VP of Finance

Hawaii Growth - Honolulu•Honolulu, HI

8d•$260,000 - $300,000•Onsite

About The Position

Lead the financial strategy for Highgate’s Hawaii portfolio. Partnering with hotel leaders and ownership groups to drive performance, strengthen operations, and create long-term value. Reporting to the Senior Vice President of Finance and working closely with the Group President – Hawaii, you will play a key role in shaping the portfolio's continued success. Success in this role requires more than financial expertise. It calls for a collaborative leader who builds lasting relationships, develops local talent, leads with humility and integrity, and embraces the values of aloha in supporting both people and performance.

Requirements

A minimum of 10 years of progressive hotel finance experience, including multi-property leadership as an Area Director of Finance, Regional Director, or equivalent; 4-year degree with an Accounting/Finance concentration preferred.
Demonstrated experience as a strategic partner to General Managers and senior operations leaders, with the ability to influence commercial decisions, not just report on them.
Proven owner-relations experience: presenting to ownership groups, managing owner reporting requirements, and navigating sensitive capital and cash conversations.
Hawaii market experience strongly preferred, including familiarity with GET/TAT, resort operations, and the state's labor environment; experience managing finances under collective bargaining agreements is a significant plus.
Exceptional interpersonal skills: approachable, patient, and relationship-first; able to build trust across long-tenured property teams and lead in a manner consistent with the spirit of ho‘okipa (hospitality) and respect for local culture.
Strong technical command of hotel finance systems; experience with Oracle, TM1 (or comparable planning tools), Birchstreet, and AuditBoard preferred, plus advanced Excel (pivot tables, complex formulas, financial modeling).
Deep knowledge of USALI, GAAP, internal controls, and hotel management agreement structures, including incentive fee, reserve, and reporting provisions.
Proven leadership and talent development track record: hiring, coaching, evaluating, and building succession pipelines for property finance leaders.
Excellent written and verbal communication, with the judgment to calibrate messaging for owners, brand partners, executives, and line-level teams.
Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound judgment on sensitive ownership, personnel, and transactional matters.
Willingness to travel regularly between islands and periodically to the mainland; residence in, or relocation to, Hawaii required.

Nice To Haves

CPA, CHAE, or equivalent certification a plus but not required.

Responsibilities

Serve as the strategic finance partner to General Managers and Executive Committees across the Hawaii portfolio, functioning as a co-owner of each hotel's commercial results rather than a reporting function; participate in property strategy, pricing, and profitability decisions.
Partner directly with the Group President – Hawaii on regional strategy, portfolio performance reviews, ownership relations, and market positioning; act as the finance voice in regional leadership discussions and translate portfolio results into actionable direction for property teams.
Report to and partner with the SVP Finance on company and regional initiatives, portfolio-level risk management, and finance talent strategy; serve as the SVP's extension in the Hawaii market, ensuring corporate standards, priorities, and reporting expectations are executed consistently across the region. Maintain a no-surprises standard: proactively escalate cash, control, ownership, and operational risks – including labor, safety, systems, and property-condition issues with financial impact – as they emerge, not after they mature.
Work with ownership groups and asset managers on cash requirements, distributions, ROI initiatives, capital planning, and bespoke reporting needs; represent Highgate credibly in owner meetings and build durable, trust-based ownership relationships.
Provide financial leadership, guidance, and training to Area Directors of Finance, property Directors of Finance, and Controllers; build succession readiness and cross-property consistency in standards across the islands.
Own the accuracy and timeliness of financial reporting across the region, including month-end close, balance sheet and bank reconciliations, forecasting, budgeting, and 5-year operating and capital plans.
Drive adherence to USALI, GAAP, internal audit standards, and Highgate accounting policies; lead property teams through internal audits, self-audits, and external reviews with minimal control deficiencies.
Ensure compliance with Hawaii-specific tax and regulatory requirements, including General Excise Tax (GET), state and county Transient Accommodations Tax (TAT), licenses, permits, leases, and contractual obligations.
Oversee treasury and working capital across the portfolio: cash flow forecasting and projections, credit card reconciliations, deposit controls, and corporate cash management protocols, with training provided to property teams.
Oversee purchasing, vendor compliance, inventory, and expense classification controls, with particular focus on the cost and logistics realities of an island market (freight, lead times, limited vendor pools).
Support financial management of properties operating under collective bargaining agreements, including payroll, benefits, and labor cost forecasting in a heavily unionized market.
Monitor revenues and expenses across the region; investigate and critique variances to budget and prior year and offer practical improvement strategies to management.
Coordinate with the centralized taskforce team to cover leadership gaps, providing interim oversight, training, and mentorship during transitions or open-seat periods.
Recruit, develop, evaluate, and retain finance talent across the region, with emphasis on cultivating local talent and long-tenured teams consistent with Hawaii's relationship-driven hospitality culture.
Maintain a visible, in-person presence at properties across the islands; lead with humility, listening, and respect for the host culture, building relationships with property teams, owners, and community partners for the long term.