Director of Finance/Accounting, Resorts & Lodging

About Us
Herschend is the world’s largest family-owned themed attractions company, with 12,000 passionate hosts collectively hosting 15 million families each year.

The heart of Herschend’s success has long been the world-renowned hospitality that’s rooted in our DNA. We call it Heartspitality®. It’s a unique culture that blends our ethos of Leading with Love and our purpose of Bringing Families Closer Together by Creating Memories Worth Repeating® to create real impact and joy that spreads through our hosts to our guests and out into our communities.

Herschend’s portfolio of more than two dozen beloved family entertainment and lodging brands across North America includes iconic award-winning destinations such as Dollywood® Parks & Resorts, Silver Dollar City® Company, Adventure Aquarium®, Callaway Resort & Gardens®, Kentucky Kingdom Theme & Water Park®, Newport Aquarium®, The Vancouver Aquarium®, Dolly Parton’s SongTeller Hotel ™, and Wild Adventures®. In addition to its premier themed attractions, Herschend is proud to steward the World-Famous Harlem Globetrotters® legacy and provide immersive content and experiences through our Herschend Entertainment Studios® and Pink Adventure Tours® brands.

As an equal-opportunity employer, we strive to provide environments where every host, guest, and partner feel welcome, valued, and loved. We firmly believe that words and actions matter, which is why all individuals are to be treated equally and with respect.

Summary of Essential Functions & Responsibilities

• Strategic Insights
  • Oversee Resorts & Lodging properties' financial performance and report to key stakeholders in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), Uniform System of Accounts for the Lodging Industry (USALI), applicable laws and regulations, and Company accounting standards.
  • Support efforts to identify, monitor, and, where appropriate, mitigate areas of financial risk.
  • Oversee the administration of Resorts & Lodging property finance operations to include, but not limited to, financial reporting, systems management, budget and forecasting, and meeting facilitation and participation.
• Property Level Oversight 
  
  • Work with property finance and accounting leaders to maximize financial and operational growth through oversight of financial strategies, policies, controls, and systems.
  • Train and develop property finance and accounting leaders to ensure accuracy, compliance, and efficiency.
  • Review and monitor Resorts & Lodging property annual budgets for deviations from approved budgets.
  • Develop period end profit and loss statement reviews with property finance leaders that are consistent across the Resorts & Lodging division.
  • Identify and improve business processes and support critical business strategies while working to transition financials to USALI formatting.
  • Act as a trusted advisor to Resorts & Lodging division leadership and finance/accounting leaders offering financial expertise and insights.
  • Work with ownership and senior management on special projects as requested.
• Integrated Planning and Financial Modeling
  
  • Partner with property finance leaders to build and deliver budgets and strategic plans, on time and with accuracy.
  • Develop enterprise dashboard and key performance indicator (KPI) solutions which allow Resort & Lodging division leaders, property leaders, and finance leaders access to real time performance data.
  • Leverage data analytics to provide actionable insights to Resorts & Lodging division leadership.
• Data-Driven Analytics and Decision Making
  
  • Lead periodic reviews with property finance leaders of internal controls of revenues, expenses, assets, and liabilities. 
  • Analyze industry, market, and property trends and make informed actionable recommendations to property finance leaders identifying potential areas of operational enhancements.
• Resorts & Lodging Divisional Leadership and Tactical Functions
  • Ensure Herschend financial policies and procedures are followed and consistent across properties.
  • Update and implement Resorts & Lodging-specific financial policies and procedures.
  • Ensure reporting standardization and consistent data flow for financial information for all Resorts & Lodging properties.
  • Maintain financial integrity of Resorts & Lodging audits, controls, and risk management
  • Indirectly oversee the Finance/Accounting leader at each hotel/resort.
  • Serve as a technical accounting expert and resource to the finance/accounting leader at all resort properties.
  • Support due diligence activities as assigned.
  • Act as Subject Matter Expert (SME) in Resorts & Lodging financial and operational systems and processes. Be a resource to property and corporate accounting to ensure internal controls and problem solve and troubleshoot errors and issues.

Management reserves the right to change and/or add to these duties at any time.

Education and Experience Required

• Undergraduate degree in Accounting, Business, Finance or related field required.
• Minimum 10 years’ experience and a minimum of 5 years’ experience in the hospitality and lodging industry.
• MBA and/or professional accreditation highly desirable.
• Experience in hiring, training, leading, and evaluating a team of five or more is required.
• Expert in Excel; experience in extracting and analyzing large data sets from multiple source systems.
• Prior Opera, ProfitSword, and/or Hotel Effectiveness experience a plus.
• Valid Tennessee driver’s license and proof of insurance is required.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

• Must be detail-oriented with strong organizational, analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Strong planning and project management skills required.
• Ability to adapt to changing business environment required.
• Ability to demonstrate flexible leadership styles to meet the needs of the situation.
• Consultative and participative decision-making skills required.
• Demonstrate knowledge and support Company policies and procedures, goals, core values, and mission statement.
• Must have strong communication and interpersonal skills; ability to work across all levels of the organization as a valued business partner
• Must be self-motivated and disciplined with the ability to prioritize and complete work assignments on a timely basis.
• Must maintain strict confidentiality and judgment regarding privileged information.
• Must be committed to continuous improvement.
• Must have a professional appearance with good personal hygiene.
• Must be sensitive to the needs of our internal and external guests and feel empowered to act to meet those needs within company guidelines.
• Must maintain dependable work attendance and flexibility with assigned work schedules including any required overtime, evenings, weekends, and holidays.
• This is a hybrid position with remote work and presence at the properties required.
• Approximately 10-20% travel is required.