CONFIDENTIAL SEARCH
Franchise Financial Operations Specialist
Franchise Finance & Accounting Operations | Toronto, ON (GTA) | Canada & US
Location:
Toronto, Ontario (GTA) - Markets: Canada & United States
Employment Type:
Full-Time, Permanent
Compensation:
$77,000 – $82,000 CAD per year + bonus + benefits
Seniority:
Senior Specialist (individual contributor)
Reports To:
Director of Finance
Function:
Franchise Finance / Revenue Reconciliation / Expense Management / AR & AP
ABOUT OUR CLIENT
Our 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 recognised 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, the head office finance team is adding a dedicated specialist to support franchise partners, 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 pivotal operational finance role within the head office team. You will be the primary financial liaison for the franchise network: onboarding and training new franchise owners, running financial statement collection through the franchise portal, and auditing franchisee sales against royalty ledgers.
You will also own corporate expense management in Expensify, support regional General Managers with US and Canadian banking applications and compliance documentation, and provide hands-on Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable coverage so head office accounting never stops.
This role suits an experienced accounting professional who enjoys people as much as numbers - someone who can coach a non-finance franchise owner patiently one hour and reconcile a complex royalty variance precisely the next.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
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 pre-authorized debit (PAD) 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.
Banking Applications & Executive Support
- Support the Director of Finance and regional General Managers with commercial banking applications, line-of-credit requests and funding documentation for US and Canadian financial institutions.
- Coordinate document packages, gather supporting financial schedules, track submission status and ensure banking forms are completed on time.
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.
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.
- 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.
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, NetSuite or QuickBooks Online.
- Exposure to both Canadian and US banking, reporting or compliance requirements.
- Progress toward a CPA designation.
WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE - FIRST 12 MONTHS
- Every new franchise owner onboarded to a consistent financial standard, with 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.
- Banking applications delivered complete and on schedule, and AR/AP running without interruption during team absences.
WHY JOIN
This is a chance to become the financial face of head office for a premium, mission-driven brand as its franchise network grows across North America. 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 exposure to cross-border banking and multi-entity finance, and join a business where the outcome of good work is visible in the schools and families it serves.
The role offers $77,000 – $82,000 CAD annually plus bonus and benefits, based in the Greater Toronto Area.
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 checks.
