Controller – Vacation Rental Finance Specialist

About the role

Howard Financial is seeking a Controller to oversee the financial integrity of its portfolio of vacation‑rental clients. You will bridge day‑to‑day bookkeeping with executive‑level strategy, ensuring accurate reporting and compliance for short‑term rental businesses.

Key responsibilities

• Manage full month‑end close for multiple STR clients, delivering accurate P&L statements and balance sheets.
• Oversee trust accounting, reconciling guest payments, security deposits, and cleaning fees, and ensure timely owner statements and distributions.
• Track and report industry‑specific KPIs such as RevPAR, ADR, and occupancy rates to provide actionable insights.
• Review work of staff accountants and bookkeepers for compliance with US GAAP and client SOPs.
• Integrate data between property‑management systems (e.g., Guesty, Hostaway, Streamline) and accounting platforms (QuickBooks Online, NetSuite).
• Serve as primary financial contact for clients, explaining variances and performance during monthly reviews.

Required profile

• Minimum 4 years of accounting experience within the US vacation‑rental/short‑term‑rental industry.
• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance with solid US GAAP knowledge.
• Strong analytical mindset and ability to thrive in a fast‑paced environment.
• Excellent written and verbal English communication (C1/C2 level).

Required skills

• Advanced proficiency in QuickBooks Online.
• Experience with at least one PMS (Guesty, Hostaway, Streamline, Track).
• Expert‑level Excel skills (VLOOKUP, Pivot Tables, data cleaning).
• Understanding of US GAAP and trust‑accounting principles.