Chief Financial Officer - Restaurants QSR

leapbrands; Wayne (NJ); On-site; USD 250,000 - 420,000; Full time

Job summary

Leapbrands seeks a seasoned Chief Financial Officer to oversee financial strategy, reporting, and performance across its private-equity backed restaurant brands. The ideal candidate has deep multi-unit restaurant finance, M&A, restructuring, and EBITDA growth experience, with a track record of guiding portfolio CFOs and aligning with the fund’s value-creation plans.

This strategic leadership role requires strong capital allocation, governance, and the ability to drive profitability in a

Qualifications

• 15+ years of progressive finance leadership experience.
• At least 5 years in a private-equity backed multi-unit restaurant or retail environment.
• Experience managing multiple CFOs across a diverse portfolio of brands.
• Strong expertise in restaurant unit economics, franchising, and corporate finance.
• Deep knowledge of financial modeling, valuation, capital markets, and M&A execution.

Responsibilities

• Lead fund-level financial leadership and develop strategies that maximize portfolio performance.
• Provide oversight and guidance to portfolio company CFOs, ensuring financial discipline and compliance.
• Lead due diligence, modeling, and integration for restaurant acquisitions and roll-ups.
• Develop capital allocation strategies across the portfolio and optimize working capital.
• Prepare and present financial reports and performance insights to PE partners and lenders.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Financial analysis

Stakeholder management

C-suite influence

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Finance/Accounting

MBA and/or CPA preferred

Tools

ERP systems

BI tools

Job description

JobOverview:

TheChiefFinancialOfficer(CFO)atthefundlevelwilloverseefinancialstrategy,reporting,andoperationalperformanceacrossmultiplerestaurantbrandswithintheprivateequityportfolio.Thisindividualwillactasastrategicleader,managingandguidingtheCFOsofportfoliocompanieswhileensuringalignmentwiththefund’sfinancialgoals,investmentstrategies,andvaluecreationplans.

Theidealcandidatewillhavedeepexperienceinmulti-unitrestaurantfinance,M&A,financialrestructuring,anddrivingEBITDAgrowthinaprivateequity-backedenvironment.

KeyResponsibilities:

Fund-LevelFinancialLeadership

• Developandexecutefinancialstrategiesthatmaximizetheperformanceofrestaurantportfoliocompanieswhilealigningwiththefund’sinvestmentobjectives.
• ProvideoversightandguidancetoportfoliocompanyCFOs,ensuringfinancialdiscipline,operationalefficiency,andcompliancewithPEexpectations.
• Establishfinancialcontrols,reportingstructures,andforecastingmodelsacrossallportfoliocompanies.
• ServeastheprimaryfinancialliaisonbetweenthefundandrestaurantbrandCFOs,ensuringclearcommunicationoffinancialexpectationsandkeyperformancemetrics.

PortfolioCompanyOversight&ValueCreation

• PartnerwithportfoliocompanyCFOstooptimizefinancialperformance,improvemargins,andenhancecashflow.
• Monitorfinancialhealthacrossbrands,identifyingrisks,inefficiencies,andopportunitiesforrevenuegrowth.
• Leadcapitalallocationstrategiesacrosstherestaurantportfolio,includinginvestmentprioritization,refinancing,andworkingcapitalmanagement.
• SupportCFOsinimprovinguniteconomics,pricingstrategies,andcostcontrolstodriveprofitability.

M&A&GrowthStrategy

• Leadfinancialduediligence,modeling,andintegrationforrestaurantacquisitions,divestitures,androll-ups.
• Evaluateandexecutegrowthstrategies,includingnewstoredevelopment,franchiseexpansion,andstrategicexits.
• Developplaybooksforpost-mergerintegration,ensuringseamlessfinancialandoperationaltransitions.

Investor&LenderRelations

• Prepareandpresentfinancialreports,forecasts,andperformanceinsightstoprivateequitypartners,lenders,andinvestors.
• Supportfundraisingandcapitaldeploymentefforts,workingcloselywithinvestmentteamsonfinancingstructures.
• Overseedebtcompliance,covenantmonitoring,andcapitalstructureoptimization.

Operational&FinancialPerformanceMonitoring

• ImplementstandardKPIs,benchmarking,andreportingacrossportfoliocompaniestomeasurefinancialsuccess.
• Developandrefinebudgetingandforecastingprocessesatboththefundandportfoliocompanylevels.
• Ensurefinancialreportingconsistencyandaccuracy,drivingdata-drivendecision-makingacrosstheorganization.

Qualifications&Experience:

• Education:Bachelor’sdegreeinFinance,Accounting,orrelatedfield;MBAand/orCPAstronglypreferred.
• Experience:15+yearsofprogressivefinanceleadershipexperience,withatleast5yearsinaprivateequity-backedmulti-unitrestaurantorretailenvironment.
• ExperiencemanagingmultipleCFOsacrossadiverseportfolioofrestaurantorconsumer-facingbrands.
• Strongexpertiseinrestaurantuniteconomics,franchising,andcorporatefinance.
• Deepknowledgeoffinancialmodeling,valuation,capitalmarkets,andM&Aexecution.

Skills:

• Provenabilitytodrivefinancialandoperationalimprovementsacrossmultiplebusinessunits.
• Strongleadershipandcommunicationskills,withtheabilitytoinfluenceC-suiteexecutivesandinvestors.
• Advancedfinancialplanning,reporting,andanalyticalcapabilities.
• Experiencewithfinancialreportingsystems,ERPplatforms,andbusinessintelligencetools.

PreferredTraits:

• Strategicthinkerwiththeabilitytobalancefinancialdisciplinewithgrowthinitiatives.
• Strongunderstandingofprivateequityvaluecreationstrategiesandexitplanning.
• Abilitytothriveinafast-paced,high-growth,anddynamicenvironment.