Senior Manager, Hotel Collections

Our Finance team serves as a critical business partner responsible for managing all global activities related to financial performance, accounting, tax, forecasting, risk management, and asset management.  Within Finance, Hilton Accounting and Finance Services (HAFS) manages the accounting and finance functions, both on property and at corporate, allowing us to develop scalable, global processes.  Under HAFS, Finance and Accounting Team Members have the chance for growth and the ability to spend more time on strategic, high value work.

What will I be doing?

You will assume responsibility for leading the OTC Hotel collections, function within Hilton’s Glasgow Team. You will play a significant part in developing and implementing OTC strategy for Hilton within the UK ensuring alignment with the OTC function.  It is expected that you work closely with, advise and provide recommendations to Hilton’s leadership on optimum delivery solutions which can be expected from a progressive upper quartile Order to Cash service.

The ability to lead and support successful Change Management programs is considered essential to the success of the role, as is the effective management of the team and relationships internally with Senior Stakeholders and 3rd Parties. You will be also responsible for managing and developing Team Leaders and Managers as well as representing the function to Hilton Leadership.

Under the direction and guidance of OTC leadership, you will be instrumental in developing and delivering strategies ensuring Hilton’s Glasgow Team delivers a seamless, efficient and customer focused experience which maximises on output without compromising the quality of service. The ability to maximise the receivables cash cycle is considered essential.

An ability to manage multiple tasks and deliver to tight deadlines are considered essential elements of this role. You will possess the capacity to effectively contribute towards a strong customer-focused ethos while ensuring that a robust control environment is maintained. 

Essential Functions

·        Lead the design and implementation of target driven collections activities across hotel collections team

·        Review existing collections processes to establish more efficient ways of performing the monthly cycle

·        Drive analytical review to tailor collections to the most efficient process across of Regions/Hotels/Customers

·        Implement target driven delivery of collections activities across OTC Hotel team

·        Support Director, OTC & provide direction to the OTC Managers in influencing and motivating the team, with the goal of ensuring all the functions tasks are performed in the most efficient and effective way

·        Lead and motivate the day-to-day activities of the teams to deliver efficient services, with a customer focused approach

·        Provide support to the wider OTC strategy contributing to the transition of hotel collections

·        Influence and motivate OTC Team Members to ensure all function tasks are performed in the most efficient and effective way whilst maintaining customer focus and meeting targets

·        Provide guidance and direction on how to manage the collections team’s tasks and performance to direct reports by establishing clear goals strategies and priorities for the function

·        Support the team with escalation of large debt amounts / past due account to RFDs/DFS and other stakeholders

·        Lead continual reviews of processes to ensure the team are delivering the most efficient and effective service to customers

·        Support the Managers & TLs with the process efficiency reviews ensuring qualitative and cost benefits are accurately calculated and reported with each suggestion made

·        Identify and establish strong relationships with key business stakeholders including but not limited to Hotel GMs, Sales Teams, Operations Finance & other Finance teams encouraging solid partnerships

·        Pro actively forge and maintain strong relationships with Hotels and key customers

·        Actively seek and utilize feedback from stakeholders using this to enhance the service delivery of the OTC team

·        Make recommendations & present cases for progressing further actions & next steps on specific collections cases

·        Strong presentation skills enabling sound delivery of Collections calls & other stakeholder related calls

·        Lead the delivery of monthly AR collections process across the relevant regions, ensuring all stakeholders are fully engaged and aligned with OTC

·        Continually review SLA/OLA and other service measures with other HAFS teams and Operations Finance deliverables

·        Ensure all 3rd party contracts and agreements are reviewed and renegotiated as required to ensure Hilton are receiving the best service possible

·        Encourage the team to explore and suggest automation opportunities with repetitive tasks driving their development in the collation and implementation by including them in the planning and design phases

·        Represent Glasgow OTC and wider OTC team on key projects

·        Support annual audit programmes ensuring all back up and documentation retained is stored in an effective manner and responses to auditors are provided in a timely and accurate manner

·        Ensure the privacy and security of all confidential and owner/hotel specific information

·        Build, develop and maintain relationships across other Finance Towers supporting the delivery of the HAFS service

·        Work with the team to ensure they are utilising the most effective means of recovery, both internally and externally

·        Lead performance reviews for Mangers, Senior Analysts & Analysts, and drive the wider team’s providing direction & supporting development and building competence with relevant employees through training, best practice sharing etc

·        Ownership for ensuring team are completing monthly BS reconciliation process providing direction and support with variance resolution

·        Willingness to support business hours of regions supported by the team if required

What are we looking for?

You will be able to demonstrate the following experience and Skills:

·        Ability to work to tight timelines whilst overseeing function performance and controls

·        Strong track record with leading delivery of process refinements to enhance service offering

·        Previous implementation & leadership of service delivery targets to monitor and improve collections performance

·        Able to handle multiple demands from various stakeholders prioritizing effectively & supporting your management team to do the same

·        Prior experience in leading and directing senior level meetings ensuring all parties are engaged and on board with actions being taken

·        Strong leadership skills with experience of performance management & development of Team Leader/Manager level TMs

·        Experienced critical thinker who use both quantitative and qualitative analytical skills including logic and reasoning to identify, and support others to identify, the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems

·        Strong analytical and technical skills with exposure to general ledger accounting and reconciliations with the ability to lead & support others in this field

·        Ability to exercise sound judgment, critical thinking, quantitative & qualitative analytical and decision-making skills to consider the relative costs and benefits of potential actions and to provide recommendations for optimal solutions

·        Strong inter-personal & influencing skills with ability to build and maintain effective working relationships with internal/external stakeholders

·        Ability to identify financial issues, recommend and execute mitigating actions

·        Sound knowledge of finance modules of an ERP system such as Oracle, PeopleSoft, Navision

·        Experience in identification and delivery of process improvement, refinement and automation opportunities

·        Language skills would be advantageous

Direct reports:

·        Managers, OTC hotel collections

·        Senior Analysts, OTC hotel collections

·        Analysts, OTC hotel collections

Required Qualifications & Experience:

Required

·        High school/GED

·        Demonstrate a proven track record of leadership/management level experience

·        Extensive professional experience

·        Demonstrate a proven track record of collections management experience

·        Prior experience in process review and refinement

·        Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Word, and Outlook

Preferred

·        Batchelor’s degree

·        Six Sigma/LEAN experience

What benefits will I receive?

Your benefits will include a competitive starting salary and holiday entitlement. As an employee you will become a member of the Go Hilton Team Member Travel Program, which provides reduced hotel room rates for you, your family & friends We look forward to explaining in detail the range of excellent benefits that you would expect from a global hotel organization like Hilton.