Fractional Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

Fractional Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

Cost Discipline, Turnaround & Scalable Growth

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Fractional Chief Financial Officer (CFO) is a strategic, hands-on financial leader responsible for bringing discipline, cost control, and scalable financial infrastructure to a 25-unit and growing retail franchise group.

This part-time executive engagement (10-20 hours per week) provides the organization with CFO-level rigor and turnaround capability.

The ideal candidate is a financial operator who excels at identifying waste, tightening controls, improving cash flow, and building systems that support profitable scale. This role will shape the financial roadmap and may evolve.

The Fractional CFO will partner closely with the CEO and COO to ensure the company has the financial clarity, reporting accuracy, and cost discipline required to support operational resets, margin expansion, and long-term growth.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Financial Strategy & Leadership:
• Serve as the senior financial advisor to the CEO and COO, providing clear guidance on cost structure, capital allocation, and financial risk
• Build a multi-year financial model that supports profitable unit expansion, working capital needs, and ownership returns
• Conduct financial due diligence for new units, lease negotiations, remodels, and capital investments
• Identify risks to EBITDA targets and develop scenario planning frameworks to guide decision-making
• Establish a financial strategy that prioritizes margin protection, cash discipline, and operational efficiency

Financial Reporting & Analysis:
• Oversee accurate, timely monthly financial statements and management reporting
• Deliver unit-level and portfolio-level P&L analysis with actionable variance insights
• Build a financial dashboard and KPI framework that gives the COO and district managers visibility into performance drivers
• Ensure reporting aligns with franchise requirements and ownership expectations
• Create transparency around cost centers, margin erosion, and financial trends

Budgeting, Forecasting & Cash Management
• Lead the annual budgeting process with a focus on cost control and realistic operational assumptions
• Maintain rolling 13-week cash flow forecasts and actively manage working capital
• Monitor cash position, debt service, and banking covenants
• Identify opportunities to improve cash conversion cycles, renegotiate vendor terms, and optimize capital deployment
• Build a cash discipline culture across the organization

EBITDA Optimization & Cost Control:
• Partner with the COO to implement accountability structures that protect and grow EBITDA
• Analyze labor productivity, COGS, occupancy costs, and overhead to identify inefficiencies and cost leaks
• Lead cost-reduction initiatives, procurement improvements, and vendor renegotiations
• Provide financial modeling for pricing, product mix, and promotional strategies
• Build a margin-focused operating rhythm that supports both turnaround and scale

Accounting, Compliance & Controls:
• Oversee the accounting function and ensure strong internal controls across all units
• Manage relationships with CPA firms, tax advisors, lenders, and franchise financial reporting partners
• Ensure compliance with GAAP, tax obligations, and franchise financial reporting standards
• Review and approve month-end close, reconciliations, and financial statement preparation
• Strengthen audit readiness and financial accuracy across the organization

Technology & Systems:
• Evaluate and implement financial systems, POS integrations, and reporting tools that support scale
• Standardize financial data collection and reporting across all units
• Automate manual processes to reduce errors and increase efficiency
• Build a scalable financial infrastructure that supports growth from 25 to 50+ units

Growth & Transaction Support:
• Support ownership in evaluating new unit economics, real estate pro formas, and ROI analysis
• Prepare financial packages for lenders, SBA financing, or investor discussions
• Advise on recapitalization, exit planning, or future transactions
• Ensure growth decisions are grounded in financial discipline and long-term profitability

QUALIFICATIONS

Required:
• 12+ years of progressive finance experience, including 3-5 years at CFO or VP Finance level
• Experience in multi-unit retail, franchise, restaurant, or consumer-facing environments
• Demonstrated success in cost reduction, cash optimization, and EBITDA improvement
• Hands-on experience with accounting oversight, month-end close, and internal controls
• Proven ability to deliver CFO-level output in a fractional or part-time capacity
• Strong working knowledge of GAAP and franchise financial reporting requirements

Preferred:
• Direct franchise system experience (franchisee or franchisor)
• Experience scaling companies
• Familiarity with SBA lending, commercial real estate financing, and franchise capital structures
• CPA, CFA, or MBA
• Experience with POS systems, cloud accounting platforms (QuickBooks, NetSuite), and BI tools

Competencies & Attributes
• Turnaround-focused financial operator who can quickly identify waste and implement cost discipline
• Strategic thinker who simplifies complexity and communicates clearly to non-financial leaders
• Disciplined and structured, bringing rigor without unnecessary bureaucracy
• Trusted advisor with high integrity and confidentiality
• Comfortable working in a lean, fast-moving environment with multiple priorities
• Able to be present for key meetings while managing the role remotely or hybrid