Compensation Type: Hourly Highgate Hotels:
Highgate is a premier real estate investment and hospitality management company widely recognized as an innovator in the industry. Highgate is the dominant player in U.S. gateway markets including New York, Boston, Miami, San Francisco and Honolulu, with a rapidly expanding presence in Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Highgate’s portfolio of global properties represents an aggregate asset value exceeding $20B and generates over $5B in cumulative revenues. The company provides expert guidance through all stages of the hospitality property cycle, from planning and development through recapitalization or disposition. Highgate also has the creativity and bandwidth to develop bespoke hotel brands and utilizes industry-leading proprietary revenue management tools that identify and predict evolving market dynamics to drive out performance and maximize asset value. With an executive team consisting of some of the industry’s most experienced hotel management leaders, the company is a trusted partner for top ownership groups and major hotel brands. Highgate maintains corporate offices in London, New York, Dallas, and Seattle.
Location:
Perfectly situated on famous Peachtree Street in downtown Atlanta, The Candler Hotel, a member of Curio Collection by Hilton, opens today within the historic Candler Building. The boutique-style hotel is a 17-story high-rise originally built in 1906 by Coca-Cola magnate Asa Griggs Candler as Atlanta’s first steel skyscraper and is recognized on the National Register of Historic Places.
After completing an expansive transformation led by award-winning interior designer Nicole Hollis, the building has been re-imagined as a luxurious, one-of-a-kind hospitality destination. Many of the building’s original Beaux-Arts architectural details have been preserved including their marbleized lobby and Tiffany windows. The hotel features 265 graciously appointed guestrooms and suites, a library, a gym outfitted by Peloton, and 6,000-sq. ft. of event space. Additionally, the hotel’s historic bank has been transformed into its signature restaurant and bar By George by local celebrity chef Hugh Acheson, a two-time James Beard Foundation Award winner and former contestant on Bravo’s Top Chef Masters.
Overview:
The Staff Accountant is responsible for assisting the Director of Finance and Assistant Director of Finance in maintaining accurate and timely financial resporting; ensuring acceptable levels of internal control; ensuring compliance with all federal, state, and local regulations and Highgate Hotels Standard Operating Procedures; and safeguarding owners/investors assets. For this role, the emphais is placed on the management of Accounts Payable processing and General Cashier.
Responsibilities:
- Monitor, prepare, and communicate financial reports in accordance with Highgate Hotels required due dates.
- Create purchase orders for recurring contract expense
- Monitor accounts payable email communications and verify invoice details and purchase orders
- Prepare a daily invoice upload package
- Prepare and process check runs, ACH payments, and wire transfers
- Reconcile vendor statements and resolve discrepancies, skipped invoices, or delivery variances
- Communicate with vendors regarding payment status, missing invoices, or billing issues
- Assist with month-end closing tasks, including accruals and AP aging reports
- Monitor/reconcile accounts to ensure timely payments and avoid late fees
- Monitor payment requirements on groups or functions and process deposits.
- Approve or decline credit requests.
- Complete collection calls on each appropriate outstanding accounts and maintain collection files on each outstanding issue.
- Handle customer inquries in a professional and timely manner, provide customers with accurate invoices, statements, and schedules.
- Process returned checks and credit card chargebacks.
- Conduct monthly credit meetings and maintain minutes (including returned checks/chargeback logs, credit trace reports, write-off, bad debt allowances, etc.)
- Collect, count, and verify daily cash envelopes
- Prepare daily bank deposits
- Reconcile cash receipts with system-generated reports
- Investigate and resolve cash discrepancies
- Prepare daily cashier summaries and reconciliation reports
- Ensure compliance with hotel cash‑handling policies and audit standards
- Provide change funds and maintain house bank
- Securely store cash, checks, and financial documents
- Update daily revenue reports both for internal distribution and corporate distribution.
- Keep management aware of any unusual operation or financial occurances and/or significant deviations.
- Reconcile invoices against ledgers or schedules to ensure accuracy of invoicing.
- Assist in the monthly close process by posting journal entries that are related to daily/monthly responsibilities.
- Ensure overall guest satisfaction by attentive listening and then immediately resolving guest issues or elevating to the Director of Finance or General Manager.
- Cross-Train in other areas within the Accounting Department including accounts receivable.
- Ability to identify root causes of issues that may affect staff or guests and provide actionable and measurable solutions to improve efficiency, overall work environment, and/or guest experience
Qualifications:
- College courses in an associated or related field and/or related experience in an Hotel or Hospitality environment
- Must be proficient in Windows, Microsoft Office (Intermediate Excel and Basic Word)
- Accounts Payable and General Cashier experience required
- Hotel PMS OnQ is required
- Flexible and long hours sometimes required, especially during the last and first few days of the month
- Sedentary work - Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally, and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects.
- 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 a professional, attentive, friendly, courteous and service-oriented manner.
- Attend all hotel required meeting and trainings.
- 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.
- 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 complex information, data, etc. from various sources to meet appropriate objectives.
- Must be able to maintain confidentiality of information.
- Must be able to show initiative, including anticipating guests or operational needs.
- Perform other duties as requested by managment.
