Task Force Assistant Director of Finance

Compensation Type

Highgate Hotels

Highgate is a leading real estate investment and hospitality management company with over $15 billion of assets under management and a global portfolio of more than 400 hotels spanning North America, Europe, the Caribbean, and Latin America. With a 30-year track record as an innovator in the hospitality industry, this forward-thinking company provides expert guidance through all stages of the property cycle, from planning and development through recapitalization or disposition. Highgate continues to demonstrate success in developing a diverse portfolio of bespoke lifestyle hotel brands, legacy brands, and independent hotels and resorts, featuring contemporary programming and digital acumen. The company utilizes industry-leading revenue management tools that efficiently identify and predict evolving market dynamics to drive outperformance and maximize asset value. With an executive team of seasoned hospitality leaders and corporate offices worldwide, Highgate is a trusted partner for top ownership groups and major hotel brands. www.highgate.com

Location

Highgate Corporate Offices Irving, TX

Overview

The Assistant Director of Finance – Task Force is responsible for providing consistent leadership in the financial area of the hotel by supplying the accounting staff with guidance, leadership, and training. The position is supporting the on-site, permanent Director of Finance and her/his team in all aspects of fiscal management, financial controls, accounting, and financial reporting for the assigned property. This position is remote and requires significant travel across Highgate’s footprint.

Responsibilities

• Assisting Director of Finance in the timely preparation of monthly financial statements for the property.
• Preparing, monitoring, and accurately recording hotel revenues daily by preparing the Income Journal. Identifying all variances to budget and last year.
• Monitoring and controlling hotel operations, cash flow, and operating forecasts for the property.
• Under guidance of the Director of Finance maintaining timely interaction with the Department Heads to ensure that property operations are always on track and under control
• Preparation of monthly bank reconciliations and general ledger account reconciliations for the property
• Supervision of accounting department staff
• Compliance with Highgate Accounting Policies and Procedures and internal controls for our finance and accounting operations
• Effectively managing and communicating issues related to management of receivables, payables, daily cash balances, and timely deposits of all funds.
• Monitoring hotel revenues and expenses and ensuring the accurate recording in accordance with Highgate Hotel’s established guidelines. Investigating and critiquing variances to budget or to prior year and offer practical improvement methodologies to management.
• Analyzing the financial data and operations to assist the Director of Finance and advise Department Heads in maintaining the hotel’s financial objectives.
• Executes other special projects and responsibilities as assigned.
• Assist in ensuring hotels’ compliance on all regulatory licenses and permits, leases, contracts, legal agreements, and the proper execution of all operational taxes. Assist management in enforcing compliance on all these items.
• Comply with Standard Accounting policies and procedures and internal controls for finance and accounting operations.
• Manage staff including hiring and supervision as well as continually focus on training and development programs for accounting associates to cultivate the “brightest” and “best” talent within the industry.
• Monitor hotels’ compliance in meeting required report deadlines and due dates and react accordingly.
• Conduct and/or attend and contribute to periodic meetings to maintain favorable working relationship among team members and promote maximum morale, productivity, and efficiency (Executive Committee, Sales & Service, Credit, etc.).
• Monitor the accurate production of the hotel daily operating report.

Qualifications

• At least 5 years of related progressive experience in hotel Accounting or related field; or a 4-year college degree and a minimum of 2 years of related progressive experience; or a 2-year college degree and a minimum of 4 years of related progressive experience.
• Experience as Assistant Director of Finance at a larger hotel with a decentralized accounting structure is favorable.
• This position is remote and requires up to 90% travel.
• There will be days when working long hours are required.
• Experience in supervising employees required.
• Must have experience in Oracle and IBM TM1 software.
• Must be able to evaluate and select among alternative courses of action quickly and accurately.
• Must be effective in handling problems in the workplace, including anticipating, preventing, identifying, and solving problems, as necessary.
• Must have the ability to assimilate complex information, data, etc., from disparate sources and consider, adjust, or modify to meet the constraints of the need.
• Must be effective at listening to, understanding, and clarifying the concerns and issues raised by teammates and guests.
• Must be able to work with and understand financial information and data, and basic arithmetic functions.