Director of Finance

Job Title: Director of Finance

Job Type: Full-Time Remote

Time Zone: US Hours

The Director of Finance is responsible for owning the organization’s financial strategy, controls, and performance visibility. This role ensures financial discipline while enabling growth by translating data into actionable insights for executive leadership.

This is a senior financial leadership role—not a transactional accounting position. The Director of Finance focuses on strategic planning, forecasting, margin management, cash flow optimization, and risk management, while overseeing accounting, FP&A, and external financial partners.

Core Responsibilities

Financial Strategy & Leadership

• Serve as the primary financial thought partner to the CEO and executive leadership team.
• Build and maintain the company’s financial operating model aligned with growth objectives.
• Evaluate strategic initiatives, including new sales channels, product launches, wholesale expansion, and international growth.
• Provide scenario modeling, sensitivity analysis, and risk assessments to support informed decision-making.

Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A)

• Own the annual budgeting process, rolling forecasts, and long-range financial planning.
• Monitor performance against plan and clearly explain variances.
• Develop and maintain KPI dashboards covering revenue, gross margin, contribution margin, CAC, LTV, and operating leverage.
• Partner with department leaders to drive accountability to budgets and financial targets.

Accounting Oversight & Controls

• Oversee day-to-day accounting activities through internal team members and/or external firms.
• Ensure accurate and timely monthly, quarterly, and annual close processes.
• Review financial statements for accuracy, completeness, and compliance.
• Establish and enforce internal controls, approval workflows, and segregation of duties.

Cash Flow & Working Capital Management

• Own cash flow forecasting and liquidity planning.
• Manage burn rate, runway visibility, and capital allocation.
• Optimize inventory investment in close partnership with Operations.
• Oversee accounts payable, accounts receivable, and payment terms to improve the cash conversion cycle.

Revenue, Margin & Cost Management

• Monitor gross margin performance by product, channel, and promotion.
• Identify margin leakage and cost optimization opportunities.
• Review pricing, discounting, and promotional strategies for financial impact.
• Ensure COGS accuracy, including freight, duties, packaging, and fulfillment costs.

Systems, Reporting & Process Improvement

• Own financial systems and tools, including accounting and forecasting platforms (e.g., QuickBooks, NetSuite, and planning tools as applicable).
• Improve the accuracy, timeliness, and usability of financial reporting for leadership.
• Implement scalable finance processes to support organizational growth.
• Ensure clean and reliable data flow between finance, operations, and e-commerce systems.

Compliance, Audit & Risk Management

• Ensure compliance with tax, payroll, and regulatory requirements.
• Manage external audits, tax filings, and advisor relationships.
• Identify financial risks and recommend mitigation strategies.
• Support legal and insurance reviews related to financial exposure.

Team & Cross-Functional Leadership

• Lead, mentor, and develop finance team members, including FP&A, AP/AR, and accounting support.
• Set clear expectations, goals, and performance standards.
• Collaborate closely with Operations, Growth, E-commerce, and Sales teams.
• Act as a trusted business partner while maintaining financial rigor and accountability.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, or a related field; MBA or CPA preferred.
• 8–12+ years of progressive finance experience.
• Prior experience in CPG, e-commerce, retail, or consumer brands strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated ownership of budgeting, forecasting, and cash flow management.
• Strong understanding of inventory management, COGS, and margin structures.
• Experience partnering directly with founders or executive leadership teams.

Key Competencies

• Strategic financial thinking combined with strong operational execution.
• High attention to detail without losing sight of the big picture.
• Sound business judgment and decision-support capabilities.
• Ability to communicate financial insights clearly to non-financial stakeholders.
• Comfortable operating in fast-paced, high-growth environments.

Success Metrics

• Forecast accuracy and financial transparency.
• Gross margin and contribution margin improvement.
• Cash flow predictability and working capital efficiency.
• Timeliness and accuracy of financial reporting.
• Executive leadership satisfaction with financial insights and partnership.