Stephen Muema

Result-driven Hospitality Financial Professional with over 8 years of progressive experience managing revenue operations, credit risk, and income auditing for premium Kenyan hotels. Proven track record in optimizing cash flow, eliminating revenue leakages, and minimizing bad debt exposure. Adept at managing high-volume accounts receivable, leading finance teams, and enforcing tight internal controls to maximize hotel profitability.

Credit Controller and Income Auditor - Glee Hotel Limited

(2024-06)

Oversee hotel credit operations to maximize liquid cash flow.

• Audit daily revenue streams across rooms, food, and beverage outlets
• Manage debt collection workflows to ensure timely corporate payments
• Verify point-of-sale transactions against general ledger postings daily
• Assess credit risks for corporate clients and travel agencies
• Reconcile ledger accounts monthly to guarantee zero financial discrepancies
• Reconcile Property Management Systems (PMS) with Point of Sale (POS) tools
• Review the City Ledger daily to ensure accurate corporate account transfers
• Investigate revenue variances by auditing high-balance accounts and voided transactions
• Generate daily revenue reports detailing occupancy, ADR, and RevPAR metrics
• Enforce credit limit policies by monitoring guest ledgers and PM accounts
• Audit complimentary rooms and entertainment checks for proper management authorization
• Verify statutory tax compliance across daily postings for VAT and catering levies
• Lead monthly credit meetings with heads of departments to review aging debts
• Authorize credit facility suspensions for perennially delinquent corporate accounts

Credit Controller - Gelian and Semara Hotels Machakos Group - Machakos

(2022-04 - 2024-06)

• Evaluating new credit requests and conducting client credit checks
• Managing and collecting debts from company debtors
• Setting up the terms of credit for new clients
• Negotiating payment plans
• Managing the collection of all payments and debts
• Responding to client inquiries
• Processing invoices
• Bank reconciling for the both hotels
• IFMIS system management
• Maintaining and keeping debtors ageing report
• Preparation of weekly, monthly and end year reports for the debtors
• Managing the sales ledger and preparation of production report
• Liaising with customers and the sales team

Revenue Accountant - Nairobi Safari Club - Nairobi

(2021-08 - 2022-04)

• Maintain up-to-date billing system
• Verification of daily night audit reports
• Preparation of daily revenue and payments report
• Reconciliation of credit and Mpesa payments on daily basis
• Generate and send out invoices to our debtors
• Follow up on, collect and allocate payments
• Carry out billing, collection and reporting activities according to specific deadlines
• Perform debtors' accounts reconciliations
• Monitor customer account details for non-payments, delayed payments and other irregularities
• Generate ageing analysis
• Review AR aging to ensure compliance
• Maintain accounts receivable customer files and records
• Follow established procedures for processing receipts
• Prepare bank deposits
• Investigate and resolve customer queries
• Process adjustments and rebates
• Develop a recovery system and initiate collection efforts

Accounts Supervisor - Best Western Plus Meridian Hotel Nairobi - Nairobi

(2018-01 - 2021-05)

• Oversee daily transactions, including accounts payable/receivable, general ledger and bank reconciliations
• Preparing management report for daily revenue and receipts
• Performing spot checks for cash floats in all outlets
• Manage month-end and year-end closing
• Monitor the daily performance of the accounting department
• Organize financial data into useable information and maintain updated records
• Track the progress of financial and accounting objectives
• Establish accounting policies and procedures, aligned with company's targets
• Performing spot checks of bar stocks in the bars
• Credit card posting and reconciliation
• Credit card allocation in the system and posting of the commission
• Processing credit card refunds to the guest
• Keeping track of credit and debtors ageing reports

Accounts Receivable Assistant - Best Western Plus Meridian Hotel Nairobi - Nairobi

(2018-01 - 2021-05)

• Maintain up-to-date billing system
• Generate and send out invoices to our debtors
• Follow up on, collect and allocate payments
• Carry out billing, collection and reporting activities according to specific deadlines
• Perform account reconciliations
• Monitor customer account details for non-payments, delayed payments and other irregularities
• Research and resolve payment discrepancies
• Generate ageing analysis
• Review AR aging to ensure compliance
• Maintain accounts receivable customer files and records
• Follow established procedures for processing receipts
• Prepare bank deposits
• Investigate and resolve customer queries
• Process adjustments
• Develop a recovery system and initiate collection efforts

Night Auditor - Best Western Plus Meridian Hotel Nairobi - Nairobi

(2018-01 - 2021-05)

• Perform adjustments and corrections and rectify all computer problems that occur during night shifts
• Operate front office operating system to generate revenue and expenses reports in the form of the Guest Ledger Summary and the Daily Restaurant Summary
• Prepare daily reports of all revenue and settlement accounts every night and file up details for reference
• Administer and reset accounting system for all new operations
• Attend any guest calls and ensure compliance to all rules
• Identify and resolve all guest complaints and problems to facilitate maximum comfort for guests
• Develop goals based on occupancy and average rate to offer superior quest service for every guest
• Ensure proper maintenance of credit and accounting procedures
• Develop and implement new methods to streamline and optimize operations
• Monitoring the PMs and making sure no PMs are kept pending for a longer period

Graduate Trainee and Accounts Assistant - Bandari Chemist and Pharmaceuticals Ltd

(2017-02 - 2017-12)

• Purchase supplies and equipment as authorized by management
• Monitor office supply levels and reorder as necessary
• Recording and keeping fixed assets register
• Pay supplier invoices in a timely manner
• Take all reasonable discounts on supplier invoices
• Pay any debt as it comes due for payment and monitor debt
• Issue invoices to credit customers
• Ensure that receivables are collected promptly
• Record cash receipts and make bank deposits
• Conduct a monthly reconciliation of every bank account
• Conduct periodic reconciliations of all accounts to ensure their accuracy
• Calculate and issue financial analysis of the financial statements
• Maintain an orderly accounting filing system
• Maintain the chart of accounts
• Maintain the annual budget
• Calculate variances from the budget and report significant issues to management
• Provide clerical and administrative support to management as requested

Bachelor of Commerce - Finance - University of Nairobi (2012 - 2016)

Kenya Certificate of Secondary School Education (KCSE) - Nzambani Boys Secondary School (2008 - 2011)

Kenya Certificate of Primary Schools (KCPE) - Kivumbuni Primary School (2000 - 2007)