Controller

Highgate Hotels 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. Overview The Controller is responsible for providing consistent leadership in the financial area of the hotel by supplying management with guidance and training. He/she is also responsible for focusing on the profitability of the business, maintaining accurate and timely financial reporting, ensuring acceptable levels on internal control, ensuring compliance with all federal, state, and local regulations, and safeguarding owners/investors assets. Responsibilities Effectively manage and communicate cash flow related issues, including the accurate and timely preparation of cash flow statements, management of receivables, payables, cash balances, control mechanisms and timely deposits of all funds. Monitor hotel revenues and expenses and ensure the accurate recording in accordance with Highgate Hotels’s established guidelines. Investigate and critique variances to budget or to prior year and offer practical improvement methodologies to management. Monitor the capital planning process by assisting management with the calculation of return on capital improvements, gathering support and monitoring the bid process, and ensuring proper upkeep of the property by evaluating scope of work and specifications. Ensure hotels’ compliance on all regulatory licenses and permits, leases, contracts, legal agreements, and the proper execution of all operational taxes. Provide assistance to management in enforcing compliance on all these items. Analyze financial data and operations in order to assist and advise management in maintaining the hotels’ financial objectives. Ensure that all balance sheet accounts, including bank reconciliations, are reconciled on a timely basis. Establish and continually audit all internal financial controls including purchasing, cash handling, disbursements, inventories, hotel assets, master keys, payroll, and employee records. Embrace a continuous growth environment by actively assisting in recruiting, reviewing, recommending and maintaining an inventory of Directors of Financial Services, Assistant Directors of Financial Services, Directors of Financial Services Trainees, Accounting Managers, Controllers, Assistant Controllers and other managers for the organization. Continually focus on training and development programs for the accounting associates to cultivate the "brightest" and "best" talent within the industry. Ensure implementation and completion of all accounting key competencies, both management and hourly. Hire, train, supervise and develop staff, including coaching, counseling and discipline. Maintain compliance with Highgate Hotels’s standards and regulations to ensure safe and efficient operation of the hotel. Ensure the proper utilization, maintenance and periodic upgrades of all equipment. Direct or prepare all financial reports in accordance with Highgate Hotels’s requirements meeting various due dates and deadlines. Conduct and/or attend and contribute to periodic meetings to maintain favorable working relationships among employees and promote maximum morale, productivity, and efficiency. Monitor hotels’ compliance in meeting required report deadlines and due dates and react accordingly. Monitor the accurate production of the hotel daily operating report. Reporting Schedule Weekly: A/R & A/P Aging Flash Reports, Payroll Reports, Revenue Updates Monthly: Financial Statements, Forecasting, Key Statistics Report, Cash Flow Annual: Budgets, 5-Year Plans, 5-Year Capital Plans Qualifications A minimum of 6 years of related progressive experience in hotel accounting or related field; or a 4-year college degree with an accounting/finance concentration 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. Must be proficient in Windows, company-approved spreadsheets and word processing and in the operation of all hotel-specific systems. Physical Requirements Long hours sometimes required. Sedentary work, exerting up to 25 pounds of force occasionally and/or negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects. General Requirements Maintain a warm and friendly demeanor at all times. Must be able to effectively communicate both verbally and written, with all levels 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 and guests. Must be able to multitask and prioritize departmental functions to meet deadlines. Approach all encounters with guests and employees in an attentive, friendly, courteous and service-oriented manner. Attend all hotel required meetings and trainings. Participate in M.O.D. coverage as required. 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, which include wearing nametags. 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 and evaluate complex information, data, etc. from various sources to meet appropriate objectives. Must be able to maintain confidentiality of information. Perform other duties as requested by management. #J-18808-Ljbffr