GENERAL DESCRIPTION
The Night Auditor is responsible for completing the hotel's overnight financial and operational audit while providing polished, attentive guest service. The position's primary focus is reconciling outlet checks and revenue activity, validating supporting documentation, completing daily audit workbooks, researching discrepancies and producing accurate reports for hotel leadership and Finance. The Night Auditor also supports Front Desk operations, processes the property's end-of-day cycle, assists guests during the overnight shift and helps maintain a safe, secure and luxury-focused environment.
WORK REQUIREMENTS
Night Auditor Responsibilities:
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Perform the overnight audit accurately, independently and within established deadlines, following all hotel, accounting, cash-handling and internal-control procedures.
- Maintain organized and complete audit files, supporting documentation and electronic records so that transactions can be traced and reviewed by leadership and Finance.
- Communicate unresolved discrepancies, system issues, unusual transactions and missed deadlines promptly, with clear documentation of research completed and follow-up required.
- Protect confidential guest, payment and hotel financial information and safeguard cash, keys, reports and hotel assets.
Outlet Check Reconciliation & Audit Workbooks:
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Collect and reconcile outlet checks and supporting documentation from all applicable Food & Beverage and hotel revenue outlets.
- Compare outlet checks to point-of-sale, property-management, payment-processing and revenue reports to confirm that sales, taxes, service charges, gratuities, discounts, voids, refunds, complimentary items and payment tenders are recorded accurately.
- Verify that room charges, cash, credit-card and other approved payment activity agree across the applicable systems and daily reports.
- Analyze, evaluate and classify outlet checks and revenue activity by outlet, transaction type, tender and applicable revenue category.
- Identify missing, duplicated, altered, incorrectly posted or unsupported checks and research variances to the source transaction.
- Complete all required daily audit workbooks accurately, including formulas, totals, classifications, variance explanations and required supporting documentation.
- Validate workbook totals against source reports and prior-day balances; do not finalize workbooks with unexplained differences.
- Document corrections and adjustments in accordance with authorization requirements and maintain a clear audit trail.
- Escalate material or unresolved variances to the Overnight Manager, Front Office leadership and Finance, and provide a complete handoff for follow-up.
End-of-Day Processing & Reporting:
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Review daily room revenue, occupancy, house count, rate variance, credit exposure, no-shows, cancellations, deposits, house accounts, package activity and other assigned audit reports for accuracy.
- Confirm required departmental postings, interfaces and reconciliations are complete before processing the property-management system's end-of-day cycle.
- Process end of day and verify that the business date advances successfully; immediately report failures, imbalances or interface exceptions.
- Prepare, copy and distribute required daily operational, financial and management reports accurately and on time.
- Complete designated cashier and closing reports, balance the assigned bank and prepare receipts or deposits according to accounting specifications.
- Assist with period-end and month-end Night Audit reporting and special reconciliation projects as assigned.
Overnight Front Desk & Guest Experience:
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Perform Front Desk functions as business needs require, including registration, check-in, check-out, room assignment, key issuance, folio review, payment processing, reservations and express checkouts.
- Serve as a visible overnight luxury host who anticipates guest needs and provides calm, discreet, professional and courteous service.
- Respond promptly to guest requests, questions and complaints; provide service recovery within established authority and escalate significant safety, security, financial or reputational concerns.
- Maintain complete knowledge of room types, hotel services, amenities, outlets, hours of operation, local information and departmental procedures.
- Document guest interactions, service requests, incidents and unresolved matters accurately in the approved systems and provide a complete morning handoff.
- Coordinate with the Overnight Manager, Security, Housekeeping and Engineering regarding emergencies, disturbances, room discrepancies, maintenance concerns and overnight operational needs.
- Maintain clean, safe, organized and guest-ready Front Desk and public-facing work areas.
Systems, Standards & Communication:
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Operate required property-management, point-of-sale, payment-processing, guest-service, spreadsheet and reporting systems accurately; LightSpeed, Simphony, FreedomPay, SecureCRT/Galaxy, GXP and Microsoft Excel experience is preferred.
- Follow all safety, security, emergency, privacy, cash-handling, payment-card, key-control and record-retention procedures.
- Promote and uphold applicable luxury-service, AAA Four Diamond, Marriott brand and property standards.
- Work collaboratively with Front Office, Finance, Food & Beverage, Security, Housekeeping, Engineering and other departments to resolve discrepancies and support a smooth transition to the morning operation.
- Perform other duties, audit assignments and operational projects as requested by management.
EDUCATION & PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
Qualifications and Experience:
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High school diploma or GED required; college coursework in Accounting, Finance, Hospitality Management or a related field preferred.
- One to two years of hotel Front Desk, Night Audit, revenue reconciliation, accounting or related experience preferred; luxury or upper-upscale hotel experience strongly preferred.
- Previous experience reconciling outlet checks, transaction reports or daily financial workbooks is preferred.
- Strong numerical accuracy, analytical judgment, attention to detail and ability to research discrepancies through supporting documentation.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and hotel operational systems; LightSpeed, Simphony, FreedomPay, SecureCRT/Galaxy and GXP experience preferred.
- Ability to work independently, organize competing deadlines and complete detailed audit work accurately with limited overnight supervision.
Physical and Scheduling Requirements:
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Ability to stand and walk for extended periods throughout the shift and to perform prolonged computer and desk work.
- Ability to occasionally kneel, push, pull, reach, climb stairs or ramps and lift or carry up to 30 pounds, following hotel safety procedures.
- Frequent use of hands for keyboarding, handling reports and operating office equipment.
- Availability of working overnight/graveyard shifts, weekends and holidays based on business needs.
- Regular and reliable attendance and compliance with property appearance, grooming and uniform standards.
Communication Requirements:
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Fluency in English, both verbal and written, is required; bilingual capability preferred.
- Ability to communicate financial discrepancies and operational issues clearly, accurately and professionally in reports, email and shift handoffs.
- Ability to work effectively with guests requiring patience, tact and diplomacy and to remain composed during overnight emergencies or service challenges.
Licenses/Certifications:
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Hospitality, accounting, tourism or related certifications preferred but not required.
- Valid driver’s licenses required.
