CFO and Director of Finance; Luxury Golf and Spa Resort

Position: CFO and Director of Finance (Luxury Golf and Spa Resort)
Location: Palermo

Location:

Southern Italy (on-site)

Employment type:

Full-time, permanent

Industry:  Hospitality, Hotels and Resorts

Department:  Finance

Reports to:

Ownership, working closely with the General Manager and the hotel operator

Opening:  Reopening in 2027, with the appointment covering pre-opening and ongoing operations

About Our Client
Our client is an upscale leisure resort in Southern Italy, preparing for its reopening in 2027 after a major refurbishment. The resort offers rooms, food and beverage, golf, a wellness spa and events. It will operate under an internationally recognised hotel brand, run by a professional hotel operator. The owners are building a financially disciplined, high-performing resort for the long term.

They are appointing a senior finance leader who will report directly to them and own the financial integrity of the reopening and beyond.

The Opportunity

We are seeking an experienced, hands-on hospitality finance leader to prepare the resort financially for reopening and then run its finance function.

Appointed by ownership and reporting directly to ownership, you will protect the owners' financial interests, establish reliable reporting and controls, manage cash requirements and support commercial decisions across rooms, food and beverage, golf, spa and events. You will work closely with the General Manager and the operator to deliver a financially disciplined reopening and to improve the resort's profitability and cash generation.

What You Will Do
1. Lead pre-opening financial management

Prepare and manage the pre-opening budget, covering recruitment, training, systems, marketing, opening inventories, operating supplies and working capital.

Build a monthly operating forecast for the first 24 months, reflecting seasonality, occupancy growth, room rates, departmental revenues, staffing and operating costs.

Assess the financial implications of phased opening, programme delays and changes in operating assumptions, recommending actions and funding requirements.

Work with the Project Manager and Cost Controller to consolidate refurbishment expenditure, contractual commitments, approved variations, payments and the forecast cost to complete.

Establish payment controls requiring appropriate approvals and supporting certification before contractor and consultant payments are released.

Identify and elevate financial risks affecting the opening date, available funding or operating readiness.

2. Build finance systems and controls

Establish the accounting structure and departmental reporting framework, aligned with ownership requirements, the operator's reporting standards and applicable Italian accounting requirements.

Implement and test interfaces and reconciliations between hotel booking, property management, restaurant point-of-sale, inventory, payroll and accounting systems.

Establish procedures for purchasing, supplier onboarding, invoice approval, payments, revenue reconciliation, guest deposits, refunds, credit control and cash handling.

Maintain an approval matrix with clear expenditure limits, bank authorities and segregation of duties.

Establish fixed-asset records and controls over hotel equipment, operating supplies, food and beverage inventories and other material assets.

3. Drive operating finance and commercial performance

Lead annual budgeting, regular forecasting and financial analysis, working with the GM and department heads to set realistic revenue and cost targets.

Monitor profitability across rooms, food and beverage, golf, spa and events, identifying underperformance and recommending corrective action.

Support revenue management and commercial decisions by evaluating pricing, distribution costs, packages, group bookings, events and customer profitability.

Monitor payroll, staffing productivity, food and beverage costs, purchasing, utilities, maintenance and other major expenses.

Assess proposed capital expenditure and operational investments, including expected returns, cash requirements and ongoing operating costs.

Track agreed actions with department heads and report their financial results to ownership, the GM and operator.

4. Manage cash and accounting

Maintain a rolling 13-week cash-flow forecast and longer-term funding projections, highlighting potential shortfalls early.

Manage banking, working capital, receivables, supplier payments and financial commitments within approved authorities.

Oversee general ledger accounting, accounts payable and receivable, payroll coordination, income audit, reconciliations and…