Assistant Controller

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

Highgate Corporate Offices Irving, TX

Overview

The Corporate Assistant Ownership Controller reports to the Corporate Ownership Controller and is responsible for preparing the financial information for assigned ownership entities under the direction and review by the Corporate Ownership Controller.  The position is responsible for assisting the Corporate Ownership Controller in all aspects of financial management, financial control, accounting and financial reporting, including consolidations, for a portfolio of assigned hotel ownership entities.  A Corporate Assistant Ownership Controller’s responsibilities include, but are not limited to, timely, responsive and accurate completion of the following duties.

Responsibilities

• Assist the Corporate Ownership Controller with the understanding and compliance with all corporate, partnership, debt and other contractual documents for all assigned ownership entities.
• Timely preparation of monthly financial statements for assigned entities including corporate consolidation and reporting of assigned hotel properties and ownership entities under the direction and review by the Corporate Ownership Controller.
• Posting certain ownership entity monthly journal entries as necessary under the direction of the Corporate Ownership Controller.
• Posting all cash entries on a timely basis (daily if applicable) for ownership entities under the direction of the Corporate Ownership Controller.
• Assisting the Corporate Ownership Controller with the management of debt, construction and other financing and capital transactions as well as assisting the Corporate Ownership Controller with determining and documenting the appropriate accounting treatment for such transactions based on research performed (as requested by the Corporate Ownership Controller) for review and consultation with the Corporate Ownership Controller.
• Assist the Corporate Ownership Controller with the monitoring of consolidated operations, cash flow and operating forecasts of assigned entities
• Review of certain monthly bank reconciliations and G/L reconciliations for assigned ownership entities.
• Processing and overseeing certain disbursements, including those related to construction draws, joint venture payments, and payments required under debt, legal and other governing documents.
• Monitoring of construction and other capital reimbursements from certain restricted cash accounts ensuring such reimbursements are completed on a timely basis.
• Involvement with insurance and property tax administration of assigned hotel properties under the direction of the Corporate Ownership Controller.
• Assist the Corporate Ownership Controller with the successful completion of internal and external financial audits, including assistance under the direction of the Corporate Ownership Controller with the coordination of work with CPA firms, as well as preparing information related to ownership and consolidated financial statements with footnotes requested by auditors on a timely basis and submission of such information to the Corporate Ownership Controller for review as well as the ability to craft memos related to technical accounting topics that may arise.
• Preparation of any special reports, statements, etc., as requested
• Other special projects and responsibilities as assigned

Qualifications

• Five to Seven years of corporate/ownership related financial management, financial reporting and accounting experience. Hotel experience is a plus, but corporate level financial reporting experience is a must.  
• Bachelors Degree in Accounting required
• Public accounting audit experience is strongly preferred
• CPA license is preferred
• Strong PC skills including Excel, Word and financial accounting systems
• Strong organizational, analytical, verbal and written communication skills
• Technical accounting research skills are required with an ability to assist with the writing of technical accounting position papers with supporting calculations to support technical accounting conclusions reached for review by the Corporate Ownership Controller
• Ability to assist the Corporate Ownership Controller with the drafting of U.S. GAAP basis financial statements with footnotes for non-public entities based on research performed and assistance with the completion of the applicable U.S. GAAP financial statement disclosure checklist.
• Must adhere to U.S. GAAP financial accounting and reporting standards