Accounting Manager - Construction & Development

Compensation Type: Yearly 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. 

Location:

Overview:

The Accounting Manager will oversee the day-to-day accounting operations for the Construction & Development division, ensuring accurate financial reporting, strong internal controls, and effective project accounting practices. This role partners closely with operational and project teams to support business growth, enhance reporting capabilities, and drive process improvements for new development and renovation projects. This position is an onsite position based from the offices in Fargo, ND.

Responsibilities:

• Oversee day-to-day accounting operations for the Construction & Development division, including new development and renovation projects.
• Manage monthly, quarterly, and year-end close processes, ensuring timely and accurate financial reporting.
• Maintain job costing procedures, project accounting practices, financial controls, and internal control safeguards.
• Partner with Project Management and Operations teams to ensure accurate cost coding, project reporting, forecasting, and variance analysis.
• Enter new job budgets provided by Project Management and update budgets in accounting and construction software as needed.
• Manage cash management and oversight for each development and renovation project and related entity, including contractor and professional payments, wires, transfers, fees, loan disbursements, and equity contributions.
• Review subcontractor and supplier monthly invoices and AIA pay applications; ensure invoices and pay applications are accrued timely and coded to the correct cost reports and phase codes.
• Track overall development and renovation draw status, including receipt dates, source funding, vendor invoice detail, and payment detail.
• Prepare monthly and periodic Development Project funding requisition packages for lenders and investors in accordance with loan and ownership agreements.
• Execute supplier payment runs and subcontractor draw payment runs for each development and renovation project.
• Monitor retainage, change orders, contract balances, overall project financial performance, lien waivers, insurance, W-9s, and other compliance items.
• Reconcile vendor statements, respond to inquiries, resolve inconsistencies, perform monthly bank reconciliations, and research stale checks, invoice issues, and discrepancies.
• Collect, code, and obtain approvals for miscellaneous project expenses; review job cost activity monthly for consistent and accurate coding.
• Support budgeting, forecasting, cash flow management, and strategic growth initiatives.
• Coordinate with external accounting firms, auditors, and financial advisors; assist with external audit requests as needed.
• Ensure compliance with statutory, regulatory, banking, tax, operating, reporting, and recordkeeping requirements.
• Identify and implement process improvements, automation opportunities, operational efficiencies, and enhancements to accounting systems and reporting tools.
• Ability to work overtime as necessary.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, or a related field.
• 5+ years of progressive accounting experience, preferably within construction accounting.
• Strong knowledge of job costing, project accounting, month-end close, reconciliations, accounts payable, accounts receivable, and financial reporting.
• Experience with construction ERP/accounting systems; Sage 300 CRE and Timberscan required, Oracle preferred, and Procore experience a plus.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills and proficiency with Microsoft Office platforms.
• Strong attention to detail with the ability to work effectively under deadlines and manage multiple priorities.
• Ability to work independently, take initiative, set priorities, take ownership, and see projects through to completion.
• Proven ability to identify issues, improve processes, and drive operational results.
• Excellent communication, organizational, relationship-building, and leadership skills.