Director of Finance & Business Performance

This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, who manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for a Director of Finance & Business Performance based in Ireland. This is a senior finance leadership role focused on rebuilding and transforming the finance function of a growing multi-location food-service business. You will take ownership of core financial operations while strengthening cash management, payroll, reporting, controls, and compliance. Beyond traditional finance responsibilities, you will turn financial data into practical insights that guide business decisions and improve performance. You will lead budgeting, forecasting, profitability analysis, and investment evaluation across locations, brands, channels, and products. The role requires a commercially minded finance leader who can connect financial performance with pricing, operations, and growth decisions. You will also redesign finance structures, systems, and controls to create a more scalable and reliable function. This opportunity is ideal for an experienced finance executive who enjoys building from the ground up and creating lasting organizational impact. Lead the finance function through a hands-on transformation, establishing strong processes, controls, reporting standards, and operating rhythms. Take ownership of core financial operations, ensuring cash, payroll, compliance, and other critical financial responsibilities are properly controlled. Build accurate, timely, and actionable financial reporting that gives leadership clear visibility into business performance. Own annual budgets, rolling forecasts, cash planning, and financial projections, continuously updating assumptions based on business performance. Develop profitability reporting by location, brand, channel, and product to identify performance gaps and opportunities for improvement. Analyze unit economics and financial drivers to help leadership understand the factors influencing profitability and sustainable growth. Evaluate pricing, promotions, investments, and strategic initiatives through robust financial models and business cases. Partner with operational and commercial leaders to translate financial insights into practical actions and measurable business improvements. Redesign finance team structures, systems, workflows, and internal controls to improve efficiency, accuracy, scalability, and accountability. Introduce modern finance technologies, AI tools, and automation to streamline reporting, analysis, forecasting, and decision-making. Establish clear financial performance metrics and ensure leadership has timely visibility into risks, opportunities, and key business trends. Develop finance talent and build a sustainable succession plan, including the eventual development of a successor capable of taking ownership of the function. Provide evidence-based financial guidance to senior executives and constructively challenge decisions when financial analysis indicates a different course of action. Requirements Significant senior-level finance leadership experience, ideally with experience operating at CFO, Finance Director, or equivalent level. Demonstrated success improving profitability, financial forecasting, cash management, reporting, and overall finance operations. Strong commercial understanding, including pricing strategy, unit economics, investment analysis, profitability drivers, and business-case development. Advanced, hands-on experience with AI, automation, modern finance technologies, and data-driven financial analysis. Strong accounting and financial management knowledge, with a professional finance or accounting qualification strongly preferred. Experience building or transforming finance functions, particularly in environments where processes and systems require significant improvement. Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, with the capacity to turn complex financial information into clear business recommendations. Excellent communic