Controller / Finance Manager (Founding Finance Lead)
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Reports to: CEO
Company: Growth Studios Inc.
About Us
Welcome to Growth Studios — a united network of premier martial arts clubs dedicated to excellence, innovation, and lasting impact. As part of Growth Studios, you are joining a collective of visionary professionals who believe that martial arts is more than a business — it’s a mission to build character, strengthen communities, and inspire the next generation.
We do this by uniting martial schools and supporting their operations through centralized support functions, and scalable systems , shared knowledge, and cutting-edge technology to empower every club to deliver exceptional instruction, outstanding service, and lasting community impact. We currently operate 6 locations and expect to scale to 10+ within the next 12 months. To support this growth, we are centralizing all finance functions and hiring our first dedicated finance leader.
The Opportunity
This is a foundational role. You will build and manage the finance function across multiple legal entities and locations.
You will be responsible for:
- Day-to-day accounting operations
- Payroll and tax compliance across provinces
- Multi-entity consolidation
- Cash flow management
- Building scalable systems and controls
This is a hands-on role with strategic exposure. As we grow, this position can evolve into Director of Finance or CFO.
Key Responsibilities
1. Core Accounting & Close Process
- Full-cycle accounting for multiple entities
- Month-end and year-end close
- Prepare:
- Balance sheets
- Income statements (by location and consolidated)
- Cash flow statements
- Build post-acquisition integration processes, including onboarding accounting work
- Prepare post-acquisition budgets based on quality of earnings reports, and track and report on performance against budgets
- Maintain standardized chart of accounts across all locations
- Maintain intercompany accounting (if applicable)
- Manage prepaid expenses, accruals, and fixed assets
- Ensure audit-ready financial records
2. Payroll & Canadian Compliance
- Manage payroll for instructors and administrative staff (hourly and salaried)
- Administer payroll deductions:
- CPP
- EI
- Income tax withholdings
- Ensure accurate and timely remittances to CRA
- Manage:
- T4s
- T4As (independent contractors, if applicable)
- ROEs
- Oversee provincial employment compliance (e.g., vacation pay, statutory holiday rules)
- Ensure compliance with ESA requirements across provinces (if multi-provincial)
3. Indirect Tax Compliance
- Manage GST/HST registration and filings
- Ensure proper treatment of:
- Membership revenue
- Merchandise sales
- Equipment
- Franchise or licensing fees (if applicable)
- Reconcile sales tax payable accounts
- Coordinate with external tax advisors as needed
4. Accounts Payable & Cash Management
- Manage vendor payments (landlords, utilities, software, instructors)
- Implement approval workflows
- Monitor cash flow across entities
- Build 12-month rolling cash flow forecast
- Manage intercompany transfers and treasury planning
5. Accounts Receivable & Revenue Controls
- Reconcile membership billing platforms
- Ensure accurate recording of recurring revenue
- Manage chargebacks and payment disputes
- Monitor AR aging
- Improve collection processes if required
6. Multi-Location Financial Reporting & KPIs
Prepare monthly reporting packages including:
- Location-level P&Ls
- Consolidated financial statements
- EBITDA by location
- Payroll % of revenue
- Revenue per member
- Member churn and retention metrics
- Same-store sales growth
- Budget vs. actual analysis
Support acquisition modeling and integration of newly acquired clubs.
7. Systems & Process Development
- Evaluate and optimize accounting software (QuickBooks Online, Xero, or ERP as needed)
- Implement payroll system (e.g., Wagepoint, Ceridian, ADP, etc.)
- Build documented SOPs for:
- Month-end close
- Payroll
- AP approvals
- Revenue reconciliation
- Establish internal controls appropriate for a scaling business
- Support future audit preparation
8. External Stakeholder Management
- Liaise with:
- External CPA firm
- Tax advisors
- Bank / lenders
- Insurance providers
- Support annual corporate tax filings (T2)
- Assist with due diligence for acquisitions or financing
Qualifications
Required
- 5–8+ years accounting/finance experience
- Strong knowledge of Canadian payroll and CRA compliance
- Experience managing accounting across multiple entities or locations
- Advanced Excel / Google Sheets
- Experience with cloud accounting software (QBO, Xero, or similar)
- Strong understanding of cash flow management
Strongly Preferred
- CPA designation (or in progress)
- Experience in:
- Multi-location retail, fitness, or franchise operations
- Subscription-based revenue models
- M&A integration
- Experience building finance processes from scratch
Profile We’re Looking For
You are:
- A builder who enjoys creating systems from the ground up
- Comfortable in a fast-growth, acquisition-driven environment
- Detail-oriented but commercially minded
- Strong communicator with non-financial operators
- Able to shift between tactical execution and strategic thinking
What Success Looks Like in 12 Months
- Clean, timely monthly closes across 10+ locations
- Consolidated reporting package delivered consistently
- Clean CRA compliance with zero remittance issues
- Real-time cash visibility across all entities
- Standardized reporting across all locations
- Smooth integration of newly acquired clubs
Pay: $110,000.00-$120,000.00 per year
Experience:
- Accounting: 4 years (required)
Work Location: Remote
