Senior Accounting Manager

Job Summary:

Manage the Accounting and Payroll functions for Islands Restaurants, reporting directly to the CFO. Responsible for the accuracy and timelines of financial reporting, the integrity of payroll operations across a multi-state workforce, and providing hands-on support to the CFO's budgeting and forecasting process. 

Who We Are:

For over 40 years, Islands has been known for providing guests with craveable bites and great service. Our fresh cut fries, juicy burgers, and the coldest beer in town are served in an upbeat, social environment that encourages connection with both guests and team members.

At Islands, it is our people that set us apart and are the foundation for our many years of success. We celebrate everyone’s unique qualities and attributes and recognize that there is strength in our differences, which make us better as a whole. If you want to be part of a company that cares about you as a person, and not just as an employee number, Islands is the place for you.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities:

• Own month-end close, financial statement preparation, and account reconciliations

• Produce monthly management reports, including consolidated and restaurant-level reporting and analysis

• Oversee accounts payable, cash accounting, and fixed asset accounting

• Maintain strong internal controls and GAAP compliance across all locations

• Serve as primary liaison with outside auditors and tax accountants, and lead the annual audit process

• Oversee multi-state sales, use, property, and payroll tax compliance and filings, including maintaining exemption certificates and supporting nexus mapping as the business expands

• Support the annual budgeting and forecasting process: data preparation, variance analysis, and reporting • Oversee day-to-day treasury operations, including bank reconciliations and cash positioning

• Monitor cash flow, perform account analysis, and deliver ad hoc reporting for leadership

• Oversee accurate, on-time payroll processing for a multi-location, multi-state hourly and salaried workforce

• Ensure compliance with wage & hour law, including California-specific requirements

• Own the quarterly bonus calculations for approximately 150 store and regional managers

• Partner with HR on payroll system administration and process improvement

• Manage, coach, and develop a team spanning accounting and payroll

• Partner cross-functionally with Operations, Legal, and IT on financial matters

• Identify opportunities to modernize processes, including the use of data and AI-assisted analysis tools to improve reporting quality, speed, and accuracy

• Partner with FP&A and IT to maintain data integrity and consistency across systems

THIS IS A HYBRID POSITION WORKING FROM OUR CORPORATE OFFICE 5760 FLEET ST. SUITE 100, CARLSBAD CA 92008 

Required Knowledge, Skills and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field; CPA preferred

• 5+ years of progressive accounting experience, including ownership of a full monthly close cycle and leadership of accounting and payroll teams. 2+ years of California payroll experience

• Multi-unit restaurant, retail, or hospitality experience (Sales over $100M) strongly preferred • Strong working knowledge of GAAP and internal controls, including experience with ASC 842

• Hands-on experience with analytical and reporting tools (e.g., Excel, SQL, Power BI) and integrating data across accounting and POS systems

• Experience presenting financial analysis and forecasts to executive management

• Experience supporting external financial audits; preparing schedules and responding to auditor requests

• Experience with NetSuite (or similar ERP/accounting systems) and Paycom (or similar payroll platforms)

• Comfortable using data analytics and AI-assisted tools to improve reporting quality, speed, and accuracy • Strong communication skills and experience partnering with senior leadership

• Proven people-management and team-development skills