We invite you to join the world of luxury hospitality at Fairmont Southampton as our new Cost Controller. The Cost Controller reports to the Director, Finance & Business Support and supports the Purchasing Department in establishing and maintaining effective cost control and inventory management systems during the hotel’s pre-opening phase and ongoing operations, with a primary focus on Food & Beverage cost control.
Working closely with the Director of Purchasing, Finance team, and Food & Beverage leadership, this role will be responsible for developing cost control procedures, inventory systems, and reporting processes from the ground up to support the successful reopening of the resort.
This position plays a critical role in ensuring accurate inventory management, effective purchasing controls, and strong financial oversight of Food & Beverage operations within a large, multi-outlet resort environment.
Key Responsibilities
Pre-Opening & Systems Development
- Assist in the setup and configuration of inventory and procurement systems, including GAIA and BirchStreet, for accurate cost control, inventory management, and reporting.
- Develop inventory procedures and documentation for Food & Beverage and operating supplies.
- Support the setup of inventory and cost control systems within hotel software platforms.
- Establish receiving and stock control procedures in coordination with the Director of Purchasing.
- Assist with initial inventory setup and stock organization.
- Work with Food & Beverage leadership to establish recipe and menu costing standards.
- Develop reporting tools and tracking methods for Food & Beverage costs.
- Support procurement tracking during the pre-opening and renovation phases.
Food & Beverage Cost Control
- Monitor and analyze Food & Beverage costs to ensure alignment with budget goals and key performance indicators (KPIs); identify areas for cost improvement.
- Prepare Food & Beverage cost reports and investigate cost variances.
- Review and maintain recipe and menu costing.
- Work closely with Culinary and Food & Beverage leadership to improve cost efficiency and minimize waste.
- Monitor pricing and usage trends.
- Identify cost-saving opportunities and operational improvements.
Inventory & Stock Control
- Establish and maintain inventory control procedures for Food & Beverage and operating supplies.
- Conduct and supervise regular inventory counts including month-end inventories.
- Maintain accurate inventory records and investigate discrepancies.
- Monitor stock levels to ensure operational readiness.
- Ensure proper storage and stock rotation procedures are followed.
- Monitor slow-moving or obsolete inventory.
- Maintain accurate inventory and costing data within the GAIA system.
Purchasing Controls & Compliance
- Work closely with the Director of Purchasing to ensure purchasing procedures are followed.
- Verify that goods received match purchase orders and supplier invoices.
- Monitor supplier pricing and cost fluctuations.
- Ensure proper documentation and approvals for all purchases.
- Support purchasing compliance and internal controls.
Reporting & Analysis
- Develop and maintain Food & Beverage cost reporting.
- Track key performance indicators including Food Cost %, Beverage Cost %, inventory variance, and waste levels.
- Provide cost analysis and recommendations to support operational decision-making.
- Responsible for budgeting and forecasting processes.
- Support month-end inventory reporting and reconciliation.