Director of Financial Planning and Analysis

Who We Are: Life Alive Organic Cafe is the place for positive eating, where enjoying organic, crave-worthy food fuels a life filled with energy, optimism and simply feeling good. Through each joyful interaction and scratch-prepared dish served in our unique, fast casual cafes, we work toward bringing to life our higher purpose to energize the vitality of all living beings and our planet.  

With support from Act III Holdings, the investment vehicle led by Panera founder and current Cava Chair Ron Shaich, we are growing our footprint across two markets and on the path to becoming the nationally dominant brand for positive eating. We are looking for dynamic, ambitious team members ready to join a purpose- and values-driven team committed to serving invigorating food that tastes as good as it makes our guests feel. We value interconnectedness, participation, integrity, pleasure, empathy and most importantly, we value you for you.

Our Finance function plays a key role in supporting this growth, partnering with our executive leadership team and Board to drive strategic insights, optimize financial processes, and ensure operational excellence. We are currently looking for an experienced and motivated Financial Planning and Analysis Director to join our team. 

About the Role: Reporting to the CFO, the Director will be responsible for supporting key business performance analytics, financial operations, reporting, and strategic projects. This role will be deeply embedded in our business, working cross-functionally with Retail Operations, Culinary Innovation, Supply Chain, and Marketing to drive efficiency, accuracy, and strategic decision-making. This role will be responsible for reporting financial and operational analyses to leadership and driving strategic recommendations across the menu, supply chain, loyalty program, and more. This is a high-visibility opportunity for a data-driven professional to build foundational financial processes, drive actionable insights, and shape the future of Life Alive. 

Location: Boston or Washington, DC (hybrid) 

Responsibilities:

Drive operational improvements through financial analysis and cost management

• Own all sales and labor reporting and analyses, and provide actionable insights to support our business
• Own all aspects of category management, product mix, and theoretical food costing
• Partner with Culinary Innovation and Supply Chain to drive menu profitability via pricing strategy, inflation analyses, and competitor benchmarking
• Collaborate with Retail leadership to build tools & processes that support Operations teams and drive actionable insights  
• Partner with Marketing to support our &Thrive loyalty program, including owning program analyses and strategic insights

Work closely with Life Alive senior leadership, especially the CEO & CFO, with visibility to our Board of Directors

• Create weekly and period-level financial packages
• Create and develop project analyses for the Leadership and Operations teams that take deeper dives into key areas of the business
• Collaborate with the CFO, CEO, and Board on corporate strategic projects 
• Work with CFO on preparation of board materials, including financials, variance analysis, forecast updates, and strategic recommendations
• Work with CFO on corporate finance & accounting requests for the Board
• Work with CFO to improve financial controls, reporting accuracy, and efficiency in period-end close processes 
• Assist in financial planning, budgeting, and variance analysis to ensure financial health and operational alignment 

Required Competencies:

• Advanced financial modeling and forecasting expertise
• Proven track record of managing through ambiguity and driving results 
• Strong executive communication and cross-functional collaboration skills
• Highly analytical, detail-oriented, and a proactive problem solver 

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Finance, Accounting, or a related field 
• MBA strongly preferred
• 3 years of finance experience; restaurant or hospitality industry strongly preferred 
• Experience with financial systems, BI tools, technological transformation.
• Experience with SQL is a plus

Why Join Us?

• Be part of a mission-driven company that prioritizes sustainability, innovation, and people 
• Work alongside a talented, passionate team, including regular collaboration with the C-suite.
• Opportunity for career growth, with a clear path toward leadership in FP&A 
• Professional development opportunities possible beyond Life Alive Organic Cafes, as Act III Holdings continues to grow its investment portfolio
• Competitive salary and benefits, with flexibility for the right candidate

Perks & Benefits:

• Plentiful Food Discounts & Yoga Perks

• Flexible work schedule with the ability to split time working from home and in our cafés

• 401k and IRA, Life Alive matches 401k contributions at 100%, up to 3%

• Medical, Dental & Vision coverage

• Life Insurance, MetLaw, TeleDoc, Short Term & Long Term Disability, Mental Health Support via My Strength

• Parking and Transportation Reimbursement

• $150 stipend for home office setup

• Paid time off:

• 10 days paid vacation (accrual) 

• 40 hours paid sick leave (accrual) 

• 8 hours of community service pay 

• 8 paid holidays

 Life Alive is an equal-opportunity employer, and we encourage candidates from diverse backgrounds to apply. We look forward to welcoming a dynamic leader who will contribute to our mission of energizing the vitality of all living beings and our planet through plant-based cuisine and sustainable practices.We strive to foster a community where all feel welcome, safe, and valued. We embrace all differences of age, sexual orientation, gender and its expression, race, culture and ethnicity, national origin, mental and physical health and ability, religious background, marital status, family structure, citizenship, education, and military or veterans’ status. Life Alive invites you to bring your whole self to work.

Salary : $150