Director of Finance
The Director of Finance will be a strategic, operationally minded finance leader who combines strong analytical expertise with the ability to build trusted relationships across the organization and franchise network. This individual will play a critical role in shaping financial strategy, supporting executive decision-making, and driving long-term business performance across one of the largest franchise salon systems in North America.
This leader will oversee a broad range of financial functions, including financial planning and analysis, budgeting, treasury operations, tax strategy, cash flow management, business analytics, and franchisee financial support. Success in the role requires more than technical expertise; the ideal candidate will bring a highly collaborative, service-oriented mindset and the ability to translate complex financial data into clear, actionable insights that support growth, profitability, and operational excellence across both corporate and franchise operations.
The successful candidate will demonstrate a low-ego, servant-leader mentality with a relationship-first approach to leadership, collaboration, and business partnership. They will thrive in ambiguous, fast-paced environments and balance strategic thinking with a hands-on, execution-oriented mindset, operating effectively as a “working leader” who is equally comfortable leading teams and rolling up their sleeves to solve problems. This individual will bring curiosity, patience, and sound judgment when assessing opportunities for change, taking time to understand organizational context, stakeholder perspectives, and operational realities before driving transformation.
Additionally, this leader must be able to build trust and credibility quickly across teams, franchisees, and executive leadership while simplifying complex financial concepts for audiences with varying levels of financial acumen. The ideal candidate will be energized by helping franchisees improve performance, enhance profitability, and achieve long-term business success through thoughtful partnership, responsiveness, and value-added financial guidance.
Responsibilities
- Directs the development and communication of short- and long-term strategic plans across FP&A, Treasury, and Tax functions in alignment with senior leadership priorities, while leading the annual corporate budgeting process and providing financial analysis and decision support for operational and strategic business decisions.
- Oversees franchisee and organizational financial analysis, including the collection, standardization, analysis, and communication of salon business and profitability information across the company system.
- Manages Treasury operations and cash flow activities, including collections, defaults, bank debt restructuring, lender relationships, insurance, enterprise risk management, and oversight of salon payment vendors and PCI compliance.
- Provides leadership and oversight for tax preparation and strategy development while supervising the Treasury Manager, Finance Manager, and Tax Manager.
- Builds strong, positive relationships with franchisees through trust, active listening, and openness to direct feedback.
Desired Skills and Experience
- 8+ years of corporate finance, budgeting, forecasting, financial reporting, and variance analysis within a multi-unit or franchise-based business environment.
- Familiarity with treasury, payment processing/vendor management, and financial operations processes.
- Working knowledge of data analytics, financial modeling, and KPI reporting to support operational and strategic decision-making.
- Strong communication skills with the ability to translate complex financial concepts into practical, actionable insights for audiences with varying levels of financial acumen.
- Skilled at effectively operating as a “working leader” who is comfortable both leading teams and actively engaging in day-to-day financial and operational work.
- Thrives in a relationship-driven, low-ego culture that values collaboration, humility, responsiveness, and partnership.
- Knowledge of financial systems, budgeting/planning platforms, ERP systems, and reporting tools; experience supporting or leading financial system implementations preferred.
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ABOUT SKYWATER SEARCH
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Led by a group of seasoned search industry professionals, SkyWater Search Partners brings new focus to a novel concept, “Short List Search.” Our purpose is to leave a lasting impression on the clients we serve by providing individuals who will make a measurable difference in their business. We strive to consistently deliver great results to our clients in a very timely manner.
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