What are the responsibilities and job description for the Director of Finance position at Ignite HR?
About Us
Avara is a fast-growing fashion brand built on one simple idea: creating fun, feminine fashion that inspires authentic confidence. Founded in 2018 and rooted in Dallas, we design and curate statement-making pieces that women love to wear. In Avara, compliments come guaranteed!
We’re a dynamic team driven by positivity, a will to win, and a commitment to delivering an exceptional customer experience. If you thrive in a high-growth environment and want to make an impact at a brand that celebrates confidence, connection, and style, Avara could be the perfect fit for you.
Summary
Avara is seeking a hands-on Director of Finance to lead near-term financial performance and provide strategic decision support as the business scales across eCommerce and physical retail. This role owns budgeting, forecasting, cash flow planning, and performance analysis—translating financial data into clear, actionable insights for the leadership team.
The Director of Finance will bring clarity to what’s driving results, identify risks and opportunities, and help determine where the business should invest next. This is not a report-only position. We are looking for a leader who will roll up their sleeves, challenge assumptions, and introduce structure and rigor within a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment.
This role is ideal for an experienced finance professional who operates with urgency while maintaining strong financial discipline and high standards of accuracy.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Financial Planning & Forecasting
- Lead the monthly forecast and reforecast process across ecommerce and retail channels.
- Own the weekly cash forecast and rolling 13-week cash outlook.
- Own all near-term forecasts and operating assumptions that feed into the company’s long-range financial model.
- Partner with executive leadership to ensure forecasts reflect current performance and approved operating plans.
- Maintain forward-looking financial models that connect operational performance to strategic planning.
Reporting & Variance Analysis
- Own the finance operating cadence, including weekly performance reviews, monthly close analysis, and quarterly planning cycles.
- Partner with Accounting during month-end close to analyze and explain key drivers and variances across revenue, gross margin, and operating expenses.
- Translate financial results into clear, plain-English insights with actionable recommendations.
- Ensure financial reporting supports confident and timely executive decision-making.
Business Partnership & Investment Analysis
- Prepare and present decision-ready financial readouts for leadership on a weekly and monthly basis.
- Serve as the primary finance partner to Ecommerce, Marketing, Creative, Stores, and Operations.
- Develop and maintain store-level P&Ls and unit economics as physical retail expands.
- Build business cases and ROI models for pricing, promotional, and operational initiatives.
- Support evaluation of long-term investments including technology, systems, and facilities.
- Conduct scenario and sensitivity analysis to support strategic tradeoff decisions.
- Evaluate tradeoffs between growth, profitability, and cash flow.
Cash Flow & Liquidity Management
- Develop and maintain short- and long-term cash flow forecasts.
- Identify liquidity risks, working capital constraints, and capital allocation opportunities.
- Partner with Accounting and leadership to proactively manage cash needs.
- Improve visibility into cash drivers to support faster investment decisions.
Process Improvement & Team Leadership
- Drive improvements in forecasting accuracy, reporting consistency, and financial systems efficiency.
- Establish scalable financial processes and leverage automation to support growth.
- Manage and develop the Accounting Manager.
- Contribute to building a proactive, high-performing Finance & Accounting team.
QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor’s degree required (Finance or Economics preferred).
- 7 years of progressive finance experience.
- Experience in retail, ecommerce, or consumer environment preferred.
- Advanced Excel and financial modeling expertise.
- Strong forecasting, budgeting, and variance analysis experience.
Avara is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Disability insurance
- Employee assistance program
- Employee discount
- Flexible spending account
- Health insurance
- Health savings account
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance