Vice President, Operational Finance

We’re looking for enthusiastic, fun, and energetic people who take the work seriously, but not themselves. Let’s see if we’re a fit.

About the role

This executive leadership role, based in Tampa, Florida, reports directly to the Chief Financial Officer and provides strategic financial oversight for a diverse hospitality portfolio that includes branded hotels (Autograph Collection, Tribute Portfolio, Marriott), independent and lifestyle properties, and vacation rentals.

The Vice President, Operational Finance leads the operational finance function across the portfolio, partnering closely with Operations, Sales, and Marketing teams to drive business performance. The role focuses on strengthening financial results through forecasting, budgeting, financial analysis, process improvement, and performance management. It also serves as a key liaison between property leadership, ownership groups, and corporate stakeholders, translating complex financial information into clear, actionable insights.

The ideal candidate is internally motivated, highly collaborative, an exceptional communicator, and results-oriented with an energetic disposition and a passion for delivering superior service.

Responsibilities

• Establish and maintain positive, collaborative working relationships across all teams while providing strategic financial leadership related to short-term and long-term business goals, forecasting, budgeting, and variance analysis.
• Challenge existing strategies and recommend alternative approaches to continually improve property performance, profitability, and operational effectiveness.
• Identify and implement process improvement opportunities related to financial controls, expense management, reporting, and operational efficiency.
• Review financial reports and performance metrics to identify trends, competitive positioning, performance against strategic objectives, and changes in the business environment.
• Utilize analytical tools and key performance indicators to proactively identify and address risks and opportunities.
• Review monthly financial statements prior to distribution, questioning and challenging results where appropriate, with a focus on labor costs, operating expenses, revenue trends, and profitability.
• Translate operating results into timely, actionable insights for hotel leadership teams, ownership groups, investors, and asset managers.
• Lead the annual budget process for managed hotels, including the development of budget guidelines, timelines, assumptions, and supporting processes.
• Oversee forecasting processes across the portfolio, ensuring accuracy, accountability, and alignment with business objectives.
• Conduct property visits and lead special projects to address operational challenges, identify best practices, and support hotel teams in achieving financial and operational goals.
• Champion and support the implementation of technology solutions, financial systems, and process improvements that enhance visibility, efficiency, reporting accuracy, and decision-making.
• Ensure consistency across the portfolio in financial reporting standards, reporting timelines, accounting practices, and operational finance processes.
• Perform and oversee balance sheet reconciliation reviews to ensure accounts are properly supported, reconciled, and cleared in a timely manner.
• Provide oversight of internal controls and financial governance processes to safeguard company assets and maintain compliance with corporate standards.
• Play a key leadership role in hotel transitions, acquisitions, openings, and conversions, ensuring all Finance and Accounting functions are properly established, documented, and operational.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with hotel owners, investors, lenders, asset managers, and business partners while serving as a trusted financial advisor and representative of Mainsail.
• Drive business performance by leveraging talent, organizational systems, and succession planning strategies to strengthen the finance leadership bench and support the evolving needs of the portfolio.
• Coach, mentor, and develop property finance leaders and team members, providing guidance on technical accounting matters, operational finance challenges, leadership development, and performance management.
• Support talent acquisition, onboarding, training, and development initiatives for finance and accounting professionals throughout the portfolio.
• Travel as required to support managed hotels, oversee financial operations, conduct audits and reviews, provide leadership support, and temporarily assist with coverage for open finance leadership positions.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Hospitality, or a related field preferred.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in a multi-property finance leadership role within the hospitality industry.
• Experience overseeing both decentralized and centralized finance teams preferred.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with experience working effectively across all levels of management, external partners, hotel owners, investors, and asset managers.
• Demonstrated ability to assess and understand a variety of internal and external economic and financial factors affecting business performance; analyze data; forecast future trends; and develop effective financial plans.
• Ability to foster trust and candor, navigate conflict constructively, and communicate ideas and concerns directly without damaging relationships.
• Proven problem solver with an entrepreneurial spirit and ability to support, manage, and drive positive organizational change.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications.
• Experience with hospitality technology platforms is highly preferred (e.g., Opera, Micros POS, Marriott International platforms, ProfitSword, Hotel Effectiveness, Data Plus, AvidXchange, Workday).

Physical Demands

• Must be able to sit for extended periods of time.
• The ability to frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.