Finance Director

The organisation

With over 39,000 restaurants in more than 100 countries, McDonald’s is not only the largest restaurant chain but also one of the most recognizable brand names in the world. The recipe for success is the combination of a strong brand and significant freedom for local organizations. Every order is freshly prepared in a robust production system where people work together optimally. The product is an “experience” and distinct from a product on a shelf. Service and attention make the difference. Customer experience is central.

To remain the market leader, McDonald’s continually raises the bar for itself. At McDonald's, they see every day as an opportunity to create a positive impact, led by the values: Service-Oriented, Inclusivity, Integrity, Good Neighbor, and Partnership.

They are continuously working to make responsible and varied choices easier and more enjoyable with more chicken and plant-based options and by improving the nutritional values of their products. They are working on sustainable options in energy, construction, packaging, and logistics. They are leading the way in bringing local entrepreneurship to life through intensive collaboration with municipalities, Ronald McDonald Houses, and other sponsorships. As an employer, they offer their employees various internal MBO and HBO training programs, language courses, and other initiatives to continue developing.

In the Netherlands, there are currently about 260 restaurants with 76 franchisees; local entrepreneurs with a passion for the brand who are deeply embedded in the community. Together, they are responsible for responsibly expanding the market leadership in the Netherlands.

The Finance department plays a crucial role in supporting the business. To be successful as financial, it is important to get to know the McDonald’s system. They believe that (finance) processes and systems can be optimized even further with strong teamwork. To lead the Finance Transformation efforts, McDonald’s created a new position of Finance Director. This position is internally known as Head of Finance & Control and is the planned successor of the current CFO in the Netherlands.

The position

Finance Director McDonald’s Netherlands.

Are you an achiever with CFO ambition? Do you want to lead a larger team within a Finance Transformation? Are you communicatively skilled and do you have a strong track record in stakeholder management? Do you feel at home in an entrepreneurial organization with a hands-on mentality? Would it be great for you to work for a global brand with international career opportunities? Do you recognize yourself in this description? McDonald’s is looking for such a candidate.

Tasks & responsibilities

The Finance Director (FD) is responsible for a team of a total of 11 FTE, of which 5 report directly to him/her. The FD reports directly to Michael Peters, CFO of McDonald's Nederland B.V. The Field Finance Manager, responsible for Franchise control, also reports directly to the CFO.

The Finance Director is responsible for Corporate Finance & Accounting, which includes Payroll & FP&A, and deliverables within the Finance department. The Finance Director ensures that the administrative organization is a well-oiled machine, and financial reports are complete and accurate.

The FD plays a distinctive role in the leadership of the finance team. In this role, you lead the team by setting clear goals and instructing and coaching the employees. You continuously build on a positive working environment in which the development of employees is key. You build strong relationships and foster teamwork among departments and staff employees to achieve maximum performance.

The FD is actively involved in organizational planning to achieve optimal results. The FD proactively supports the creation of 31Q plan-related budgets and forecasts for Franchisees and McDonald’s Operating Company (McOpCo). The FD is responsible for deliverables including, but not limited to, market pricing strategy, market forecasts and capital submissions, annual sales and investments. The FD monitors and reports on progress and deviations but also advises on opportunities to improve financial results.

The FD is responsible for financial management and leads the consolidation of financial information so that financial results can be reported to stakeholders. The FD also monitor the SOX processes and manages the final audit of the monthly, quarterly, and annual financial figures. FD takes care of the cash management for McOpCo. FD also leads or is part of various steering groups of ad hoc projects like McDelivery, Loyalty and McCafe.

The FD frequently analyzes and advises the Executive Board on the optimization of financial results and process-related aspects, including ongoing budget reporting. The FD engages key partners on financial issues such as P&L optimizations, financing, investments, and contract renewals. The FD takes care of making revenue forecasts for potential locations and calculations regarding the impact of a potential location on the sales of existing restaurants. The FD also takes the initiative to develop and improve research methods to properly estimate potential sales. The FD is ultimately responsible for the content and execution of the TAS surveys (Trade Area Survey), which are carried out by an external research agency.

The FD joins at an interesting time. In collaboration with the Global Finance team, the FD will lead the Finance Transformation to implement process and system improvement opportunities, improving the efficiency, effectiveness, and engagement of the finance team.

Key activities (% of time):

• Corporate Finance & Accounting, Payroll & FP&A (20%)
• Leadership of the finance team (25%)
• Organizational planning (5%)
• Financial Management including Finance Transformation (30%)
• Analyzing & Advice (20%)

Candidate profile

You have a financial or economic Master’s degree, possibly supplemented with a post-master (RC/RA or similar accreditation like CPA). You have at least 10 years of relevant work experience. Your career may have started at a Big4 firm or in consulting. In your current role, you gained leading-edge expertise in FP&A and Accounting and have already demonstrated team-building skills. Experience in communication with franchisees is a plus. You have an excellent command of Dutch and English, both verbally and in writing.

You are an empathetic leader who can skillfully engage people. You are positively driven and quickly gain people’s trust. You build long-term relationships and are described as a likable person with a low ego. You deliver solutions. You solve problems that potentially impact the broader business and develop methods to address current and future customer needs. You are sensitive to company-wide and external (business) issues. You are strong in strategic planning. You contribute to setting the long-term strategy of the company. You maintain a good balance between pragmatic and consistent actions. You easily switch between tactical and strategic levels. You have impact. You make decisions and are accountable for the performance and results of your team.

The offer

As Finance Director, you will make an impact in the Finance Transformation. You will create the foundation for data-driven work with real-time facts and figures while developing your finance team at the same time. You will work within a hands-on company with a great brand that is also at the heart of society. The company values people and offers international career opportunities.

Employment conditions:

• Fulltime € 130.000 including holiday allowance plus
• Plus mobility budget, bonus and other benefits.
• Location: Modern office close to Utrecht Central Station (Stadsplateau 31-32 Utrecht)

Interested?

You can apply for this position by using the form below. For more information please contact Geert-Jan Joosten, Talent agent at Search & Change: +31653788464.

Search & Change conducts the first interviews with candidates for the role of FD at McDonalds and already presented the first shortlist. At the moment McDonald’s is inviting the first candidates for introductory meetings. In the event that the company is presented with multiple equally excellent candidates who meet our requirements for the role, preference will be given to a female candidate to ensure team diversity.