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Operations Controller
Greater Phoenix, Arizona
Accounting & Finance | Lambert Nemec Group
Position Overview
Are you an operationally minded finance leader who would rather be out on the floor solving problems than parked behind a spreadsheet? A Controller who treats the numbers as a tool for running a better business, not just a monthly report to file?
Lambert Nemec Group has partnered with the ownership of a well established, full service, internationally branded hotel property in the greater Phoenix, Arizona area to recruit an operationally focused Controller. This is a rare chance to lead all financial operations on site for a busy property, with a direct line to ownership and a genuine path to broader leadership.
This is not a back office, numbers only role. Ownership wants a finance leader who is engaged with department heads, visible across the property, and confident enough to set standards and hold the line on them. The right person will earn trust quickly and grow into wider property leadership responsibility over time.
You will report directly to the ownership representative, with a single, clear line of reporting and the mandate to be a trusted, straight-talking voice back to them.
Property Snapshot
• A mid to large sized, full-service hotel with an on-site restaurant and bar, and multiple banquet and meeting spaces
• A sizeable team supporting the property through peak seasonal periods
• An internationally recognized hotel brand, with brand standard systems and reporting requirements
• Payroll and accounting supported through a third-party system
Key Responsibilities
Financial Operations
• Own all day to day accounting and financial reporting for the property, including AP, AR, payroll oversight, and month end close
• Prepare and present timely, accurate financial statements and variance analysis to ownership
• Lead annual budgeting and ongoing forecasting in partnership with department leaders
• Maintain strong internal controls, including cash handling, deposits, and reconciliation across all revenue centers
• Meet brand mandated financial reporting standards and deadlines
Operational Involvement
• Actively manage and control costs across rooms, food and beverage, and banquet operations, working directly with department heads rather than reviewing results after the fact
• Join daily and weekly operations meetings and property walk throughs, bringing a financial lens to operational decisions
• Track key operating metrics, including occupancy, average daily rate, RevPAR, and gross operating profit, and translate them into clear action for department leaders
• Support labor cost management, including scheduling discipline and overtime control, alongside department heads
• Play an active role in capital expenditure tracking and vendor and contract review
Leadership and Team
• Bring structure and tighter controls to payroll and cash handling processes
• Partner with ownership to formalize a clear, measurable incentive and bonus structure
• Build credible working relationships across departments, acting as a trusted partner rather than an outside auditor
• Support and mentor on site accounting and administrative staff, where applicable
• Step into broader operational and leadership responsibility as trust and performance are demonstrated
Ideal Candidate
• Five or more years of accounting or financial management experience, with hotel industry experience strongly preferred
• A track record of being on the floor and engaged with operations, not purely desk bound
• Comfortable in a hands-on, high accountability environment; this is not a nine to five role
• Direct and structured, comfortable enforcing standards rather than prioritizing being liked by staff
• Experience with hotel property management and accounting systems; brand standard reporting experience is a strong asset
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to present financial information clearly to nonfinancial stakeholders
• Career focused and motivated by the opportunity to grow within a property level leadership track
• Post secondary education in accounting, finance, or a related field; CPA or equivalent designation is an asset but not required
Compensation
• Competitive base salary, commensurate with experience in the $100,000-120,000+ range
• Industry leading performance-based bonus up to 50% of base salary, formalized under a clear, ownership approved incentive plan tied to measurable criteria
• A direct line to ownership and a genuine path to broader property leadership
To Apply
Please apply in confidence through LinkedIn or Indeed, or through our website at www.lambertnemec.com. Alternatively, submit your resume (Word format preferred) directly to Nicole Venter at nicole@lambertnemec.com or Lourdes Azpillaga at lourdes@lambertnemec.com, quoting Operational Controller in the subject line.
Selected candidates will be contacted for a confidential discussion. All applications will be handled with strict confidentiality.
To view other opportunities currently available, visit: lambertnemec.com/career-portal