Accounting Manager

Compensation Type

Highgate Hotels

Highgate is a leading real estate investment and hospitality management company widely recognized as an innovator in the industry. Highgate is the dominant player in major U.S. gateway cities including New York, Boston, Miami, San Francisco and Honolulu, with a growing Caribbean and Latin America footprint. The hospitality forward company provides expert guidance through all stages of the property cycle, from planning and development through recapitalization or disposition. Highgate has a proven record of developing its diverse portfolio of bespoke lifestyle hotel brands, legacy brands, and independent hotels and resorts with 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 consisting of some of the most experienced hotel management leaders, the company is a trusted partner for top ownership groups and major hotel brands. Highgate maintains corporate offices in New York, Chicago, Dallas, London, Miami, and Seattle. www.highgate.com.

Location

The Ambassador Hotel is located in the heart of Waikiki, on the south shore of Honolulu. The hotel is a comfortable home away from home, where our friendly staff and warm service perfectly capture the 'Spirit of Aloha'. Enjoy our spacious accommodations with all of the amenities of home. The Ambassador Hotel Waikiki offers 311 spacious guest rooms accommodations with all of the amenities of home.

Overview

The Accounting Manager 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

Responsibilities:

• Maintain responsibility for the daily Accounts Receivable credit, billing, and collection process in accordance with Highgate Hotel’s policies and procedures.
• Monitor payment requirements on groups or functions.
• Review credit requests and pull credit reports for upcoming groups or functions.
• Approve or decline credit requests in accordance with Highgate Hotel’s policies and procedures.
• Conduct monthly credit meetings and maintain minutes (including returned checks / chargebacks logs, credit trace reports, write-offs, bad debt allowances, etc.) in accordance with Highgate Hotel’s standards.
• 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.
• Audit and reconcile all Front Desk and Food & Beverage Cashier’s work.
• Audit, reconcile, consolidate, and transmit all credit cards on a timely basis.
• Oversee Accounts Payable function.
• 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.
• 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 Hotel’ standards and regulations to ensure safe and efficient operation of the hotel.
• Prepare reports in accordance with Highgate Hotel’s requirements meeting various due dates and deadlines, i.e.,

                Weekly:                 A/R & A/P Aging                 Flash Reports       Payroll Reports              Revenue Updates

                Monthly:               Financial Statements          Forecasting           Key Statistics Report     

                Annual:                 Budgets                

• Conduct and/or attend and contribute to periodic meetings to maintain favorable working relationships among employees and promote maximum morale, productivity, and efficiency.

                 Sales and Service              Department Heads Meetings             Daily Briefings     Finance Meetings

                Budget & Forecast              Credit & Collection            

• Monitor hotels’ compliance in meeting required report deadlines and due dates and react accordingly.
• Executes other special projects and responsibilities as assigned.
• Handle guest requests.

Qualifications

Education & Experience: 

• A minimum of 3 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.

General Requirements

• 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 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 Hotel 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 Hotel 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.

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.