Position Summary
The Controller is the senior financial leader for the Radisson Blu Vancouver Airport Hotel & Marina and a member of the Hotel Leadership Team. The role provides accurate and timely financial information, protects the Hotel's assets, strengthens internal controls, and helps leaders make sound operating decisions. The Controller leads the Finance team and works side-by-side with the General Manager, ownership, department leaders, auditors and vendors.
Key Responsibilities
Financial Acumen and Leadership
- Serve as the Hotel's principal financial advisor and provide the General Manager and ownership with clear analysis, recommendations, and timely reporting.
- Participate actively on the Hotel Leadership Team and connect financial decisions to guest experience, team member experience, operational priorities, and long-term asset value.
- Partner with department leaders to review revenue, labour, expenses, productivity, and forecasts; identify variances and agree on corrective actions.
- Build financial understanding across the leadership team through practical guidance, regular review meetings, and consistent accountability for departmental results.
- Support business cases, contracts, capital projects, pricing decisions, and operational changes with reliable financial analysis.
Financial Reporting Planning and Analysis
- Lead the daily, period-end, month-end, and year-end accounting cycles and ensure all entries, reconciliations, accruals, and supporting schedules are complete and accurate.
- Prepare and distribute timely financial statements, forecasts, cash-flow reporting, management reports, and ownership reporting packages in accordance with established deadlines.
- Lead the annual operating budget and capital budget processes, coordinating assumptions and submissions with department leaders and ownership.
- Monitor operating performance against budget, forecast, and prior periods; explain material variances and track agreed follow-up actions.
- Maintain a reliable rolling forecast that reflects current business levels, labour requirements, operating risks, and emerging opportunities.
- Maintain the chart of accounts, general ledger, balance-sheet reconciliations, and financial records in accordance with applicable accounting standards and company requirements.
Internal Controls Risk and Compliance
- Design, document, implement, and monitor internal controls for cash, credit, purchasing, inventory, payroll, revenue, receivables, payables, and system access.
- Protect Hotel and Marina assets by ensuring appropriate authorization, segregation of duties, supporting documentation, and regular reconciliations.
- Investigate unusual transactions, control failures, chargebacks, revenue discrepancies, and other financial risks promptly; document findings and corrective actions.
- Coordinate external audits and support tax, insurance, licensing, banking, and statutory reporting requirements.
- Ensure financial practices comply with applicable legislation, collective agreements, employment agreements, Hotel policies, brand requirements, and ownership expectations.
- Maintain secure and confidential financial, payroll, banking, vendor, and team member records in accordance with retention and privacy requirements.
Finance Operations
- Oversee payroll, accounts payable, accounts receivable, credit, cash handling, income audit, general accounting, and related administrative functions.
- Ensure payroll is accurate and on time, including wages, premiums, deductions, benefits, vacation, statutory entitlements, and requirements arising from the Hotel's collective agreements.
- Maintain effective credit and collection practices, monitor aging, resolve disputed accounts, and reduce exposure to bad debt and chargebacks.
- Ensure vendor invoices and expense claims are properly approved, coded, supported, and paid within agreed terms.
- Review daily revenue and settlement activity across rooms, food and beverage, parking, Marina, and other Hotel operations; resolve exceptions promptly.
- Oversee cash management, banking, deposits, payment processing, and cash-flow requirements while maintaining appropriate controls.
- Systems Data and Process Improvement
- Maintain the integrity of financial information across the property management, point-of-sale, payroll, accounting, banking, and reporting systems.
- Establish clear workflows, approval levels, standard operating procedures, and audit trails that reduce errors and support consistent execution.
- Support system implementations and process changes, including testing, data validation, training, access controls, and post-implementation review.
- Use data and technology to simplify routine work, improve reporting, and provide leaders with useful and timely information.
Team Leadership and Hotel Culture
- Recruit, onboard, train, coach, and develop Finance team members; establish clear responsibilities, service standards, and performance expectations.
- Create appropriate cross-training and coverage within Finance so critical functions continue during absences, vacations, and peak operating periods.
- Hold regular one-on-one and team meetings, provide timely feedback, recognize strong performance, and address performance or conduct concerns consistently.
- Work respectfully and constructively within a unionized environment and partner with People & Culture on employee relations, attendance, accommodation, and performance matters.
- Build productive relationships across departments and model discretion, integrity, fairness, responsiveness, and accountability.
- Participate in emergency planning, business continuity, health and safety, and other Hotel leadership responsibilities as assigned.
Marina Financial Oversight
- Oversee the financial activities of the Marina, including revenue reporting, accounts receivable, deposits, operating expenses, budgeting, forecasting, and financial controls.
- Work with Marina management to monitor occupancy, moorage revenue, utility charges, contracts, and other income streams.
- Review Marina financial performance, investigate variances, and recommend corrective actions or operational improvements.
- Ensure Marina transactions are accurately recorded, reconciled, supported, and included in Hotel and ownership reporting.
- Support annual budgeting, capital planning, insurance, licensing, and compliance requirements relating to Marina operations.
Qualifications and Experience
- Post-secondary degree or diploma in accounting, finance, business administration, or a related field.
- Canadian CPA designation or actively working towards completion of the certification.
- At least five years of progressive accounting experience, including three years in a financial leadership role; hotel or hospitality experience is strongly preferred.
- Demonstrated knowledge of financial reporting, budgeting, forecasting, cash management, internal controls, payroll, accounts payable, accounts receivable, and audit preparation.
- Experience leading a Finance team and partnering with operational leaders in a complex, high-volume environment.
- Experience in a unionized workplace and knowledge of British Columbia employment and payroll requirements are assets.
- Strong proficiency with Microsoft Excel and experience with hotel property management, point-of-sale, payroll, and accounting systems. Experience with Opera and UKG Ready is an asset.
Benefits
- Free on-site parking.
- Company-matched RRSP contributions.
- Paid vacation eligibility.
- Regular team appreciation events.
- Team member discounts with Choice Hotels.
- Room to grow – we believe in promoting from within wherever possible!
Equal Opportunity Statement
The Radisson Blu Vancouver Airport Hotel & Marina is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering a positive and inclusive workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, national origin, gender, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other status protected by law. Accommodations are available upon request for applicants with disabilities during the recruitment and selection process. Please contact the People & Culture Department if you require assistance.
