Director of Finance

Description

New Orleans, Louisiana
Full-Time | In-Person
Reports to the CEO and President
Base Salary: $150,000 annually

WHO WE ARE

French Truck Coffee is a growing, privately held specialty coffee company based in New Orleans. Our business includes 14 cafés, wholesale coffee, e-commerce, a coffee roastery, and a commissary supporting our retail locations.

We care deeply about coffee, hospitality, and the communities we serve. We have grown by staying close to our customers and operations, moving quickly when something needs attention, and expecting leaders to take real ownership of their work.

As the company has grown, our financial needs have become more complex. We are now ready to bring our accounting and financial reporting fully in-house and are looking for an experienced financial leader to help guide the company through its next stage.

WHAT THIS JOB REALLY IS

The Director of Finance will be French Truck Coffee’s senior financial leader, a member of the Executive Leadership Team, and the primary financial adviser to the CEO, President, and ownership.

This is more than a traditional Controller position. The Director of Finance will help shape company strategy, annual priorities, capital allocation, financing decisions, and plans for growth. This person will translate financial and operational information into clear recommendations that help ownership and department leaders make better decisions.

It is also a hands-on role. The Director of Finance will work closely with our Administrative Manager to transition accounting and financial reporting from outside providers to an internally managed function. That means taking direct responsibility for the monthly close, financial statements, reconciliations, cash-flow forecasting, and the systems and controls behind them.

This opportunity may be an especially strong next step for an experienced Controller, Assistant Controller, Finance Manager, or second-ranking finance leader who is ready to lead an entire finance function. It may also appeal to a current Director of Finance who wants direct access to ownership and greater influence over company strategy and operations.

We care more about the scope of your experience, your readiness to lead, and your willingness to remain involved in the details than whether you have previously held the title of Director of Finance or Chief Financial Officer.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Partner with Ownership and Company Leadership

• Serve as the primary financial adviser to the CEO, President, and ownership.

• Participate actively on the Executive Leadership Team and help shape long-term strategy, annual priorities, and plans for growth.

• Translate financial information into clear, practical recommendations for department leaders and other non-financial audiences.

Lead Financial Planning and Decision Support

• Develop annual budgets, rolling forecasts, cash-flow projections, executive dashboards, and key performance indicators.

• Analyze company, café, department, and business-channel performance to identify risks, opportunities, and potential improvements.

• Build financial models for new locations, capital investments, financing decisions, licensing opportunities, and other strategic initiatives.

Build and Manage the In-House Finance Function

• Lead the transition of accounting and financial reporting from outside providers to an internally managed function.

• Establish clear responsibilities, procedures, systems, and internal controls for the Director of Finance and Administrative Manager.

• Supervise and develop the Administrative Manager while building an accurate, efficient, and scalable finance operation.

Own Accounting, Reporting, Cash, and Banking

• Lead the monthly and year-end close processes and ensure the accuracy of financial statements, reconciliations, and supporting records.

• Manage cash flow, liquidity, banking relationships, debt obligations, lender requirements, and financing transactions.

• Coordinate tax preparation and other specialized work with outside professionals as needed.

NOT A FIT IF…

• You want to operate only at a strategic level and expect a large accounting team to manage the details.

• You are uncomfortable working directly in the general ledger, reviewing reconciliations, investigating discrepancies, or improving accounting workflows.

• You see financial reporting as the end product rather than a tool for improving operations and making decisions.

• You prefer established corporate systems over building practical processes for a growing entrepreneurial company.

• You need extensive hierarchy, formality, or bureaucracy to be effective.

• You are uncomfortable delivering candid financial information or challenging assumptions when the numbers point in a different direction.

• You prefer working remotely and do not want to spend time learning how our cafés, roastery, commissary, and other operations actually function.

GREAT FIT IF…

• You combine strong accounting fundamentals with curiosity about how a business actually operates.

• You can move comfortably between a strategic discussion with ownership and a detailed review of the monthly close.

• You have owned, or are ready to own, the complete accounting and financial-reporting process.

• You can turn complex financial information into clear recommendations that non-financial leaders can understand and use.

• You enjoy building systems, establishing accountability, and improving processes without creating unnecessary bureaucracy.

• You take ownership of outcomes, follow through on commitments, and address problems directly.

• You are collaborative, approachable, and able to build trust across departments while maintaining appropriate financial discipline.

• You are excited by the opportunity to build an internal finance function and have a meaningful voice in the future of a growing New Orleans company.

Requirements

EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a closely related field.

• At least seven years of progressively responsible accounting or finance experience.

• At least three years in a financial leadership, management, or supervisory role.

• Strong knowledge of general-ledger accounting, financial statements, reconciliations, accrual accounting, and monthly close procedures.

• Direct experience preparing or overseeing monthly financial statements.

• Experience with budgeting, forecasting, cash management, and financial analysis.

• Experience supervising or reviewing the work of accounting or administrative team members.

• Advanced proficiency with accounting software, spreadsheets, and financial modeling.

• High level of integrity, discretion, accuracy, and professional judgment.

Especially relevant experience may include:

• Serving as a Controller, Assistant Controller, Director of Finance, Finance Manager, Accounting Manager, or Senior Finance Manager.

• Bringing an outsourced accounting function in-house or significantly improving an existing finance department.

• Working in multi-location restaurants, retail, hospitality, food and beverage, consumer products, or another operationally complex business.

• Supporting a privately held, founder-led, or family-owned company with approximately $10 million to $30 million in annual revenue.

• Managing multi-entity accounting, banking relationships, debt financing, or lender compliance.

A CPA, MBA, or other relevant advanced credential is preferred but not required.

COMPENSATION AND WORK EXPECTATIONS

The base salary for this position is $150,000 annually.

We offer a competitive benefits package, including paid time off, insurance and 401k. 

This is a full-time, in-person position based at French Truck Coffee’s corporate office in New Orleans. Periodic travel between our cafés, roastery, commissary, and other company locations will be required.

Because this position will work directly with company leadership, build an internal finance function, and learn the operational details of a multi-location business, it is not structured as a remote position.

HOW TO APPLY

Please submit a résumé and a brief cover letter describing why this opportunity is a logical next step in your career.

We would especially like to hear about your experience:

• Owning or directly participating in a complete monthly close and financial-reporting process;

• Building a finance function, bringing accounting work in-house, or significantly improving accounting and reporting processes; and

• Working in a multi-location restaurant, retail, hospitality, food and beverage, consumer-products, or similarly operationally complex business.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

French Truck Coffee is an equal opportunity employer committed to maintaining a diverse and inclusive workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Individuals who require a reasonable accommodation during the application process should contact the French Truck Coffee Human Resources Department.