Junior Staff Accountant – Payroll, Income Audit, Accounts Receivable

Job Description

Junior Staff Accountant | Highgate

The Tone:
This is a full-time role at Highgate, located in Miami, FL, specifically at The Elser Hotel & Residences. Highgate is a premier real estate investment and hospitality management company, recognized as an innovator and dominant player in U.S. gateway markets with a rapidly expanding global presence. With a portfolio exceeding $20B and generating over $5B in revenues, Highgate provides expert guidance across the hospitality property cycle, develops bespoke brands, and utilizes proprietary revenue management tools. This role is crucial for assisting the Director of Finance and Assistant Director of Finance in maintaining accurate and timely financial reporting, ensuring internal control, and safeguarding owners’/investors’ assets, with a primary focus on Payroll, Income Audit, and Accounts Receivable.

The TL;DR
• Role: Early Career
• Type: Full-time
• Location: In-person Miami, FL

• Team: Reports to Director of Finance and Assistant Director of Finance
• Mission: Owns the accurate and timely management of Payroll, Income Audit, and Accounts Receivable processing and collections to support financial reporting and asset safeguarding.
• Tech Stack: Windows, Microsoft Office (Intermediate Excel, Basic Word), BiPortal, Hotel PMS Opera (preferred)

What You’ll Actually Do
• Manage Payroll operations: Utilize and maintain the time and attendance system, process daily, weekly, and bi-weekly payroll, verify information, record earnings and deductions, and prepare all required payroll journal entries.
• Conduct daily Income Audits: Enter daily financial information into the BiPortal, update daily revenue reports for both internal and corporate distribution, and monitor relevant ledgers for internal control.
• Oversee Accounts Receivable and Collections: Maintain responsibility for the daily credit, billing, and collection processes, including approving or declining credit requests, performing collection calls on outstanding accounts, and handling customer inquiries professionally.
• Process and Reconcile Financial Transactions: Handle returned checks and credit card chargebacks, review and approve daily City Ledger transfers for policy compliance, and reconcile invoices against ledgers or schedules to ensure accuracy.
• Support Month-End Close and Compliance: Assist in the monthly close process by posting relevant journal entries, prepare and monitor financial reports, ensure compliance with federal, state, and local regulations, and cross-train in other accounting areas.

The Must-Haves
• Background: Entry-Level. College courses in an associated or related field, and/or related experience in a Hotel or Hospitality environment.
• Experience: Accounts Receivable and Payroll experience is preferred.
• Skills: Proficiency in Windows and Microsoft Office (Intermediate Excel, Basic Word). Effective verbal and written communication. Ability to multitask and prioritize departmental functions to meet deadlines. Ability to understand complex information, identify root causes, and maintain confidentiality.
• Bonus: Hotel PMS Opera experience.