Complex Director of Finance - The Clift Royal Sonesta

We’re People People. Are you?

We’re Sonesta International Hotels—the 8th largest hotel company in the U.S. (and growing fast 🚀).

With a dynamic mix of full-service and focused hotels across major cities, our diverse portfolio of owned, managed, and franchised properties means we’re everywhere our guests need us to be.

But here’s the thing—we’re not just in the business of hotels, we’re in the business of people. We bring service with passion, loyalty with purpose, and create experiences that genuinely connect—delivering quality, value, and memorable stays across 1,000+ properties in eight countries (and counting).

What this role is all about

The Clift Royal Sonesta San Francisco & Sonesta Emeryville – San Francisco Bay Area

The Complex Director of Finance provides strategic financial leadership and oversight for two Bay Area hotels: approximately 90% of the role supports The Clift Royal Sonesta San Francisco, with approximately 10% supporting Sonesta Emeryville.

This position serves as a key member of the hotel executive leadership team and is responsible for safeguarding hotel assets, maintaining strong internal controls, ensuring accurate financial reporting, and providing meaningful financial analysis to support operational and business decisions. The successful candidate will have significant hotel finance leadership experience and demonstrated experience working in a unionized environment.

What you’ll be doing

• Key Responsibilities
  • Lead the day-to-day finance and accounting functions for both properties, with primary responsibility for The Clift Royal Sonesta San Francisco.
  • Prepare, review, and analyze monthly financial statements, forecasts, budgets, cash-flow projections, and other financial reports.
  • Provide timely financial guidance and business insights to the General Managers, department leaders, ownership representatives, and corporate finance partners.
  • Partner with hotel leadership to identify revenue opportunities, manage expenses, improve profitability, and achieve financial goals.
  • Lead the annual budgeting and forecasting processes for both hotels.
  • Monitor labor costs, productivity, payroll, benefits, and other employment-related expenses in a unionized hotel environment.
  • Interpret and administer the financial provisions of applicable collective bargaining agreements, including wage increases, benefit contributions, retroactive payments, and other contractual obligations.
  • Partner with Human Resources and operational leaders to ensure union-related payroll and benefit practices are accurate, consistent, and compliant.
  • Establish and maintain effective internal controls to protect hotel assets and ensure compliance with company policies and generally accepted accounting principles.
  • Oversee accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, income audit, general accounting, credit and collections, purchasing controls, and cash-management activities.
  • Ensure the timely and accurate completion of balance-sheet reconciliations, journal entries, month-end and year-end closing processes, and required reporting.
  • Coordinate internal and external audits and promptly address any findings or control deficiencies.
  • Ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, and local tax, wage-and-hour, financial-reporting, record-retention, and regulatory requirements.
  • Review contracts, capital expenditures, purchasing practices, and financial commitments for appropriate authorization and business value.
  • Recruit, train, develop, and lead finance team members while promoting accountability, accuracy, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
  • Visit and support Sonesta Emeryville as business needs require.
  • Perform other duties and special projects as assigned.

• Required Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
  • At least five years of progressively responsible accounting or finance experience, including leadership experience within a full-service hotel or hospitality environment.
  • Previous experience supporting a unionized hotel or workplace is required.
  • Demonstrated knowledge of collective bargaining agreements and their impact on payroll, wages, benefits, staffing, and labor costs.
  • Strong knowledge of hotel financial operations, budgeting, forecasting, internal controls, financial reporting, and profit-and-loss analysis.
  • Experience managing month-end closing, balance-sheet reconciliations, audits, payroll controls, accounts payable, accounts receivable, and cash management.
  • Strong analytical, organizational, leadership, and problem-solving skills.
  • Ability to explain complex financial information clearly to operational leaders and other non-financial stakeholders.
  • High level of integrity, discretion, accuracy, and attention to detail.
  • Ability to manage competing priorities and meet deadlines in a fast-paced, multi-property environment.
  • Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Excel and experience using hotel accounting, payroll, and property-management systems.

• Preferred Qualifications

  • Previous Director of Finance or Complex Director of Finance experience in an upscale, lifestyle, luxury, or full-service hotel.
  • Experience supporting more than one hotel or business unit.
  • Experience with multiple bargaining units or collective bargaining agreements.
  • CPA, CMA, MBA, or other relevant professional certification.
  • Experience working in the San Francisco Bay Area hospitality market.

• Work Location and Schedule

  This is an on-site leadership position based primarily at The Clift Royal Sonesta San Francisco, with one day travel to Sonesta Emeryville. The approximate allocation of responsibilities is 90% at The Clift and 10% at Sonesta Emeryville; however, this allocation may vary based on business needs. The position requires flexibility to work extended hours, weekends, or holidays when necessary to support hotel operations, audits, budgeting, month-end closing, and other critical business activities.

Anticipated Pay Range & Additional Job Information

Salary range for this role is $180K - $200K annually & is bonus eligible. Base pay offered may vary depending on various factors including but not limited to job related knowledge, skills and job specific experience/overall experience.

How we reward you

At Sonesta, we know showing up for our guests starts with showing up for our people. That means supporting your health, your financial future, and everything in between. 

Here’s a snapshot of what we offer: 

• Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance  

• Health Savings Account (HSA) with Company Match  

• 401(k) Retirement Plan with Company Match  

• Paid Vacation & Sick Time  

• Paid Parental Leave  

• Company-Paid Life Insurance  

• Company-Paid Short-Term & Long-Term Disability  

• Hospital Indemnity, Critical Illness & Accident Insurance  

• Educational Assistance  

• Sonesta Hotel Discounts (yes, you’ll want to use these ✈️)  

• Additional Perks & Employee Discounts 
  
  

Our Commitment to You

Sonesta is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Before You Apply

To be considered, please complete the full application in addition to submitting your resume. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.