Controller / Senior Bookkeeper — Holiday Harbor Inc. Lakehead, CA
About Holiday Harbor
Holiday Harbor Inc. operates a full-service houseboat marina and camping resort on Shasta Lake under a U.S. Forest Service special use permit. Our 67-acre facility includes houseboat and small boat rentals, covered and uncovered moorage, a convenience store, a restaurant, an RV park, fuel sales, and marine services. We serve thousands of customers annually in this premier Northern California recreational destination.
Why This Role, Right Now
Our Controller is retiring, and we're looking for someone ready to step into an active period of transition rather than a steady-state bookkeeping role. Specifically:
- We are mid-migration from a legacy accounting system (MBA) to QuickBooks Online, working alongside a contract bookkeeper who is leading that project. The new Controller will pick up this migration in progress and see it through.
- Part of this role involves formalizing existing processes and records during the handoff period.
- We're approaching our season year-end close, immediately followed by an off-season stretch where we plan to tackle larger initiatives, including replacing our current reservation system with a more modern platform.
We need someone comfortable operating in ambiguity, building process with digital tools, and working hands-on through a transition rather than just maintaining a mature system.
Key Responsibilities
Financial Management & Accounting
- Manage full-cycle accounting including A/R, A/P, payroll, and month-end close
- Prepare and analyze financial statements, budgets, and variance reports
- Build and maintain the annual operating budget, with rolling updates as the season progresses
- Develop multi-year financial forecasts and capital planning models to support long-term decision-making
- Model seasonal cash flow scenarios to guide timing of capital investments and off-season spending
- Oversee cash flow management for seasonal business operations
- Coordinate with external CPA for tax preparation and audit support
- Maintain cost accounting by department (houseboat rentals, moorage, fuel sales, store, marina services, RV park, etc.)
- Develop and implement internal controls to ensure accuracy and accountability
Regulatory Compliance & Reporting
- Ensure compliance with U.S. Forest Service special use permit requirements
- Prepare monthly sales reports to the USFS within 30-day deadlines
- Calculate and submit land use fees under the Graduated Rate Fee System (GRFS)
- Maintain detailed Gross Fixed Assets (GFA) tracking and valuations
- Prepare annual financial statements for USFS within required timeframes
- Coordinate annual operating plan submissions and permit compliance
Transition & Knowledge Capture
- Work alongside our contract bookkeeper to complete the in-progress migration from MBA to QuickBooks Online
- Participate in handoff and documentation of existing processes, chart of accounts logic, and historical treatment of key accounts
- Convert existing records and workflows into digital, auditable processes
- Lead the season year-end close, then help drive off-season modernization projects
Systems Implementation & Modernization
- Complete and stabilize the QuickBooks Online implementation
- Implement and configure Gusto payroll system
- Lead evaluation and implementation of a new reservation/inventory management system to replace our current platform
- Establish data migration protocols and ensure system integration
- Train staff on new systems and create operational procedures
- Build dashboards and automated reporting processes using Google Workspace Suite and other tools
Operational Support
- Support seasonal staffing fluctuations and department cost allocations
- Analyze pricing strategies and profitability by service line
- Assist with inventory management across multiple locations (land and water-based)
- Support management reporting for operational decision-making
- Provide forward-looking analysis to inform pricing, staffing, and capital investment decisions
Required Qualifications
- 10+ years of full-cycle accounting experience
- Proficiency with QuickBooks and payroll systems (Gusto preferred)
- Experience with systems implementation and data migration
- Strong knowledge of GAAP and financial reporting
- Demonstrated experience building budgets and financial forecasts, ideally for a seasonal or cyclical business
- Advanced Excel skills and database management
- Strong proficiency with Microsoft Office
- Excellent attention to detail and deadline management
- Comfort working through ambiguity and building process during a transition period
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with hospitality, marina, or recreational industries
- Knowledge of government compliance and reporting requirements
- Experience with seasonal businesses and cash flow management
- Project management experience with software implementations, ideally including legacy system migrations
- Familiarity with reservation systems and inventory management
- Bachelor's or Associate's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field
Working Conditions
- Full-time position with potential for hybrid remote work during off-season
- Seasonal business with peak operations April-October
- Some weekend and evening work during peak season
- Office located at marina facility in the beautiful Shasta Lake setting
Job Type: Full-time
Work Location: In person
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $30.00 - $45.00 per hour
Application Question(s):
- Have you led or participated in a migration from a legacy accounting system to a modern platform (e.g., QuickBooks)?
- Do you have experience building annual budgets or financial forecasts?
- Do you have experience with Gusto or another payroll platform?
- What is your salary expectation for this role?
- Do you have experience with government compliance reporting (e.g., USFS, state, or municipal)?
Experience:
- full-cycle accounting or bookkeeping: 10 years (Preferred)
License/Certification:
- Quickbooks Certification (Preferred)
Ability to Commute:
- Lakehead, CA 96051 (Required)
Work Location: In person
