Internal Control Manager

The Internal Control Manager will be responsible for establishing, documenting, maintaining, and continuously improving internal controls for Asia and the Group. The role exists to strengthen governance, improve consistency and proactively manage Internal Audit (IA) requirements.

This role will act as the central point of ownership for internal controls for Asia and the Group, ensuring controls are clearly documented, tested, implemented, monitored, and kept up to date. The position is critical in reducing repeat audit findings, clearing outstanding IA issues, and ensuring the region stays ahead of audit expectations while supporting operational efficiency. Where automation is feasible, the Internal Control Manager is to work with relevant project team members to ensure internal controls are maintained or enhanced with the automation.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Internal Controls & Governance

• Document all key financial and operational controls across Asia and coordinate with other regions to ensure consistency.
• Review, update, and maintain Asian hotel policies and procedures to ensure it reflects current processes and best practice and are aligned with Global Policies and Procedures.
• Design and implement new or improved controls where gaps or weaknesses are identified
• Ensure controls are practical, scalable, and aligned with hotel operations rather than overly burdensome.
• Ensure compliance with relevant GAAP/reporting requirements and group policies.
• Partner with HR, Legal and/or Global Finance on compliance areas (GDPR, employment documentation, mandatory trainings, new policies & procedures).
• Monitor changes in regulatory requirements and update controls accordingly.

Control Testing & Monitoring

• Review hotels compliance checklist, spot check on declared items and follow up on gaps.
• Perform regular testing of internal controls to confirm they are operating effectively.
• Carry out spot checks and targeted reviews across hotels to identify issues early.
• Track control failures, root causes, and remediation actions.
• Establish a sustainable monitoring framework to ensure ongoing compliance.
• Conduct periodic risk assessments across hotel operations.
• Maintain and update financial/operational risk register, where appropriate.
• Partner with leadership to assess the impact of emerging risks (fraud, cyber, compliance, regulatory).
• Ensure mitigating actions are assigned, tracked, and completed.

Internal Audit Management

• Act as the primary liaison with Internal Audit for Asia region.
• Coordinate internal audits, manage requests, and ensure timely and accurate responses.
• Own the remediation of IA findings and ensure issues are fully cleared and do not recur.
• Proactively identify potential audit risks and address them before audits take place.

Continuous Improvement

• Identify opportunities to simplify processes while maintaining strong controls.
• Benchmark practices in Asia against other regions to drive best practice and consistency.
• Support the region in moving from a reactive audit environment to a proactive, trusted control environment.
• Provide recommendations to regional and group leadership on control improvements and risk mitigation.
• Work with IT and Finance Systems teams to ensure proper user access controls and segregation of duties.
• Review access rights regularly and ensure timely removal of leavers.
• Support implementation of system-based controls and automation opportunities.
• Validate the control impact of system changes, upgrades, or new-interface implementations.

Stakeholder Support & Training

• Work closely with hotel finance teams, hotel managers, and regional leadership.
• Provide guidance and training to ensure understanding and consistent application of controls.
• Build trust with operational teams by acting as a partner rather than an enforcer.
• Facilitate cross property knowledge sharing and best practice forums.
• Support onboarding of hotel finance leaders by training them on controls.

Experience and Skills:

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or a related field.
• 4-6 years of progressive experience in audit, finance operations with experience in hotel industry preferred.
• Strong understanding of finance and accounting principles, controls, and regulatory requirements.
• Proven experience in internal controls, internal audit, or risk management
• Experience documenting processes and controls and translating them into clear manuals or guidance.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills; ability to work effectively with technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• High attention to detail, with strong problem-solving and critical-thinking capabilities.
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Demonstrates the highest level of personal integrity and professional ethics.
• Experience working in a multinational or matrixed organization.
• Audit and/or operational Finance experience in hotel industry.
• Knowledge of cross functional systems and processes.