VP of Finance

Taco Bamba HQ•Falls Church, VA

About The Position

Taco Bamba is looking for a finance leader ready to strengthen the company's financial infrastructure, build out reporting and analytical capabilities, and establish the discipline the business needs to grow with confidence. This role is the company's senior-most finance executive, with full ownership of the finance function and a seat at the table on every major business decision. Backed by a well-capitalized institutional partner, Taco Bamba is not looking for someone to manage investor relations or raise capital — this role is about building the financial engine that drives disciplined, sustainable growth. Reporting directly to the CEO, this person will have meaningful influence from day one.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in accounting or finance required; CPA with GAAP experience required
8-12+ years of progressive financial leadership experience in high-growth environments, ideally within restaurant, retail, or hospitality; prior experience with companies undergoing meaningful expansion is a strong plus
Experience in high-growth, multi-unit restaurant or retail environments with 20+ company-owned locations preferred
Demonstrated experience building or significantly improving all aspects of a finance function (systems, processes, and team)
Deep understanding of unit economics and operational finance
Proficiency in financial analysis, budgeting, forecasting, and unit economics
Familiarity with restaurant-specific accounting platforms (Restaurant365 or equivalent) preferred
Ability to translate financial complexity for a non-finance audience
Hands-on, low-ego leader comfortable operating in a lean, entrepreneurial environment

Responsibilities

Produce accurate, timely financial statements and management reports for the CEO and Board
Ensure GAAP compliance and lead annual audits
Establish and enforce best-in-class unit-level economics, including food cost, labor productivity, and contribution margin targets
Develop standardized new unit-level performance benchmarks including ramp curves, payback periods, and cash-on-cash returns
Oversee external tax preparation and compliance with federal, state, and local requirements
Translate financial reporting and analysis into clear, actionable insights for operations and non-finance stakeholders
Lead the annual budget process, working closely with all departments
Maintain rolling forecasts to identify risks and opportunities in real time
Monitor performance against budgets and forecasts and drive meaningful variance analysis
Implement a 13-week cash flow model and ongoing liquidity planning in partnership with the CEO to support operations and growth
Provide oversight of the currently outsourced accounting function and plan for the future state of the finance team as the company grows
Design and implement financial systems, processes, and workflows to support a multi-unit, growing operator
Build a scalable data infrastructure that enables real-time visibility into store-level and systemwide performance
Manage relationships with external auditors, tax advisors, banking partners, and legal counsel
Partner with cross-functional teams to assess the financial implications of growth strategies, including new unit development, market entry, and capital allocation
Define and enforce investment criteria for new locations, including return thresholds, payback periods, and capital efficiency; evaluate the financial viability of expansion opportunities and present well-structured recommendations to the CEO and Board