Director of Finance

Overview

Ready to make a big impact? Wow Bao is on the hunt for a passionate and strategic Director of Finance
. The Director of Finance will serve as a strategic partner to the CEO/President and executive team, overseeing all financial operations and driving the company's growth objectives. This role requires deep expertise in CPG and food manufacturing, with a proven ability to scale operations, optimize profitability, and ensure financial integrity across multiple business channels. This role will be highly visible in the organization and will be a key influencer in helping the company achieve its long-term goals through thorough analysis of financial and operational data to support forecasting, budget planning and adherence, and by building strong connections with internal and external stakeholders.

The position reports directly to the CEO/President and requires on-site presence in Chicago, Illinois, five days a week.

• Assess and evaluate financial performance in the context of long-term operational goals, budgets, and forecasts.
• Build, maintain, and update financial analyses and tools to monitor the health of all business channels.
• Manage cash and working capital through proper planning and forecasting.
• Develop financial forecasting models to evaluate impacts of strategic and operational initiatives including new product launches and supply chain improvements.
• Partner with the CEO/President and Board of Directors on key business decisions, long-term strategic plans, annual capital/operating plans, budgets, and tactical initiatives.
• Prepare weekly operational reports for the management team summarizing performance across channels.
• Manage external consultants working on data analysis and reporting.
• Collaborate with operations to improve cost efficiency in food manufacturing and CPG distribution.
• Implement systems for inventory management, cost accounting, and margin optimization.
• Prepare monthly financial reporting to investors and the Board of Directors.
• Oversee tax planning and audits; work with external auditors to deliver annual audits.
• Work with departments (including Marketing) to manage and monitor spend, ROIC, and other operational metrics.
• Perform ad-hoc analysis to drive strategic and tactical decision-making.
• Monitor and help manage pricing across revenue channels.
• Lead the creation and execution of bonus compensation plans with the CEO/President.
• Participate in pivotal decisions related to strategic initiatives, operational models, and capacity expansion.
• Maintain banking relationships and other strategic relationships with vendors and partners.
• Act as a liaison between Wow Bao and product manufacturers and distributors.
• Identify and collaborate on margin improvement initiatives.
• Lead cross-functional strategic planning and the annual budget process.
• Prepare investor relations and Board-level presentation decks.
• Manage insurance renewals (non-health).
• Collaborate with Human Resources on payroll, benefits renewals, and fiduciary responsibilities, including risk management.
• Provide mentorship and development for Finance team members.
• Be available to assist with Wow Bao offsite events as needed and support other departments as assigned.
• Maintain composure and effectiveness in a fast-paced environment and complete other tasks as needed.

• Minimum 10+ years in Finance, Accounting, or related field.
• Proven experience in CPG and food manufacturing industries.
• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, or related field required; MBA, CPA, or advanced degree preferred.
• Track record of scaling businesses and managing multi-channel operations.
• Sense of urgency and results orientation.
• Proficiency in Tableau for data visualization and reporting; strong analytical mindset with data-driven decision-making.
• Excellent communication and project management skills, with ability to manage external partnerships and internal stakeholders.
• Excellent reading, writing, and oral English proficiency.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office suite (Excel, PowerPoint, Word).

• Health Insurance (medical, dental, vision)
• 401(k) Retirement Plan
• Voluntary life insurance
• Voluntary disability insurance
• Paid Time Off
• Paid Sick Leave
• Restaurant discounts
• Employee discount programs with Perkspot and Working Advantage
• We foster a culture of CARE

The salary range for this position is between $160,000 and $180,000. The actual salary amount will vary depending on the applicant's experience, skills, abilities, internal equity, and market data. Wow Bao is an Equal Opportunity Employer.