The Newcastle Search Group has been retained by one of Chicago's leading hospitality companies to assist with the hiring of a Chief Financial Officer. Reporting directly to the owners of the business, the CFO is a critical member of the leadership team.
The hiring company, located in Chicago's Loop, is fully in-office. Candidates requiring relocation or a hybrid/remote arrangement will not be considered.
- RESPONSIBILITIES
- Provide financial guidance and strategy to fellow management team members.
- Manage day-to-day operations of the accounting department including supervision of three finance team members.
- Oversee the accounting operations of all restaurants including control systems, transaction-processing operations including AP and AR, general ledger and period end close process.
- Oversee payroll function through department staff and outside payroll service.
- Issue timely and complete financial statements.
- Provide financial analyses as needed, e.g., capital investments, pricing decisions, COGS, labor patterns, inventory variances, and vendor contract negotiations. Establish best practice benchmarks against which to measure performance; report financial and operating metrics regularly.
- Manage the annual budget process and weekly/monthly forecasting.
- Cashflow management including forecasting; oversee and control reconciliation of all cash and credit card accounts.
• Provide oversight of state and local tax and licensing filings.
• Partner with outside accounting firm for tax planning and preparation.
• Manage and reconcile all intercompany activity and consolidations.
• Oversee and reconcile transactions with ownership including contributions, distributions, loans, and management fees.
QUALIFICATIONS / SKILLS
• Strong accounting and general ledger analytical skills
• High proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite programs (especially Excel), accounting software (e.g., Restaurant 365), point of sales systems (e.g., Toast), payroll software (e.g., Paycom)
• Results oriented, hands on, organized, attention to detail; able to multitask and prioritize work
• High integrity with a commitment to excellence
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE
• BS degree in accounting/finance desired; preference will be given to candidates with the Certified Public Accountant or Certified Management Accountant designations
• No less than ten years of total experience, with no less than three years of experience in a people management role
• Multi-unit food and beverage, retail, or similar industry experience highly desirable
