Location: LKA Vancouver, Point Grey
Reports To: CFO
Works directly with: Co-Founder & CEO & Leadership Team
Employment Type: Full Time - Regular
Schedule: Hybrid Work Arrangement
Compensation: $150,000 – 175,000 per year, based on experience, CPA designation, multi-entity accounting experience, U.S. and Canadian reporting exposure
Role Overview
We are hiring a Controller to own the financial engine of this business. Reporting to the CFO with a direct working relationship with the CEO, this role is ideal for a high-ownership operator who thrives at the intersection of accounting precision and business impact. You will be responsible for building and running a clean, fast, and disciplined finance operation that enables leadership to make high-confidence decisions in real time. This is not a back-office role. You are a core operator in a founder-led company that is scaling corporate flagship kitchens across North America, advancing strategic partnerships, and positioning the company for a capital raise.
Key Responsibilities
- Month-End Close: Own the full close process across all entities, U.S. and Canada. Deliver accurate, complete financial statements on a locked timeline: monthly, quarterly, and annual. Maintain balance sheet integrity and full reconciliations. Establish and enforce accounting policies and standards.
- Financial Reporting: Own preparation of all financial statements. Deliver monthly P&L by location and consolidated, budget vs. actuals and variance analysis, and break-even and contribution views. Support the CFO with schedules and inputs for board reporting. Conduct detailed financial analysis to identify trends, opportunities, and areas for improvement. Provide analysis and insights to senior management to inform strategic planning.
- Cash Reporting and Visibility: Reconcile cash on a weekly basis across all accounts. Maintain a 13-week rolling cash forecast across all business units. Provide clean, reliable inputs to the CFO for runway modeling and scenario planning.
- Budget and Forecast Support: Support the CFO by providing accurate actuals, variance analysis, and financial data to inform budgeting and forecasting. Partner with location Directors on monthly forecasting and review of results as corporate kitchens grow.
- AP, AR, and Expense Management: Manage all accounts payable, accounts receivable, and expense workflows. Enforce full compliance on receipts, corporate card usage, and expense submissions. Own controls and review processes.
- Payroll Accounting: Manage payroll accounting and reconciliation across all entities. Ensure accuracy and timeliness every cycle.
- Franchisee Billing and Intercompany: Own the franchisee billing process. Own intercompany recharge accounting. Prepare schedules and maintain clean documentation.
- Tax Compliance: Ensure compliance with all tax regulations across U.S. and Canada. Oversee preparation and filing of tax returns.
- Audit Management: Coordinate and manage external audits. Prepare all supporting documentation and schedules. Maintain audit-ready financials at all times.
- Internal Controls: Implement and operate internal controls to safeguard company assets. Build processes that protect the business and scale with growth.
- Process Improvement: Own and optimize finance systems and workflows. Continuously evaluate and improve financial processes for efficiency and accuracy. Drive implementation and transition of tools across accounting, expense management, and reporting. Participate in platform evaluation including U.S. and Canada system alignment.
- Capital Raise Readiness: Ensure all financial statements, reporting, and supporting schedules are investor-grade and can withstand diligence. Support the CFO in preparing materials that give investors confidence. Clean books, tight controls, and audit-ready documentation are requirements, not nice-to-haves.
- Team Development: Management and development of a Senior Accountant/Assistant Controller.
Qualifications
- Education: Bachelor's degree in finance, accounting, or a related field. A Master's degree or CPA certification is highly preferred.
- Experience: Minimum of 7 years of progressive experience in financial management and accounting, preferably in a multi-entity, growth-stage business.
- Strong Financial Acumen: In-depth knowledge of financial principles and accounting standards. Experience with financial modeling and forecasting.
- U.S. and Canadian Accounting: Strong understanding of both U.S. and Canadian accounting environments. Full-cycle accounting experience: close, reporting, AP/AR, payroll, tax, audit.
- Analytical Skills: Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to interpret complex financial data and provide strategic insights.
- Attention to Detail: Detail-obsessed with zero tolerance for inaccurate or delayed numbers.
- Communication Skills: Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to effectively communicate financial information to both finance and non-finance stakeholders.
- Technology Proficiency: Proficiency in financial software and systems, including ERP systems, financial modeling tools, and MS Office Suite. Experience with QuickBooks or similar accounting software is preferred.
- Capital Raise Experience: Experience supporting capital raise, audit, or investor diligence is a strong plus.
- Ownership Mindset: High ownership mindset. Fast without being sloppy. Thorough without being slow. Comfortable working directly with a founder and CFO in a high-accountability environment.
- Adaptability: Ability to thrive in a dynamic and fast-paced environment, managing multiple priorities and meeting deadlines.
- Integrity and Ethics: Demonstrated ethical behavior and ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with professionalism and discretion.
- Travel: Ability to travel internationally to primarily California.
About Us
Little Kitchen Academy is the premier Montessori-inspired cooking academy for children and teens, dedicated to changing lives from scratch. At LKA, students develop independence, confidence, and healthy eating habits that empower them to make informed choices and positively impact their communities. More than a cooking school, LKA is a movement to create a better world through responsible food education. LKA is proud to partner with leading brands including, BIRKENSTOCK, ChefWorks, ChopValue, Click & Grow, Emeco, IKEA, Küssi, PRISE Inc., Scrub Daddy, and Welcome Industries. The academy is guided by an esteemed group of special advisors: Celebrity Chef Cat Cora, Hollywood Legend Supermensch Shep Gordon, NBA Icon Russell Westbrook, and Hollywood Changemaker Oliver Trevena. In alignment with its mission to serve a brighter future, LKA supports impactful charitable organizations such as Changing Lives From Scratch Fund, Russell Westbrook Why Not? Foundation, Crisis Text Line, Kids Help Phone, and One Tree Planted.
For a taste of LKA, visit littlekitchenacademy.com or join the LKA community on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
Little Kitchen Academy is committed to creating and upholding a diverse, inclusive and equitable environment that is respectful and welcoming to everyone. We believe that our programs are enriched by the presence of many voices from a variety of racial, cultural, and religious backgrounds, political beliefs, ages, sexual identities and orientation, socio-economic backgrounds and physical and cognitive abilities.
Pay: $150,000.00-$175,000.00 per year
Application question(s):
- Are you legally authorized to work in Canada? If yes, what is your status?
- The salary range is $150,000 to $175,000 CAD, based on experience. What is your expected salary?
- Are you able to travel internationally, mainly to California, if required?
- Are you able to work hybrid from our Vancouver, Point Grey office?
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Vancouver, BC V6R 2K4
