Director of Finance

Royal Sonesta New Orleans, LA•New Orleans, LA

About The Position

Strong financial leadership helps power exceptional guest experiences, operational excellence, and long-term hotel success. As the Director of Finance, you’ll lead all hotel financial operations while serving as a strategic business partner to hotel leadership teams, ownership groups, and operational departments across the property. This role is perfect for someone who thrives in a fast-paced hospitality environment and enjoys balancing financial strategy, operational partnership, compliance, forecasting, and team leadership. You’ll oversee accounting, budgeting, forecasting, payroll oversight, reporting, audit compliance, and financial planning for a full-service hotel while helping drive profitability, operational efficiency, and business performance. If you’re analytical, collaborative, and passionate about hospitality finance leadership — we’d love to meet you.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business, Hospitality Management, or related field required.
5+ years of progressive finance, accounting, hospitality finance, or hotel financial leadership experience preferred.
Previous Director of Finance, Assistant Director of Finance, Hotel Controller, or full-service hotel accounting leadership experience preferred.
Strong knowledge of hospitality accounting, hotel financial operations, forecasting, budgeting, labor management, payroll oversight, and operational finance.
Experience managing financial reporting, audits, balance sheets, reconciliations, cash controls, and compliance initiatives within a hotel or resort environment preferred.
Excellent analytical, leadership, organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills.
Ability to multitask and thrive in a fast-paced hospitality environment.
Strong business acumen with the ability to partner operationally across hotel departments and leadership teams.
Experience using hotel accounting systems, PMS platforms, Excel, financial reporting tools, and hospitality technology preferred.
CPA, MBA, CHAE certification, or related professional credentials preferred.
Flexible availability including occasional evenings, weekends, holidays, and operational support as needed.
A passion for hospitality, leadership, financial strategy, operational excellence, and supporting exceptional guest experiences through strong business performance.

Responsibilities

Lead all hotel financial operations including accounting, budgeting, forecasting, financial reporting, payroll oversight, accounts payable, accounts receivable, cash management, and audit compliance.
Partner closely with the General Manager and hotel leadership teams to support operational strategy, financial performance, profitability, and business planning initiatives.
Prepare and analyze monthly financial statements, forecasts, operational reports, labor analysis, variance reporting, and business performance metrics.
Monitor hotel revenue, expenses, labor costs, purchasing, inventory controls, and departmental financial performance to identify opportunities for growth and operational efficiency.
Oversee budgeting and forecasting processes across Rooms, Food & Beverage, Banquets, Spa, Recreation, Sales, and operational departments.
Ensure compliance with hotel accounting procedures, internal controls, brand standards, ownership requirements, tax regulations, and financial policies.
Lead financial audits, reporting deadlines, reconciliations, cash handling procedures, and balance sheet management activities.
Supervise, train, coach, and develop accounting and finance team members to support operational excellence and professional growth.
Partner with Human Resources and operational leadership teams regarding payroll processes, labor management, benefits reporting, and workforce financial analysis.
Support capital planning, renovation projects, owner reporting, contract analysis, and operational investment initiatives as needed.
Maintain strong knowledge of hospitality financial systems, PMS platforms, accounting software, procurement systems, and reporting tools.
Help foster a collaborative, analytical, and business-focused culture aligned with Sonesta’s People People philosophy.
Any other duties as assigned.