Graduate by Hilton New York is part of the Graduate Hotels collection located on the Cornell Tech Campus on Roosevelt Island, serving as the island’s first hotel and marking the brand’s debut in New York City. The Graduate hotels tend to play an outsized role in the hospitality scenes of the college towns they call home, but this one stretches the traditional definition of “college town” just a bit. Even many New Yorkers are still unaware that Roosevelt Island is home to the Cornell Tech campus, a satellite of the Ithaca-based Ivy League university. Graduate Roosevelt Island is the island’s only hotel, and in typical Graduate style it’s dedicated to the campus that it serves.
Graduate by Hilton New York is a Michelin Guide ranked hotel that is architecturally designed by the internationally renowned design firm Snøhetta. The interior design blends Old School and New Age, taking inspiration from both the rich history of Roosevelt Island and the future of technology that the Cornell campus embodies. The crown jewel of the property is the Panorama Room, the stunning 168-seat rooftop bar and lounge designed by James Beard Foundation Award-winning design firm, Parts and Labor Design. Additionally, this property is managed by the famed investment management company, Highgate, which has a portfolio of global properties, representing an aggregate asset value exceeding $20B and generates over $5B in cumulative revenues.
Location
Graduate Roosevelt Island is part of the Graduate Hotels collection located on the Cornell Tech Campus on Roosevelt Island, serving as the island’s first hotel and marking the brand’s debut in New York City. Architecturally designed by internationally renowned design firm, Snøhetta, and interior design from Graduate Hotels’ in-house team, the hotel blends Old School and New Age, taking inspiration from both the rich history of Roosevelt Island and the future of technology that the Cornell campus embodies. The futuristic, fashionable and the functional meld to create a space that’s bright, open and always interesting. The crown jewel of the property is the Panorama Room, the stunning 168-seat rooftop bar and lounge designed by James Beard Foundation Award-winning design firm, Parts and Labor Design, this venue evokes a sense of cinematic drama inspired by futurism creating a true destination for fashion-forward elegance in an intimate space all set against unobstructed city views.
OverviewThe Director of Finance is responsible for providing consistent leadership in the financial area of the hotel by focusing on the profitability of the business; maintaining accurate and timely financial reporting; ensuring acceptable levels on internal control; ensuring compliance with all federal, state, and local regulations and Highgate Hotels ‘s Standard Operating Procedures; and safeguarding owners/investors assets.
ResponsibilitiesEffectively manage and communicate cash flow related issues. This includes the accurate and timely preparation of monthly financial statements for the property: cash flow statements, management of receivables, payables, cash balances, control mechanisms and timely deposits of all funds.Monitor hotel revenues and expenses and ensure the accurate recording in accordance with Highgate Hotels established guidelines. Monitors and controls Hotel’s cash flow and operating forecast.Creates annual budgets and monthly variance analysis. Investigates and critiques variances to budget or to prior year and offer practical improvement methodologies to management.Ensure hotels’ compliance on all regulatory licenses and permits, leases, contracts, legal agreements, and the proper execution of all operational taxes. Provide assistance to management in enforcing compliance on all these items.Analyze financial data and operations in order to assist and advise management in maintaining the hotels’ financial objectives.Complies with Standard Accounting policies and procedures and internal controls for finance and accounting operations.Timely reviews and approval of all balance sheet accounts, including monthly bank reconciliation and general ledger account reconciliations. Establish and continually audit all internal financial controls including purchasing, cash handling, disbursements, inventories, hotel assets, master keys, payroll, and employee records.Successful completion of all internal and external financial audits, including coordination of work with CPA firms and delivering information requested by auditors on a timely basis.Dual reporting to ownership and provides them with information and reporting in a timely fashion. Hire, train, supervise and develop staff, including coaching, counseling and discipline.Maintain compliance with Highgate Hotels’ standards and regulations to ensure safe and efficient operation of the hotel.
Directs or prepares all financial reports in accordance with Highgate Hotels’ requirements, meeting various due dates and deadlines, i.e:
Weekly: A/R & A/P Aging, Flash Reports, Payroll Reports, Revenue UpdatesMonthly: Financial Statements, Forecasting KeyStatistics Report, Cash FlowAnnual: Budgets, 5-Year Plans, 5-Year Capital PlansTimely interacts with Executive Committee members to assure that property operations are on track and under control at all times.Monitor hotels’ compliance in meeting required report deadlines and due dates and react accordingly.Monitor the accurate production of the hotel daily operating report.Executes other special projects and responsibilities as assigned. Qualifications At least 5 or more years of Hospitality Finance/Accounting experience.Prior Controller or Director of Finance experience, preferably at a premium-branded Hotel.Excellent verbal and written communication skills.Bachelor’s degree required preferably in Finance or Accounting.Must supervise 2 or more employeesMust be proficient in Windows, Company approved spreadsheets and word processing and in the operation of all hotel-specific systems.
Highgate Hotels, L.P. is an Equal Opportunity Employer and maintains the policy of recruiting and retaining the best-qualified personnel who demonstrate the ability to perform competently and work well with others. It is the policy of Highgate Hotels to provide equal employment opportunity regardless of race (including traits historically or culturally associated with race, such as hair texture and protective hairstyles), religion (including religious dress and religious grooming), color, age (40 and over), genetic information, disability (mental and physical), medical condition (as defined under state law), national origin (including language use restrictions and possession of a driver’s license issued under section 12801.9 of the California Vehicle Code), ancestry, sex (including gender, gender identity, gender expression), sexual orientation, marital status, familial status, parental status, domestic partner status, citizenship status, pregnancy (including perceived pregnancy, childbirth, lactation, or pregnancy-related conditions), military caregiver status, military status, veteran status, or any other status protected by federal, state, or local law. This policy of nondiscrimination is applied to all aspects of the employment relationship. The Company complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and applicable state and local laws in ensuring equal opportunity and employment for qualified persons with disabilities. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements.
The following link provides more information regarding the Federal laws prohibiting discrimination in employment: EEO is the Law – Notice of Applicant Rights Under the Law.