules, and regulations

• Ensure safe and proper storage and tracking for all contracts, leases and other financial records

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance or a related discipline

• Prior experience as a property finance leader

• Excellent understanding of the Uniform System of Accounts

• Total proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and accounting software

• Deep experience with hotel financial reporting systems, policies and procedures, and management agreements and collective bargaining agreements

• Experience with operating and financial agreements; demonstrated success in evaluating risks and developing proactive strategies and plans to mitigate business issues

• Strong qualitative and quantitative analytical skills; ability to take large volumes of complex information and present in a clear and concise manner to senior management and owners

• Ability to develop and implement strategic plans to grow our revenue streams

• Ability to understand business issues and operations in terms of revenue, costs, profit, customer and service expectations

• Ability to create Proformas and ROI’s to build the business and improve YOY revenue growth

• Experience in assessing the ROI on high capex investments/refurbishments

• Ability to build, maintain, and proactively communicate cash flow statements

• Experience working with lenders and managing loan compliance and due diligence on servicing the debt facility. Prior experience with re-financing would be welcome but not necessary

• Pragmatic, “problem-solving” approach when dealing with challenges, coupled with the ability to evolve thinking

• Demonstrates guest centric/market focus and the capacity to create and lead the implementation of strategic, creative and fiscally sound programs that drive business results through performance marketing and positioning

• Strong stakeholder management skills at a senior level

• Ability to manage sizable teams and budgets and is relentlessly focused on results

• Deep and broad understanding of local and national accounting standards, tax jurisdictions and labor laws and codes

• Experience leading change and preferably integration in entrepreneurial, brand-led hospitality businesses; able to bring alignment behind an initiative, keep it on track and lead it through to successful execution

• A proven leader of multi-channel teams, with experience of managing through multiple time zones and across geographies and putting in place rigorous KPIs and processes to generate measurable business results and driving revenues

• Passionate about building, developing and mentoring highly successful teams in a high pressure, fast moving environment

• Ability to influence and communicate in a succinct manner

• Bi-lingual and fluency in both Italian and English

Tax & Audit Related Matters

• Monthly preparation and filing of all the taxes of the Hotel in line with local tax regulations

• Maintain understanding of any tax changes and other legislations

• Maintain close communication with the public auditors and communicate instructions for the preparation of internal and external audits, preparing all necessary data and documents

• Comprehensive knowledge of the fiscal package to ensure all tax matters are treated in a proper manner and in compliance with related legislation

• Maintain a working knowledge of the accounting regulations of the region where the hotel is located

Our Story
At Auberge, we are passionate about our mission to be the best-loved operator of one-of-a-kind luxury properties and experiences. We are storytellers and story-makers, delivering simple pleasures and creating unforgettable memories. Born in Napa and inspired by the most relaxing places in the world, we prize simplicity, comfort, and beauty. Whatever role we play in Auberge, and wherever we work, we all live by the view that our core purpose is to enrich people’s lives.

If you feel that our approach is aligned with your own passions and beliefs, then please talk to us about becoming part of our family.

This is a full time position