Assistant Director of Finance

Assistant Director of Finance

New York, NY

Position Overview

We're looking for an experienced Assistant Director of Finance to help manage the accounting and financial operations of a two-property hotel portfolio, including a unionized operation.

This is a hands-on leadership role that works closely with the Director of Finance to keep daily accounting operations running smoothly. You'll oversee key functions such as Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Income Audit, General Cashiering, payroll support, financial reporting, and balance sheet reconciliations.

The role calls for someone who knows hotel accounting, understands how hotel operations affect financial performance, and can manage competing priorities across multiple properties. You'll need to be comfortable reviewing financial activity, identifying discrepancies, resolving issues, and improving processes that support accurate reporting and sound financial controls.

Experience in hotel accounting is essential. A strong understanding of hotel payroll, union operations, tax compliance, and internal controls is also important.

Key Responsibilities

Financial Accounting and Reporting

You'll support the Director of Finance in managing the financial activities of both hotel properties, with a focus on accurate reporting, timely reconciliations, and consistent accounting practices.

• Prepare, review, and analyze daily, weekly, monthly, and year-to-date financial reports.
• Manage balance sheet reconciliations and make sure accounts have accurate, complete supporting documentation.
• Review general ledger activity, identify unusual transactions, and resolve accounting discrepancies.
• Support month-end and year-end closing, including journal entries, accruals, prepaid expenses, allocations, and intercompany transactions.
• Analyze financial results against budgets, forecasts, and prior periods, investigating significant variances.
• Maintain internal controls and help ensure accounting procedures are followed consistently across both properties.
• Work with department leaders to address financial issues and improve reporting accuracy.

Accounts Payable

You'll oversee the Accounts Payable process for both properties, ensuring vendors are paid accurately and on time while maintaining proper documentation and controls.

• Review invoice coding, approvals, entries, and payments to ensure they follow established procedures.
• Monitor vendor statements and resolve outstanding balances or payment disputes.
• Maintain required vendor documentation, including W-9 forms and certificates of insurance.
• Review AP aging reports and confirm that outstanding liabilities are accurately reflected in the financial records.
• Identify ways to streamline invoice processing, strengthen controls, and improve efficiency.

Accounts Receivable

You'll manage Accounts Receivable activity across both hotels, working closely with Sales, Front Office, and other operational teams to resolve outstanding balances and maintain accurate billing records.

• Oversee city ledger accounts, direct billing, credit card receivables, deposits, and outstanding balances.
• Review AR aging reports and follow up with the appropriate departments to resolve overdue accounts.
• Monitor third-party and online travel agency (OTA) receivables, investigating discrepancies as they arise.
• Maintain accurate billing documentation and support credit reviews and collection efforts.
• Review and validate travel agent commissions against applicable agreements before processing payments.
• Partner with Sales to manage group billing, confirm payments are received on time, and reconcile group folios against contracted terms.
• Work with Front Office and Sales to resolve outstanding guest and group folios, ensuring balances are properly documented and closed.
• Review daily rate changes and folio adjustments with department leaders and the General Manager. Confirm that adjustments are authorized, supported, and accurately recorded.

Income Audit and Revenue Controls

You'll oversee the daily Income Audit process to ensure hotel revenue is recorded accurately and any discrepancies are identified and resolved promptly.

• Review daily revenue reports, room revenue, taxes, deposits, credit card activity, and other hotel revenue sources.
• Reconcile revenue activity across the property management system (PMS), payment processors, bank records, and general ledger.
• Investigate differences between recorded revenue and actual transactions.
• Verify credit card batches, settlements, and deposits.
• Review existing revenue controls and recommend improvements where needed.

General Cashiering and Cash Management

You'll help maintain reliable cash-handling practices and ensure all cash activity is properly accounted for.

• Oversee General Cashiering procedures and maintain appropriate cash controls.
• Reconcile cash banks, deposits, credit card settlements, and related payment activity.
• Review daily deposits to confirm funds are recorded correctly and deposited on time.
• Maintain documentation for cash transactions, refunds, paid-outs, and other adjustments.
• Support scheduled cash audits and unannounced cash counts.

Payroll and Union Administration

You'll support payroll operations for both properties, including the additional requirements that come with a unionized hotel workforce.

• Review payroll information for accuracy and completeness before processing.
• Apply knowledge of union payroll requirements, including Local 6 procedures and applicable agreements.
• Verify hours worked, overtime, shift differentials, bonuses, incentives, paid time off, deductions, and other earnings.
• Work with department leaders to investigate payroll discrepancies and make necessary corrections.
• Assist with union reporting, payroll reconciliations, and related accounting entries.
• Ensure payroll liabilities and accruals are accurately recorded and reconciled.

Required Qualifications

Experience and Industry Knowledge

• At least 3 years of accounting or finance experience within the hotel industry.
• Previous experience in a supervisory or management-level hotel accounting or finance role.
• A solid understanding of hotel accounting principles, daily hotel operations, and the financial reporting cycle.
• Hands-on experience with hotel payroll, revenue accounting, financial controls, and tax-related accounting requirements.
• Experience supporting financial operations across multiple properties, with the ability to manage deadlines and priorities effectively.

Accounting and Financial Skills

You should have practical experience in the following areas:

• Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable
• Income Audit and hotel revenue reconciliation
• General Cashiering and cash management
• Payroll processing and reconciliation
• Bank and credit card reconciliations
• Balance sheet reconciliations
• Month-end closing and general ledger accounting
• Room revenue, city ledger, deposits, and hotel-related taxes
• Financial reporting, variance analysis, and discrepancy resolution

Systems and Technical Skills

• Experience working with hotel property management and accounting systems.
• Advanced Excel skills, including the ability to review large datasets, analyze financial activity, and identify inconsistencies.
• Confidence working with detailed financial reports and supporting documentation.

Professional Skills

• Strong organizational skills and close attention to detail.
• Ability to manage several priorities and meet deadlines across two hotel properties.
• Sound analytical judgment and a practical approach to solving accounting problems.
• Confidence investigating discrepancies independently and determining the appropriate next steps.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills, particularly when working with operational teams.
• Ability to handle confidential financial and employee information with discretion.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with unionized hotel operations, particularly Local 6 payroll requirements.
• Familiarity with Opera PMS and M3 accounting software.
• Previous experience supporting the accounting functions of multiple hotel properties.