Financial Controller – Resort Finance Leader

About the role

The Financial Controller will lead the finance function of The Residence Zanzibar resort, partnering with the General Manager and department heads to ensure financial integrity, regulatory compliance and commercial performance. This senior leadership position is responsible for delivering accurate reporting, controlling costs and safeguarding assets across all resort operations.

Key responsibilities

• Direct the Resort Accounting Department, preparing monthly financial statements in line with IFRS and Tanzanian statutory requirements.
• Lead budgeting, forecasting and variance analysis, presenting management accounts and KPI dashboards to senior leadership.
• Implement cost‑control measures across food & beverage, labour, supplies and utilities to protect margins.
• Design and maintain internal control frameworks, ensure tax compliance and coordinate internal and external audits.
• Manage daily cash flow, foreign‑exchange exposure, banking relationships and capital‑expenditure approvals.
• Develop and mentor the finance team, providing financial literacy training to department managers.

Required profile

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance or related field; CPA, ACCA or CIMA qualification preferred.
• Minimum 5 years progressive finance experience, including at least 3 years as a Controller in an international luxury hotel or resort.
• Strong knowledge of IFRS, Tanzanian tax legislation and hospitality‑specific accounting practices.
• Proven ability to produce accurate financial reports, budgets and forecasts in a multi‑revenue‑stream environment.

Required skills

• Advanced proficiency with hotel PMS and ERP systems such as Opera, Sun Systems or Sage.
• Expertise in applying IFRS standards and local tax regulations.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving capabilities to translate financial data into actionable business insights.