Franchise Financial Operations Specialist (East Coast USA)

Location: Eastern United States — remote or hybrid; preferred base in Charlotte, NC or Atlanta, GA (Eastern Time)

Employment Type: Full-Time, Permanent

Compensation: US$80,000 – $90,000 per year + bonus + benefits Seniority: Senior Specialist (individual contributor)

Reports To: Director of Finance

Function: Franchise Finance / Lender & SBA Financing Support / U.S. GAAP / Revenue Reconciliation / AR & APABOUT OUR CLIENTOur client is a well-established private education provider working with young children and their families. The organization operates a growing network of corporate and franchised locations across Canada and the United States and is recognized for a distinctive curriculum that combines academic foundations with creative and enrichment learning. This is a premium, purpose-driven education business in an ambitious growth phase. As the franchise network expands into the United States, the finance team is adding a dedicated U.S.-based specialist to support franchise partners and their lenders, strengthen revenue controls and keep core accounting workflows running smoothly. Further detail on the organization, including its identity, will be shared with shortlisted candidates. This search is being conducted on a strictly confidential basis and we ask that candidates do not speculate publicly about the client.

THE OPPORTUNITY: Reporting directly to the Director of Finance, this is a blended role that combines lender-facing work with hands-on finance operations. You will support the organization’s relationships with banks and SBA lenders, help franchise partners through the financing process, and keep U.S. accounting accurate under U.S. GAAP.You will also be the primary financial liaison for the U.S. franchise network: onboarding new franchise owners, collecting financial statements through the franchise portal and auditing franchisee sales against royalty ledgers. Day to day, you will roll up your sleeves on expense management, AR and AP so the finance team never stops. This role suits an experienced accounting professional who is comfortable working at both a strategic and a tactical level, someone who can prepare a clean lender package in the morning and reconcile a royalty variance precisely in the afternoon.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES: Lender Relationships & SBA Financing•   Support the Director of Finance in building and maintaining relationships with banks, SBA-preferred lenders and other U.S. financing partners.•   Guide franchise partners through SBA 7(a) and 504 loan processes, preparing financial projections, lender packages and supporting schedules.•   Prepare commercial banking applications, line-of-credit requests and funding documentation, tracking submission status and lender follow-ups through to approval.•   Track lender reporting requirements and loan covenants, and keep the organization’s franchise documentation current for SBA lending. U.S. GAAP Reporting & Month-End Support•   Prepare journal entries, accruals and account reconciliations for U.S. operations in line with U.S. GAAP.•   Support month-end and year-end close, audit preparation and information requests from external accountants and tax advisors.•   Help the Director of Finance reconcile U.S. results with Canadian head office reporting. Franchisee Financial Onboarding & Training•   Lead the financial orientation and onboarding of new franchise owners, training them on head office reporting standards, chart of accounts requirements and portal submission workflows.•   Guide new franchisees through setting up ACH / pre-authorized debit profiles, royalty billing schedules and reporting timelines.•   Create, refine and maintain user-friendly financial toolkits, Excel templates and onboarding guides for incoming network partners.•   Act as the dedicated head office finance point of contact during the first 90 days after each new franchise launch. Franchisee Revenue Reconciliation & Portal Collection•   Oversee quarterly and annual franchisee financial statement collection through the portal, maintaining high compliance rates.•   Follow up diplomatically but firmly with franchisees on outstanding, late or incomplete financial filings.•   Reconcile self-reported franchisee sales against POS data and fee schedules to verify accurate royalty, marketing and system fee calculations.•   Prepare monthly revenue variance reports for review with the Director of Finance. Corporate Expense Management (Expensify)•   Manage the day-to-day corporate workflow in Expensify, reviewing head office and field staff expense reports for policy compliance and receipt completeness.•   Follow up with employees and department heads to resolve unsubmitted reports, missing documentation or coding errors.•   Reconcile monthly corporate credit card statements against Expensify batches and prepare General Ledger posting entries. Hands-On AR, AP & Team Relief•   Perform routine fee billing, process AR invoices, track collections and follow up on overdue franchise accounts.•   Assist with AP invoice entry, vendor payment matching, statement reconciliations and batch payment runs.•   Provide seamless operational coverage and vacation relief across core AR and AP functions to keep head office workflows continuous.•   Handle administrative and operational finance tasks as needed, from vendor setup to banking and payment processing.

QUALIFICATIONS: Essential•   Bachelor's degree or diploma in Accounting, Finance or Business Administration.•   5 to 7 years of full-cycle accounting, bookkeeping or financial operations experience, including recent experience in the United States.•   Hands-on experience working with lenders, including SBA financing (7(a) and/or 504 loans) preparing loan packages, projections or lender reporting.•   Working knowledge of U.S. GAAP, including month-end close, accruals and reconciliations.•   Proven background in complex bank reconciliations, credit card expense matching and GL variance analysis.•   Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, data validation and multi-tab reconciliation templates.•   Excellent verbal and written communication, with a patient, supportive approach to coaching non-finance franchise partners.•   Exceptional accuracy in reviewing forms and auditing receipts, and the drive to manage strict monthly compliance deadlines.•   Legally authorized to work in the United States. Strongly preferred•   Experience in a franchise network or multi-entity corporate environment, ideally including royalty or franchise fee reconciliation.•   Hands-on familiarity with Expensify and a cloud ERP such as Sage Intacct, Net Suite or Quick Books Online.•   Experience supporting franchisees or small-business borrowers through SBA or commercial loan applications.•   Exposure to cross-border reporting with a Canadian parent company, or to Canadian banking and compliance requirements.•   CPA designation, or progress toward one.

WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE: FIRST 12 MONTHS•   Trusted working relationships in place with the organization’s banks and SBA lenders, with lender packages and covenant reporting delivered complete and on time.•   Every new franchise owner onboarded to a consistent financial standard, with ACH / PAD, royalty billing and reporting set up correctly from day one.•   Portal statement collection running to a predictable monthly rhythm, with compliance rates rising and late filings the exception.•   Franchisee sales reconciled against POS data each cycle, with royalty and fee variances identified, explained and resolved.•   Expensify and corporate card reconciliations closed on time each month, with clean GL entries.•   U.S. month-end entries and reconciliations closed accurately under U.S. GAAP, and AR/AP running without interruption during team absences. WHY JOINThis is a chance to become the financial face of head office for a premium, mission-driven brand as its franchise network expands across the United States. Your work directly shapes how new franchise owners start their businesses, and how confidently leadership can rely on network revenue. You will work closely with the Director of Finance, gain direct exposure to U.S. lenders, SBA financing and cross-border finance, and join a business where the outcome of good work is visible in the schools and families it serves. The role offers US$80,000 – $90,000 annually plus bonus and benefits, based in the Eastern United States (remote or hybrid).

HOW TO APPLY: This search is managed exclusively by Mafra Talents on behalf of our client. All applications and conversations are handled in strict confidence. Qualified candidates are invited to send their resume in confidence to Jose Mafra at jose.mafra@mafratalents.com, or apply through www.mafratalents.com. Mafra Talents' recruitment services are 100% free for candidates. Our client is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process. Given the childcare setting, the successful candidate may be required to complete background check.