Director, Client Accounting & Advisory Services (Restaurant, Franchise, & Hospitality)

Aprio•Conyers, GA

About The Position

Aprio is seeking a Director, Client Accounting & Advisory Services to lead a profitable, scalable outsourced accounting practice serving multi-unit restaurant, franchise, and hospitality operators. The director owns end-to-end delivery across three technology stacks, leads approximately 40 onshore and offshore professionals, and manages approximately 175 client relationships spanning more than 1,000 locations. This operator-first leadership role focuses on using process and technology to grow a service practice faster than its headcount, setting standards, building the team, and shaping a practice being redefined by cloud technology and AI. The director owns the practice’s P&L and delivery operations, including margins, utilization, realization, revenue per FTE, staffing, monthly close, reporting, quality controls, client onboarding, scope, and pricing. The role leads three delivery teams, establishes repeatable workflows, and drives adoption of cloud accounting, automation, and AI while maintaining client data security and internal controls. It also recruits, develops, and retains team members; owns long-term client relationships; pursues cross-service opportunities; and represents Aprio in the restaurant, franchise, and hospitality industry community. The position offers the opportunity to own and scale a specialized outsourced accounting practice, influence automation and AI adoption, develop managers and staff, collaborate across tax, advisory, and technology practices, and receive competitive compensation with incentives tied to practice performance and client growth.

Requirements

At least 10 years of accounting experience, including at least 4 years leading an outsourced accounting, CAAS, or shared-services finance operation.
Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
Demonstrated record of running a profitable delivery operation with direct accountability for margin, utilization, and realization.
Hands-on experience with multiple cloud accounting platforms, including POS, financial back-of-house, payroll, and bill-pay integrations to the general ledger.
Experience building or rebuilding processes, policies, and standards at scale and leading adoption of automation and AI.
Ability to develop managers and lead teams through change.
Strong written and verbal communication skills.
Client-facing relationship ownership and business development experience.
Working knowledge of AICPA independence rules for non-attest services.

Nice To Haves

Restaurant, franchise, or hospitality industry experience, including POS-to-GL integration, tip reporting and FICA tip credit coordination with tax, and franchisor royalty and advertising fund reporting.
CPA; CMA or equivalent considered.
Relevant platform certifications valued.

Responsibilities

Own the practice P&L, including job margin, realization, utilization, revenue per FTE, and billing.
Lead three delivery teams operating across distinct technology stacks, standardizing where useful and specializing where platforms require it.
Design and manage the staffing model to ensure work is performed at the appropriate level.
Deliver accurate, on-time monthly closes and financial reporting packages supported by documented quality-control and sign-off standards.
Produce restaurant-specific reporting, including unit- and group-level prime costs, multi-entity consolidations, franchisor-required reporting, and lender covenant reporting.
Build repeatable workflows and operational processes that support practice growth without proportional cost increases.
Evaluate, implement, and drive adoption of cloud accounting, automation, and AI tools, leading the team through continuous change.
Maintain client data security, access controls, and internal controls across platforms and automation tools.
Own new-client onboarding and ensure engagements reach target margin within their first 90 days.
Maintain scope and pricing discipline; ensure out-of-scope work is quoted, billed, or declined.
Recruit, develop, and retain managers and staff across onshore and offshore teams, with clear career paths and succession planning.
Lead and grow long-term client relationships with multi-unit restaurant, franchise, and hospitality businesses.
Drive relationship expansion through cross-service opportunities in tax, advisory, and technology, and represent Aprio in the restaurant, franchise, and hospitality industry community.

Benefits

Medical, dental, and vision insurance starting on the first day of employment.
Flexible Spending Account and Dependent Care Account.
401(k) with profit sharing.
9+ holidays and a discretionary time-off structure.
Parental leave for primary and secondary caregivers.
Tuition Assistance Program and CPA support program with a cash incentive upon completion.
Discretionary incentive compensation based on firm, group, and individual performance.
Incentive compensation related to origination of new client sales.
Top-rated wellness program.
Flexible working environment, including remote and hybrid options.
Competitive compensation and industry-leading benefits.