Staff Accountant

Overview

The Staff Accountant is responsible for assisting the 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.

Benefits

• In addition to travel discounts at our hotels, Highgate offers competitive benefits, including three pricing tiers of medical coverage, as well as Dental and Vision benefits to eligible full-time associates. Paid time off plans may also be available to associates who qualify. The Retirement 401(k) Program is open to both full-time and part-time associates who qualify.

Applications will be accepted until 3/15/26