Assistant Financial Controller - Central London Hotel

Client Challenge

A leading upscale lifestyle hotel in central London required an Assistant Financial Controller to strengthen the finance function and provide operational support to the Director of Finance. The successful candidate needed to combine strong financial controls with commercial awareness, ensuring the timely production of financial information while overseeing core finance operations including accounts payable, payroll forecasting, income auditing, cash management and balance sheet reconciliations. The role also demanded an individual capable of deputising for the Director of Finance, developing junior team members and maintaining robust audit and compliance standards within a fast-paced hotel environment.

Our Approach

Leveraging our specialist hospitality finance network, we conducted a targeted search focused on professionals with experience in branded and independent hotels, identifying candidates who could operate confidently across both transactional finance and commercial reporting.

Our search prioritised individuals with proven experience in:

Producing accurate financial information and supporting month-end reporting and income statements. Managing day-to-day finance operations, including bank reconciliations, supplier payments, purchase ledger, journal postings and balance sheet reconciliations. Delivering payroll forecasting and supporting departmental leaders in managing labour costs. Overseeing accounts payable, receivable, cashiering, income audit and stock control while maintaining strong internal financial controls. Supporting budgeting, forecasting and financial analysis, particularly around food and beverage performance and operational expenditure. Coaching finance team members, improving finance processes and ensuring compliance with audit standards and company operating procedures. Building strong working relationships with operational departments, enabling finance to act as a proactive business partner rather than simply a reporting function.

The Result

We successfully delivered a shortlist of hospitality finance professionals with the technical expertise and operational credibility required for the role. The appointed candidate demonstrated strong experience across hotel financial reporting, working capital management, payroll forecasting, audit compliance and financial controls, together with the confidence to support senior leadership and deputise for the Director of Finance when required. Their collaborative approach and commercial mindset enabled them to contribute beyond traditional finance responsibilities, partnering effectively with operational teams to improve financial performance.

Impact

The appointment strengthened the hotel's finance function by improving reporting accuracy, enhancing financial controls and providing greater commercial insight to operational leaders. With stronger oversight of payroll, purchasing, cash management and month-end processes, the finance team was better positioned to support strategic decision making while maintaining high standards of governance and compliance. The successful hire also contributed to developing the wider finance team, creating a more resilient department capable of supporting the hotel's continued operational and commercial success.