VP, FINANCE
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Chartwells K12's goal is to make sure students leave the cafeteria happier and healthier than they came in, by serving food kids love to eat and creating custom dining programs. With more than 16,000 associates in 4,300 schools, ranging from large public institutions to small charter and private schools, Chartwells K12 is built on decades of food, education and operational experience driven by top culinary, nutrition, wellness, and sustainability talent. For more information, visit www.ChartwellsK12.com.
Job Summary
Chartwells K12 is seeking a dynamic and strategic Vice President of Finance to lead financial strategy, drive operational performance, and support balanced growth for our $1.3B K-12 portfolio. This is a high-impact leadership role for a forward-thinking, analytical finance executive with a proven ability to influence senior partners, develop talent, and embed financial rigor in a purposeful, operationally complex environment.
Reporting to the Chief Financial Officer, the VP of Finance will serve as a key business partner to senior operations leaders, leading all aspects of forecasting, budgeting, deal analysis, financial planning, and performance improvement initiatives. This role is central to aligning finance with enterprise strategy and delivering measurable outcomes through collaboration, innovation, and accountability.
Key Responsibilities:
Strategic Finance & Business Partnership
- Act as the primary financial advisor to the CFO and operational leadership, translating financial insights into actionable business decisions.
- Partner with Sales and Operations to evaluate new business opportunities and renewals, including pricing strategy, margin analysis, and client-facing deal modeling.
- Drive financial alignment between sector strategy and corporate expectations.
Financial Planning & Analysis
- Lead the budgeting, forecasting, and long-range planning process across regions and accounts.
- Monitor sector performance against financial goals and proactively identify risks, gaps, and opportunities.
- Standardize reporting and financial processes to enable transparency and performance accountability.
Operational Enablement & Improvement in Execution
- Embed financial discipline across the sector, including account-level profitability reviews, labor management, and cost control optimization.
- Liaise with corporate departments (e.g., IT, HR, Accounting) to ensure alignment, tool adoption, and systems integration.
- Champion change and continuous improvement through thoughtful financial frameworks and communication.
Leadership & Culture
- Develop, mentor, and retain a high-performing finance team across the business.
- Improve financial acumen across non-finance functions through education and collaborative planning.
- Model ethical leadership, and innovation while helping shape a culture of excellence and shared success.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or related field required; MBA or CPA preferred
- 8+ years of progressive financial leadership experience in a multi-site, matrixed organization (e.g., food service, hospitality, retail, or healthcare strongly preferred)
- Demonstrated success in FP&A, forecasting, business partnering, and deal support
- Strong analytical, communication, and influencing skills with executive presence
- Experience with financial systems, reporting tools, and operational dashboards
- Background in operational improvement, project management, or change leadership is a strong plus
Associates at Chartwells K-12 are offered many fantastic benefits.
Both full-time and part-time positions offer the following benefits to associates:
- Retirement Plan
- Associate Shopping Program
- Health and Wellness Programs
- Discount Marketplace
- Identity Theft Protection
- Pet Insurance
- Voluntary Benefits, including Critical Illness Insurance, Accident Insurance, Hospital Indemnity Insurance, Legal Services, and Choice Auto and Home Program
In addition, full-time positions also offer the following benefits to associates:
- Medical
- Dental
- Vision
- Life Insurance/AD
- Disability Insurance
- Commuter Benefits
- Employee Assistance Program
- Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)
Associates may also be eligible for paid and/or unpaid time off benefits in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. For positions in Washington State, Maryland, or to be performed Remotely, click here for paid time off benefits information.
About Compass Group: Achieving leadership in the foodservice industry
Compass Group is an equal opportunity employer. At Compass, we are committed to treating all Applicants and Associates fairly based on their abilities, achievements, and experience without regard to race, national origin, sex, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other classification protected by law.
Qualified candidates must be able to perform the essential functions of this position satisfactorily with or without a reasonable accommodation. Disclaimer: this job post is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all essential responsibilities, skills, tasks, or requirements associated with this position. While this is intended to be an accurate reflection of the position posted, the Company reserves the right to modify or change the essential functions of the job based on business necessity.
Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.
Chartwells K-12 maintains a drug-free workplace.
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Finance MBA, Food Service, Retail Sales, Accounting, CPA, Finance, Hospitality, Retail
