Controller – Vacation Rental Industry (US Experience)

About the role

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

Key responsibilities

• Manage full month‑end close for multiple STR clients, delivering accurate P&L and balance sheets.
• Oversee trust accounting, reconciling guest payments, security deposits, and cleaning fees, and generate timely owner statements.
• Track and report industry KPIs such as RevPAR, ADR, and occupancy rates.
• Review work of staff accountants and bookkeepers to ensure 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 insights.

Required profile

• 4+ years of accounting experience within the US vacation‑rental/short‑term‑rental industry.
• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance.
• Strong understanding of US GAAP and trust‑accounting principles.
• Excellent written and verbal English communication (C1/C2 level).
• Ability to thrive in a fast‑paced, growth‑focused environment.

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).
• Knowledge of US GAAP.