Director of Financial Operations - Full-time

Work it! Here at Shake Shack, we take care of each other first and foremost so that we can make raves for our guests, community, suppliers, and investors. After all, teamwork makes the dream work. We work our buns off, but we play hard too, with a company retreat, Team Appreciation Day, volunteer opportunities, and so much more. If you’re looking for a deeply fulfilling, financially rewarding, and really fun career, you’re in the right place.

Director of Financial Operations

Key Responsibilities

1. Oversight of Day-to-Day Financial Operations

• Lead and manage all transactional and operational activities related to the Accounts Payable and Payroll functions.
• Establish organizational, functional and individual key performance indicators (KPIs) with a focus on providing high quality service, as well as transparency to internal customers. Produce and analyze periodic KPIs to monitor, measure and drive performance improvement.
• Act as a point of escalation for Home Office and Shack stakeholders, ensuring timely and satisfactory resolution of issues.
• Evaluate, develop, implement and monitor operational finance policies and procedures with an emphasis on improving accuracy and timeliness, reducing risk and strengthening compliance.
• Facilitate period-end closings by ensuring the accurate and timely completion by the team of closing-related responsibilities, including preparation of journal entries, account reconciliations and variance analyses for owned accounts.
• Ensure the team has a comprehensive understanding of the financial systems to perform their job responsibilities.  Provide direction to other users in interpreting information, monitoring accuracy, and suggesting changes/improvement to the system.
• Assess the impact from and implement the required changes to systems, process, policies and procedures due to new accounting standards, regulatory changes, changes in business strategy, cross-departmental initiatives and other operational changes. Drive change management by working with IT and other key stakeholders related to any associated changes. 
• Direct the department’s training requirements and ensure training is provided to maximize team member effectiveness and efficiency.
• Build and maintain relationships with business leaders. Enhance cross-functional collaboration by fostering trust, commitment, accountability and results.
• Represent the Financial Operations organization in cross-departmental projects and initiatives, ensuring changes to existing process/systems are covered by appropriate policies, align with process strategy and have sound internal controls in place.
• Identifies and communicates key responsibilities, priorities and practices to foster teamwork, a positive work environment and confidence in leadership to achieve business results.

2.  Finance Transformation

• Act as the functional lead of Shake Shack’s multi-phased Finance Transformation initiative, of which one phase is specifically focused on the Procure-to-Pay process.
• Provide day-to-day Shake Shack leadership and coordination, project management, change management and communications.
• Develop and communicate requirements for financial system enhancements.
• Liaise with third-party consultants, system implementers, IT and other key stakeholders.

3.  Process Improvement

• Align the Financial Operations organizational structure and processes as well as employee skills and responsibilities to stakeholder needs.
• Review existing processes, structures, and systems to identify improvement opportunities with a focus on simplification, standardization and optimization, especially the reduction of manual, Excel-based activities.
• Benchmark the Financial Operations organization against other companies to identify and implement process improvements.
• Responsible for successful implementation of on-going process improvement initiatives, including shaping best practices, tool enhancements and driving an effective control environment.
• Identify and remove sources of resistance by acting as a liaison across organizational boundaries.
• Identify opportunities across other functional areas to support process efficiency and automation opportunities that could be integrated into financial operations organization.

4.  SOX Compliance

• Ownership of all SOX key controls related to Financial Operations.
• Facilitate both internal and external audits ensuring complete, timely and accurate responses to information requests. Coordinate with internal or external auditors related to owned accounts and processes.
• Continuously evaluate SOX controls in light of changing systems/processes and work with Internal Audit to identify and implement necessary control changes.
• Improve internal control environment to more efficiently monitor transaction risk and financial exposure.
• Maintain and promote policies and procedures related to SOX controls, corporate policies and procedures and related regulatory and GAAP requirements.

5. Other

• Remain current on regulatory changes impacting Financial Operations.
• Remain current on Restaurant and Retail industry-specific technologies and emerging trends.
• Assist with the annual budget and ongoing forecasting processes as needed.
• Prepare reports/analyses and participate in other projects as needed.

Skills & Knowledge

• Strong financial, IT and analytical skills coupled with an operational focus.
• BS/BA in Accounting or Finance required.
• MBA or Master’s degree strongly preferred.
• CPA strongly preferred.  

Experience:

• Minimum 12+ years of progressive management experience in financial operations/shared services and transformation.
• Proven experience leading major system implementations and business process re-design initiatives.
• Experience in the restaurant and/or retail industries required.
• Experience building and leading highly effective teams. Demonstrated leadership capabilities with a focus on coaching individuals/teams to reach their potential.
• Experience at Big 4 public accounting firm strongly preferred.

Benefits include:

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• Transit Discount Program
• 401K Plan with Company Match
• Paid Time Off Program
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Employee Dining Program
• Referral Bonus
• Online Training Program
• Career Development
• Corporate Fitness Discount Programs
• Choice of Global Cash Card or Direct Deposit

About Us

Beginning as a hot dog cart in New York City’s Madison Square Park, Shake Shack was created by Danny Meyer, Founder and CEO of Union Square Hospitality Group and best-selling author of Setting the Table. Shack Fans lined up daily, making the cart a resounding success, and donating all proceeds back to the park beautification efforts. A permanent stand was eventually built…and the rest is Shack history! With our roots in fine dining and giving back to the community, we are committed to high quality food served with a high level of hospitality. Our team members enjoy a positive work environment that is deeply committed to the philosophy they we "Stand for Something Good."