Controller

A growing, privately held investment and operating platform in the restaurant industry is seeking a senior accounting leader to oversee a complex, multi-brand franchise business. The organization operates across numerous franchisor entities, company-owned restaurants, and manufacturing operations, creating significant complexity across financial reporting, technical accounting, and external audits.

This is a high-visibility leadership opportunity within a lean, operator-oriented organization undergoing significant growth and transformation. The ideal candidate brings a strong public accounting and audit foundation, followed by progressive corporate accounting leadership experience. This individual will take ownership of the accounting function, oversee multiple concurrent audits, strengthen internal controls, and build infrastructure capable of supporting future acquisitions and potential public-company requirements.

Company & Position Highlights

• Broad ownership across accounting operations, technical accounting, financial reporting, external audits, and internal controls
• Opportunity to lead a complex organization spanning franchise operations, company-owned restaurants, and manufacturing
• Significant involvement in multiple concurrent external audits, including first-year audits and consolidated financial reporting
• Opportunity to elevate accounting processes and controls toward public-company and IPO-readiness standards
• Leadership of a distributed accounting organization across U.S.-based and offshore teams

Responsibilities

• Accounting & Financial Reporting: Lead monthly, quarterly, and annual close across multiple entities, including consolidations, intercompany accounting, reconciliations, and preparation of financial statements.
• External Audit Leadership: Oversee multiple concurrent audits across consolidated, franchisor, and advertising fund entities, managing auditor relationships, audit timelines, supporting documentation, and audited financial statements and footnotes.
• Technical Accounting: Establish accounting policies and oversee complex matters involving revenue recognition, business combinations, leases, intangible assets, impairment, and franchise-specific transactions under US GAAP.
• Internal Controls & Compliance: Strengthen internal controls, accounting documentation, and review procedures while developing processes capable of supporting public-company reporting standards.
• Operational Accounting & Acquisitions: Oversee accounting across franchise operations, company-owned restaurants, and manufacturing, while supporting acquisition accounting, integration, and process standardization.
• Team Leadership: Lead and develop U.S.-based and offshore accounting teams, establishing accountability, effective review procedures, and consistent performance standards.
• Systems & Process Improvement: Improve accounting systems, close automation, and reporting processes while partnering with senior leadership on financial reporting, compliance, and broader accounting initiatives.

Qualifications

• Active CPA license required, with experience at a national public accounting firm
• Progressive accounting experience, including leading accounting teams
• Experience as a Corporate Controller, Director of Accounting, VP of Accounting, or comparable leader within a complex, multi-entity organization
• Proven ability to manage multiple concurrent external audits and prepare complete audited financial statements and footnote disclosures
• Public-company accounting, SEC reporting, IPO readiness, or SOX/internal controls implementation experience required
• Strong technical accounting foundation under US GAAP, with experience building teams, improving processes, and leading accounting functions through acquisitions or organizational change
• Franchise accounting experience strongly preferred; restaurant or manufacturing experience, first-year audits, offshore team leadership, and Sage Intacct knowledge are additional advantages