Director of Finance and Business Support (Pre-Opening)

Director of Finance & Business Support (Pre-Opening) – Hotel Indigo Melbourne Little Collins and Holiday Inn Melbourne Bourke Street

One of Melbourne’s most iconic CBD arcades is fast transforming into a landmark retail and holiday destination. The redevelopment of "Melbourne Walk" Arcade will soon see IHGs first Australian dual-branded hotel project. Nestled in the heart of Melbourne's vibrant CBD, this project combines the boutique charm of Hotel Indigo with the modern comfort of Holiday Inn, offering a unique blend of hospitality experiences across 452 rooms.

Open the door into Hotel Indigo and guests can expect local character, modern design and warm, professional service with a vibrant and individual flavour, bringing the edgy laneway neighbourhood of Little Collins Street to life. Making the most of the retail haven, Holiday Inn will offer a modern, fresh and friendly stay for a wide variety of guests coming to enjoy the convenience and value they know and love from Holiday Inn, and all that Bourke Street Mall has to offer.

We are on the lookout for a Director of Finance & Business Support to lead the financial strategy and operations across these flagship properties. The ideal candidate will partner with the General Manager and senior leadership team to drive financial performance, ensure compliance with financial regulations, and support the overall business objectives.

A little taste of your day-to-day

Every day is different, but as part of the pre-opening team, you will play a key role in ensuring this new hotel is ready to welcome its first guests, including:

• Financial Leadership: Provide strategic financial leadership and direction to the finance and leadership, ensuring alignment with the hotel’s financial goals and objectives.
• Budgeting & Forecasting: Lead the budgeting and forecasting processes, ensuring accuracy and timeliness. Monitor financial performance and provide insights and recommendations to optimize profitability.
• Financial Reporting: Oversee the preparation of monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reports. Ensure accurate and timely financial reporting to hotel owners and IHG Support Centre. 
• Compliance & Controls: Ensure compliance with all local, state, and federal financial regulations. Maintain robust internal controls and procedures to safeguard assets and ensure the integrity of financial information.
• Cost Management: Identify and implement cost-saving initiatives while maintaining quality standards. Analyse financial data to identify trends and opportunities for efficiency improvements.
• Team Development: Lead, mentor, and develop the finance team. Foster a culture of continuous learning and professional growth.
• Collaboration: Work closely with General Manager and department heads to support business strategies and financial decision-making. Collaborate with the regional and corporate finance teams on financial planning and analysis.

What we need from you

This role is pivotal to the success of our hotel opening and operation, in a highly competitive market, so to see this through we’re looking for a talented professional with the perfect blend of strategic vision, operational expertise, people leadership, and extensive financial expertise and business acumen. 

In addition, you will possess:

• Ability to work autonomously and manage workload and key deliverables within a project opening timeline.
• High level communication and relationship management skills, collaborating with a wide variety of stakeholders, both internal and external.
• Strong business acumen and knowledge of financial management principles, budgeting, forecasting, and financial analysis.
• Proficiency in financial software systems and Microsoft Office Suite.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a high attention to detail.
• Capacity to build and lead a high-performing finance team and commitment to developing and coaching hotel leaders on financial practices and processes. 
• Extensive experience within hotel operations in a senior finance role and (ideally) prior involvement in a pre-opening.
• Experience working in a multi-property or cluster environment is highly desirable.
• Tertiary education within a Business, Finance, Accounting or related field (preferred). A Master’s degree or CPA/CA qualification is preferred.

What you can expect from us

Not only will you benefit from a truly unique and career-defining opportunity as part of this exciting hotel opening, working with a talented and experienced General Manager and New Hotel Openings team, but you’ll receive a competitive salary that rewards all your hard work and a wide range of benefits designed to help you live your best work life – including, impressive room discounts and some of the best training in the business.

Most importantly, your career journey will be supported through our lifelong development programs, IHG career milestone celebrations, and transfer of leave entitlements as you move and grow with IHG.

Our mission is to welcome everyone and create inclusive teams where we celebrate differences and encourage colleagues to bring their whole selves to work. IHG Hotels & Resorts provides equal employment opportunities to applicants and employees without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, or disability. We promote a culture of trust, support, and acceptance. Always welcoming different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. 

So, join us and you’ll become part of our ever-growing global family.