Accounting Assistant

$500 SIGN ON BONUS -   Free meals, parking and world-wide travel benefits

JOB SUMMARY

Supervises accounting staff, assists controller in month-end closing, maintains balance sheet reconciliations, maintains & supports computer systems, trains all associates in accounting department, maintains internal audit controls, reviews daily revenue report, and tracks daily cash.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

This description is a summary of primary responsibilities and qualifications.  The job description is not intended to include all duties or qualifications that may be required now or in the future.  The Hotel operates 24 hours a day and 7 days a week, so operational demands require variations in shift days, starting times, and hours worked in a week.

BUSINESS RESULTS

•            Applies broad business knowledge and balances both a short- and long-term perspective to generate strategies while leading the organization to achieve them.

•            Assists the Controller in operating the day-to-day operations of the department; will supervise the department in absence of Controller.

•            Communicates effectively both verbally and in writing to provide clear direction to staff.  Assigns and instructs all direct reports in details of work.  Observes performance and encourages improvement.  Monitors hotel traffic and makes staffing adjustments accordingly.  Supervises and reviews costs and inventory.

•            Following instruction from the Controller, coordinate and administer an adequate plan for the control of operations.  This plan would provide profit planning, sales forecasts, expense budgets, capital requirement/needs, cost standards and the necessary procedures for affecting the plan.

•            Administer all tax filing and government reporting procedures to ensure accurate, timely information is provided in compliance with laws and regulations.

•            Monitor compliance with hotel and accounting policies and procedures, legal requirements, and contractual obligations (including obligations under a management agreement) utilizing internal controls, auditing, and security procedures to ensure deviations are brought to the attention of the Controller and appropriate regional management and to protect the hotel's assets.

•            Conducts disciplinary action as required for those directly supervising.

•            Conduct 90 day and annual performance evaluations for the accounting staff.

•            Review A/R credit applications prior to being submitted to the Controller.

•            Review & approve all A/R adjustments.

•            Prepare and enter monthly journal entries as well as review preliminary P&L statement for errors prior to submitting to Controller.  Review corrected preliminary P&L statement with Controller.  Distribute preliminary P&L to Executive Committee Members.

•            Assist Controller with annual budget input and reports.

GUEST SATISFACTION

•            Ensures a high level of customer satisfaction and builds long terms mutually beneficial customer relationships.  

•            Coordinates and communicates verbally and in writing with customer (internal and external). Follows up with customer.

•            Makes presence always known to customer. 

•            Displays leadership in guest hospitality and ensures consistent, high-level service throughout all phases of hotel events. 

•            Sets a positive example for guest relations.

•            Interacts with guests to obtain feedback on product quality and service levels.  Effectively responds to and handles guest problems and complaints.

•            Emphasizes guest satisfaction during all departmental meetings and focuses on continuous improvement.

•            Utilizes Delphi or other hotel system to capture and manage customer information daily.

LEADERSHIP

Applies broad business knowledge and balances both a short- and long-term perspective to generate strategies while leading the organization to achieve them.

•            Demonstrates commitment to Driftwood Hospitality operating principles and philosophies.

•            Holds self and others accountable for achieving results.

•            Addresses conflict in a timely manner.

•            Contributes to team results.

•            Deals with change effectively.

•            Makes decisions, including employees/team and commits to a course of action with available information.

BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS

Eliminates insular thinking by fostering a positive climate for work relationships and teams committed to achieving organizational goals and initiatives.  In addition to performance of the essential functions, this position may be required to perform a combination of the following supportive functions, with the percentage of time performing each function to be solely determined by the supervisor based upon the requirements of the hotel.

•            Conducts one on one meeting with Direct Reports to ensure their ongoing development.

•            Maintains open channels of communications for all levels (line employees through General Manager) and monitors employee relations.

•            Ensures the prompt and proper submission of all corporate, divisional, and governmental reports required.

•            Due to the nature of the business the individual may be required to do other duties and special projects as assigned by the supervisor.

GENERATING TALENT

Proactively identifies and develops talent within the organization.

•            Assists the Controller to hire the best people available from inside and outside. Hires for talent, diversity, and balance of skills. Supports hotel’s interviewing tools to ensure hiring decisions are based on the candidate’s job-related talent, skills, and competencies.  Maintains succession planning.

•            Uses all available on the job training tools for employees; implements and manages training initiatives and conducts training when appropriate; ensures self and direct reports have completed appropriate training classes.

•            Manages employee progressive discipline procedures for areas of responsibility.  Ensures each hotel’s policies are administered fairly and consistently.  Ensures disciplinary procedures and documentation are completed according to Employee Handbook.

•            Ensures regular on-going communication is happening in all areas of responsibility to create awareness of business objectives and communicate expectations, recognize performance, and produce desired business results. Establishes and maintains open, collaborative relationships with employees and ensures employees do the same within the team.

•            Actively solicits feedback, utilizes an “open door” policy and reviews employee satisfaction results to identify and address employee problems and concerns.  Ensures employees are treated fairly and equitably.  Constantly strives to improve employee retention.  Brings issues to the attention of the Controller as necessary.

•            Celebrates successes and publicly recognizes the contributions of team members; ensures recognition is taking place across areas of responsibility.  Maintains an on-going employee recognition program.

ORGANIZATIONAL LEARNER

Actively pursues learning and self-development to enhance personal, professional, and business growth; shares learning; demonstrates depth of knowledge in technical or specialized area.

•            Enlivens the Culture within the hotel.

•            Attends different departmental stand-up meetings and communicates information to the staff in the absence of the General Manager.

•            Supports Public Relations’ initiatives. 

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES

•            Requires advanced knowledge of the accounting, finance and hospitality profession; Hotel Experience required.

•            Minimum Experience 3 years comparable accounting, 1-year minimum accounting supervisory experience.

•            Requires some managerial skill as position involves frequent decisions, meeting of deadline, negotiations of contracts of vendors, analytical ability and the planning, organization development and coordination of large-scale work projects.

•            Must have bank reconciliation, balance sheet reconciliation experience and journal entry creation experience. 

•            Strong leadership skills with the ability to direct/motivate department to meet and exceed goals.  

•            Must have excellent business communication skills. Strong time management skills needed.  Well organized and excellent attention to detail.  Ability to adjust to changes.

•            Excellent verbal and written English communication skills.

•            Ability to read and communicate verbally and in writing and prepare complex occupancy reports.

•            Computer literate in MS Word, Excel. 

•            Complex mathematical skills and considerable skills in the use of Excel Spreadsheets and/or calculator to prepare complex mathematical calculations without error, i.e., budgets, forecasting.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

•            Frequent walking, standing, sitting, hearing, talking, smiling.

•            Lifting, pushing, and pulling of objects weighing up to ten (20) pounds.

•            90% sitting / 10% walking