Senior Controller - Shared Services

Highgate 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.

With a 30-year track record as an innovator in the hospitality industry, this forward-thinking company provides expert guidance through all stages of the property cycle, from planning and development through recapitalization or disposition. Highgate continues to demonstrate success in developing a diverse portfolio of bespoke lifestyle hotel brands, legacy brands, and independent hotels and resorts, featuring 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 of seasoned hospitality leaders and corporate offices worldwide, Highgate is a trusted partner for top ownership groups and major hotel brands. www.highgate.com

Highgate Corporate Offices Irving, TX

The Senior Controller - Shared Services is the senior financial and accounting person for overseeing multiple support departments responsible for services provided in the accurate and timely completion of monthly financial statements. The position is responsible for all aspects of fiscal management, leadership, financial control, and accounting for these departments. The Senior Controller - Shared Service responsibilities include, but are not limited to, timely, responsive, and accurate completion of the following duties: Operating Procedures; and safeguarding owners/investors' assets.

Approach all encounters with guests and teammates in an attentive, friendly, courteous, and service-oriented manner.
• Always comply with Highgate Hotels' standards and regulations to encourage safe and efficient hotel operations.
• Maximize efforts towards productivity, identify problem areas, and assist in finding and implementing their solutions.
• Oversee the timely and accurate posting of revenue on daily basis for all hotels in the Select Service portfolio.
• Assist in the completion of the month end close process and balance sheet reconciliations in accordance with GAAP.
• Assist and monitor portfolio cash balances, cash forecasts, cash requirements and payables for all hotels within the Select Service portfolio.
• Oversee the timely and accurate reconciliation of all hotel bank accounts on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis, ensuring discrepancies are identified, investigated, and resolved within established deadlines.
• Partner with the payroll department and HR to establish clear communication protocols that support proactive identification of payroll discrepancies before they impact bank reconciliation close timelines
• Establish and enforce standardized reconciliation procedures to maintain internal controls and minimize financial exposure across all property accounts
• Oversee the calculation and posting of multiple global journal entries in accordance with GAAP and company accounting policies.
• Serve as the primary escalation point for complex accounting issues, disputes, or operational challenges arising within the four disciplines.
• Oversee the centralized Accounts Receivable function, ensuring accurate and timely billing, collections, and application of payments for all hotel accounts including corporate, group, and travel agency billings
• Maintain a current working knowledge of each brand's fee structure - including but not limited to royalty fees, loyalty program assessments, sales and marketing contributions, and technology/system charges - to ensure proper GL account assignment and financial statement presentation
• Oversee daily operations of the Hotel Shared Services Accounting function including supervision of the Corporate Accounting Team.
• Hire, develop, retain, and direct high-performing team members.
• Manage and train staff (remote and in-office) to achieve efficient and effective service delivery.
• Design and implement accounting procedures for an expedited monthly close and reconciliation completion.
• Proactively establish priorities and ensure consistent and timely follow-through.
• Interact with regional & property-based operations and corporate finance teams.
• Provide guidance and oversight in the reconciliation of all PMS payment types - including cash, wire transfers, and depository payments - to the bank reconciliation, ensuring all transactions are accurately matched, recorded, and accounted for within the monthly close cycle.
• Support financial reporting requirements and organization's needs & efforts towards data analytics.
• Establish standards that ensure a best-in-class control environment.
• Supports, manages and initiates change within the organization, taking steps to remove barriers or accelerate processes.
• Assist in onboarding new Hotels into Highgate's portfolio.
• Assistance in the establishment, documentation, implementation and maintenance of Standard Accounting Policies and Procedures and internal controls for our finance and accounting operations.
• Involvement with insurance and property tax administration of assigned hotel properties.
• Successful completion of internal and external financial audits, including coordination of work with CPA firms and delivering information requested by auditors on a timely basis.
• Understanding and compliance with all corporate, partnership, debt and other contractual documents for all assigned entities.
• Oversee the centralized Accounts Receivable function, ensuring accurate and timely billing, collections, and application of payments for all hotel accounts including corporate, group, and travel agency billings
• Preparation of any special reports, statements, etc., as requested.
• Other special projects and responsibilities as assigned.

• 10+ years of hospitality-related fiscal management and accounting experience at both the property level and corporate supervisory level.
• Bachelor's degree in accounting/finance required.
• Hotel management company experience preferred.
• Multi-property and portfolio accounting experience required.
• Familiarity with Uniform System of Accounts for the Lodging Industry (12th Edition).
• CHAE preferred.
• Strong PC skills, including Excel, Word, and financial accounting systems.
• Strong organizational, analytical, verbal, and written communication skills.
• Ability to work overtime when required to complete assigned duties.

Other Requirements

• There will be days when working long hours are required.
• Experience in supervising three or more employees required.
• Must be able to convey information and ideas clearly.
• Must have experience in Oracle ERP, Profitsage, and IBM TM1 software (or be comfortable adapting to them quickly). Experience with Blackline, Dayforce and Birchstreet is preferred.
• Must be able to evaluate and select among alternative courses of action quickly and accurately.
• Must be effective in handling problems in the workplace, including anticipating, preventing, identifying, and solving problems, as necessary.
• Must have the ability to assimilate complex information, data, etc., from disparate sources and consider, adjust, or modify to meet the constraints of the need.
• Must be effective at listening to, understanding, and clarifying the concerns and issues raised by teammates and guests.
• Must be able to work with and understand financial information and data, and basic arithmetic functions.