Complex Staff Accountant - Miami Growth - Highgate Hotels

Compensation Type: Yearly Highgate Hotels:

Highgate is a premier real estate investment and hospitality management company widely recognized as an innovator in the industry. Highgate is the dominant player in U.S. gateway markets including New York, Boston, Miami, San Francisco and Honolulu, with a rapidly expanding presence in Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Highgate’s portfolio of global properties represents an aggregate asset value exceeding $20B and generates over $5B in cumulative revenues. The company provides expert guidance through all stages of the hospitality property cycle, from planning and development through recapitalization or disposition. Highgate also has the creativity and bandwidth to develop bespoke hotel brands and utilizes industry leading proprietary revenue management tools that identify and predict evolving market dynamics to drive out performance and maximize asset value. With an executive team consisting of some of the industry’s most experienced hotel management leaders, the company is a trusted partner for top ownership groups and major hotel brands. Highgate maintains corporate offices in London, New York, Dallas, and Seattle.

Overview:

The Staff Accountant is responsible for assisting the Director of Finance in maintaining accurate and timely financial reporting; ensuring acceptable levels of internal control; ensuring compliance with all federal, state, and local regulations and Highgate Hotels Standard Operating Procedures; and safeguarding owners/investors assets. For this role, the emphasis is placed on the management of Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, income audit, and preparation of unit owner statements and distributions.

Responsibilities:

• Prepare and ensure all entries are posted so that financial reports are issued in accordance with Highgate Hotels required due dates.
• Prepare and distribute monthly unit owner financial statements and prepare payments for distribution to the unit owners by required due dates.
• Handle unit owner and hotel ownership inquiries in a professional and timely manner; providing owners with accurate and clear reports, explanations, and statements.
• Reconcile guest charges with the hotel’s restaurant and remit payment monthly by the required due date.
• Submit weekly travel agency commissions to Onyx and ensure payments are funded promptly.
• Reconcile cash and check deposits and prepare daily deposits for the bank. Report any discrepancies to the Director of Finance and the manager of the affected department.
• Process Accounts Payable by reconciling invoices against purchase orders, ledgers, and schedules to ensure accuracy. Remit payments of invoices punctually.
• Process Accounts Receivable payments and ensure the Accounts Receivable ledger is updated timely and accurately.
• Review and verify that daily income audit information entered into the BiPortal is accurate.
• Review the City Ledger transfers daily and communicate to the Director of Finance any deviation from established accounting policies and procedures.
• Verify all required payroll journal entries are posted accurately.
• Assist in gathering information pertaining to credit card charge-back inquiries.
• Attend monthly credit meetings and maintain minutes (including returned checks/chargeback logs, credit trace reports, write-off, bad debt allowances, etc.)
• Monitor guest ledger, advance deposit ledger and any other related ledgers to ensure proper internal control.
• Keep management aware of any unusual operation or financial occurrences and/or significant deviations.
• Assist in the monthly close process by posting journal entries that are related to daily/monthly responsibilities.
• Cross-Train in other areas within the Accounting Department.
• Ability to identify root causes of issues that may affect staff or guests and provide actionable and measurable solutions to improve efficiency, overall work environment, and/or guest experience.

Qualifications:

• Maintain a warm and friendly demeanor at all times.
• Must be able to effectively communicate both verbally and written, with all level of employees and guests in an attentive, friendly, courteous and service oriented manner.
• Must be effective at listening to, understanding, and clarifying concerns raised by employees, guests, and unit owners.
• Must be able to multitask and prioritize departmental functions to meet deadlines.
• Approach all encounters with guests and employees in a professional, attentive, friendly, courteous and service-oriented manner.
• Attend all hotel required meeting and trainings.
• Maintain regular attendance in compliance with Highgate Hotels Standards, as required by scheduling, which will vary according to the needs of the hotel.
• Maintain high standards of personal appearance and grooming.
• Comply with Highgate Hotels Standards and regulations to encourage safe and efficient hotel operations.
• Maximize efforts towards productivity, identify problem areas and assist in implementing solutions.
• Must be effective in handling problems, including anticipating, preventing, identifying and solving problems as necessary.
• Must be able to understand complex information, data, etc. from various sources to meet appropriate objectives.
• Must be able to maintain confidentiality of information.
• Must be able to show initiative, including anticipating guests or operational needs.
• Perform other duties as requested by management.