Vice President of Finance - Restaurants
Position Summary:
The Vice President of Finance will serve as a strategic partner to the CEO and executive team, responsible for leading all financial planning, reporting, accounting, and risk management. This role is critical to driving sustainable growth, profitability, and operational efficiency. The ideal candidate brings hands-on leadership experience within the restaurant or multi-unit retail space and excels in fast-paced, entrepreneurial environments.
Key Responsibilities:
Lead all aspects of finance and accounting, including budgeting, forecasting, reporting, treasury, and tax.
Partner with executive leadership to develop and execute long-term financial strategies.
Deliver actionable insights to support growth initiatives including new openings, remodels, franchise expansion, and M&A.
Oversee preparation of monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reports for internal and external stakeholders, including the Board and PE investors.
Ensure full compliance with GAAP and regulatory standards; manage audits and tax filings.
Build and lead a high-performing finance/accounting team and implement scalable systems.
Manage cash flow, capital allocation, and financing strategies.
Establish and monitor KPIs, unit-level P&Ls, cost controls, and margin improvement initiatives.
Collaborate across departments (Operations, Development, HR, Marketing) to align financial goals with business strategy.
Qualifications:
Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field required; MBA or CPA strongly preferred.
10+ years of progressive financial leadership, with at least 5 years in a multi-unit restaurant, retail, or hospitality environment.
Proven track record of scaling finance operations, ideally in a private equity-backed or growth-stage business.
Deep understanding of unit-level economics, labor planning, and COGS management.
Expertise in financial systems (ERP), reporting tools, and data analytics.
Strong leadership, communication, and executive presentation skills.
Ability to balance strategic oversight with hands-on financial execution in a fast-paced setting.