Christopher Siamakanda
Lusaka
Summary
Experienced finance specialist with a robust background in hospitality systems and financial operations. Displays strong numerical skills and keen attention to detail, ensuring accuracy in financial reporting. Skilled in employing Microsoft Office, OPERA, Simphony, Sage, and Pastel accounting tools to improve operational effectiveness. Focused on delivering meaningful solutions through creative problem-solving and effective collaboration.
Overview
15
15
years of professional experience
Work History
Assistant Financial Controller
InterContinental Hotel Lusaka
09.2024 - Current
- Implements robust financial controls and policies, enhancing operational integrity across hotels.
- Oversees cash flow performance through strict inventory and disbursement controls.
- Analysed financial reports for Holiday Inn and InterContinental Hotel, supporting decision-making.
- Assists with internal reporting systems to improve departmental accountability.
- Constantly reviews internal control measures for operations and finance against hotel policies, ensuring compliance.
- Coordinates internal and external audits, maintaining high standards of financial oversight.
- Monitors statutory payments (ie VAT, Tourism Levy and WHT etc) and ensures that monthly account reconciliations are completed.
- Reviews and ensures timely payment of vendors.
- Provides training for staff on financial systems and best practices, fostering competence.
- Experienced with hospitality operating and finance systems (Opera, Simphony, Materials Control, Sage, Pastel) - guarantees strong system controls.
Senior Accountant
Protea Hotels Zambia
11.2023 - 08.2024
- Assists with setup/changes in the system Opera, Simphony, Materials control and Pastel and Sage.
- Supplier reconciliations for all the units.
- Monthly bank reconciliations for all eight hotels.
- Assisting with supplier payments and reconciliations.
- Preparing VAT, PAYE, NHIMA and NAPSA returns and payments
- Management of cashbooks
- Preparation of management accounts
- Supplier reconciliations for all the units.
- Training and ensuring new associates are brought up to speed with the Hotel systems, policies and procedures.
- Check that financial controls are adhered to with regards to receipts from Opera and payments to suppliers.
- Load budgets for the eight units into Pastel.
- Perform other duties as directed by management.
Front Office Manager
Protea Hotel by Marriott Lusaka Tower
04.2022 - 10.2023
- Conduct training for all front office STAFF.
- Participates in the selection of front office personnel.
- Supervises workload during shifts.
- Planning, coordinating, controlling and motivating all front office employees.
- Evaluates the job performance of each front office employees.
- Maintains working relationships and communicates with all departments.
- Verifies that accurate room status information is maintained and properly communicated.
- Resolves guest problems quickly, efficiently, and courteously.
- Updates group information. Maintains, monitors, and prepares group requirements. Relays information to appropriate personnel.
- Management of accounts receivable.
- Works within the allocated budget for the front office.
- Receives information from the previous shift manager and passes on pertinent details to the oncoming manager.
- Checks cashiers in and out and verifies banks and deposits at the end of each shift.
- Enforces all cash-handling, check-cashing, and credit policies.
- Conducts regularly scheduled meetings of front office personnel.
- Prepare performance reports related to front office.
- Maximize room revenue and occupancy by reviewing room status daily. Analyse rate variance, monitor credit report and maintain close observation of daily house count.
- Monitor selling status of house daily.
- Ensure implementation of all hotel policies and procedures.
- Operate all aspects of Front Office computer system, including software maintenance, report generation and analysis, and simple configuration changes.
- Prepare revenue and occupancy forecasting.
- Ensure logging and delivery of all messages, packages, and mail in a timely and professional manner.
- Ensure that employees are, at all times, attentive, friendly, helpful and courteous to all guests, managers and other employees.
- Monitor all V.I.P 's special guests and requests.
- Maintain required pars of all front office and stationary supplies.
- Review daily front office work and activity reports generated by Night Audit.
- Review Front office log book and Guest feedback forms on a daily basis.
- Maintain an organised and comprehensive filing system of purchases, vouchering, schedules, forecasts, reports and tracking logs.
- Perform other duties as requested by management.
Group Internal Auditor
Protea Hotels Zambia
01.2017 - 03.2022
- Helped set up and put together the group internal audit department
- Obtain, analyse and evaluate accounting documentation
- Prepare and present reports that reflect audit’s results and document process
- Identify loopholes and recommend risk aversion and cost saving measures
- Ensure that the Hotel systems are always working properly, and liaising with Micros support to explain and help rectify issues when they arise.
- Check daily revenue reports for all the eight units on a daily basis to validate the figures given
- Ensuring that all the units are always following company procedure when executing their daily duties
- Assist Group Operations Manager in formulating and improving operating procedures
- Ensure correctness of Opera and Simphony stationery ie folios, statements, checks etc
- Monitor movements of the company vehicles via Geotab to ensure they are using authorized routes and not being misused.
- Render assistance to external auditors during annual statutory audits
- Assist in checking the payroll before processing and assess timesheets for absenteeism, sick days taken
- Prepare quarterly tourism levy returns for Zambia Tourism Agency for the entire group
- Monitor stock takes to ensure they are being carried out accordingly
- Assist in budget preparation and input into pastel
- Monitor and analyse management and loyalty member discounts and prepare daily reports for the Group General Manager
- Monitor no shows and cancellations on a daily basis to ensure treatment as per company policy
- Conduct spot check on the units to ensure all reported stock figures are present and that operations are running as per company policy and procedure.
- Managing leases for space rental for the units
- Checking and analysing the food and beverage inventory
- Assessing, analysing and helping manage food and beverage cost of sale and gross profits
- Preparing month end reports for food, beverage and accommodation the units
- Prepare monthly Accounts Receivable (AR) reports for all the units in the group
Accounts Clerk
Protea Hotels by Marriott Zambia
01.2015 - 01.2017
- Preparing payment vouchers with support documents attached
- Posting transactions (cashbook and purchases) in Pastel accounting system and ensuring proper filling of documentation.
- Preparing cheques for supplier payment on a timely basis
- Ensuring timely payment of suppliers and reconciling supplier accounts
- Daily banking of cheques and cash for all the Hotels
- Maintaining the Fixed Asset register
- Monthly bank reconciliation
- Filling of invoices and payment vouchers
- Management of cashbooks
- Petty cash analysis
- Assisting in preparing the payroll preparation.
Night Auditor/ Receptionist
Protea Hotel Livingstone
01.2011 - 01.2015
- Preparing daily returns in Microsoft excel
- Cashiering and billing.
- Making and answering telephone calls in a courteous manner
- Daily Banking and reconciliations
- Receipting authorized cheques from Guests.
- Managing Guest accounts to ensure that they have been correctly charged
- Managing foreign currency transactions to ensure the company/clients do lose out due to exchange rate differences.
- Making reservations
- Ensure all office equipment is in working order every morning
- Creating, updating and checking of Guest profiles in Opera computer system.
- Creating and managing of group and conference bookings.
- Balancing inventory on reservation systems
- Filling of both electronic and manual correspondence and documents
- Issuing and following up on quotations and debtors.
- Dealing with Guests complaints and queries
- Posting transactions to appropriate accounts and invoicing them.
- Ensuring that work done by day shift is as per standard and taking corrective action if not.
- Reconciling of cash and credit card payments on a daily basis
- Running day end procedures and printing reports for all departments for the following day.
- Cashing up all users that did not cash up and following up on outstanding transaction on user accounts.
Education
CA Zambia Advisory(Masters Equivalent) -
Self Study
01.2025
ZICA Licentiate (Degree Equivalent) -
Self Study
01.2017
Pastel Accounting -
NECOR
01.2013
ZICA Technician -
National Institute of Public Administration
01.2010
Computer certificate -
YOCUPA
01.2009
G.C.E Certificate -
Libala High School
01.2007
Skills
- Financial analysis
- Budget management
- Audit coordination
- Inventory control
- Compliance assurance
- Cash flow management
- Month-end closing
- ERP systems expertise
- Statement reconciliation
- General ledger management
- Payment disbursement
- AP/AR Management
- Problem solving
- Accounting systems implementation
- Vendor relations
- Tax compliance
Hobbies and Interests
- Playing chess
- Reading
- Playing/ Watching Soccer
References
- Mr Mohammed Daya, Admin and Finance Manager, Protea Hotels Zambia, 0977 745154
- Ms. Pamela Maambo, Front Office Manager, Protea Hotel Livingstone, 0977 803272
- Mr. Michael Mutwena, Front Office Duty Manager, Protea Hotel Lusaka, 0966 710059
Personal Information
- Date of Birth: 07/04/89
- Gender: Male
- Nationality: Zambian
- Marital Status: Married
Timeline
Assistant Financial Controller
InterContinental Hotel Lusaka
09.2024 - Current
Senior Accountant
Protea Hotels Zambia
11.2023 - 08.2024
Front Office Manager
Protea Hotel by Marriott Lusaka Tower
04.2022 - 10.2023
Group Internal Auditor
Protea Hotels Zambia
01.2017 - 03.2022
Accounts Clerk
Protea Hotels by Marriott Zambia
01.2015 - 01.2017
Night Auditor/ Receptionist
Protea Hotel Livingstone
01.2011 - 01.2015
CA Zambia Advisory(Masters Equivalent) -
Self Study
ZICA Licentiate (Degree Equivalent) -
Self Study
Pastel Accounting -
NECOR
ZICA Technician -
National Institute of Public Administration
Computer certificate -
YOCUPA
G.C.E Certificate -
Libala High School