About the Departments: Finance
The Finance team is an international group of financial professionals dedicated to supporting our global business, protecting company assets, and providing strategic analysis, budgeting, and reporting to support the company’s objectives. The team plays a critical role to ensure the company’s long-term financial health and sustainability by managing resources, optimizing financial performance, ensuring compliance with regulations, and providing strategic insights to support decision-making across international operations.
The department is comprised of several teams, which include the below:
Accounts Payable: Manages vendor payments and employee expense reporting, ensuring accuracy, contract compliance, and strong financial controls.
Accounting & Financial Reporting: Maintains global financial records with precision, ensuring compliance with accounting standards, accuracy, and transparency in reporting.
Financial Planning & Analysis: Provides strategic insights through budgeting, forecasting, and data analysis to drive informed decision-making.
By joining the Finance team at Backroads, you’ll be part of a group that values building excellent and efficient processes and fostering a positive employee experience that rewards high performance with growth opportunities.
Responsible for monitoring and analyzing financial performance across international locations, identifying cost-saving opportunities, forecasting global budget needs, and ensuring compliance with local regulations, all while considering global economic factors and reporting to senior management on the overall financial health of the international operations.
Budgeting and Forecasting:
Collaborate with business owners and analysts to develop and maintain accurate and robust line-item budgets, including revenue and expense projections by entity.
Use external data (e.g. market trends, economic indicators, and historical data) to accurately forecast future global budget needs.
Collaborate with regional teams to gather input for budget planning and ensure alignment with overall company goals.
Financial Analysis and Business Reviews:
Conduct regular variance analysis and work with business area managers to explain deviations from budgeted amounts; identify areas of concern and areas for opportunity.
Prepare detailed financial reports and presentations for senior management, highlighting key trends and insights.
Assist department managers in interpreting financial and budget reports, analyzing data, planning budgets and in projecting costs on existing, proposed new, or expanded programs.
Cost Management:
Identify cost-reduction strategies across global operations, while considering local regulations, market dynamics and company business plans.
Analyze spending patterns and identify areas for cost optimization.
Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure efficient resource allocation and cost control.
Reporting:
Develop and maintain standardized reporting systems to track global budget performance and identify potential risks.
Prepare accurate and timely financial reports for internal and external stakeholders.
Communication
Prepare clear, effective and Backroads business-focused communications (words and data) about financial performance and variances from budget
Seek collaborations and build effective communication channels to develop deep understanding of economics of assigned business areas
Required Skills and Qualifications:
Strong analytical skills:
Ability to interpret complex financial data, identify trends, and draw meaningful conclusions, all tailored to our business model and industry. Expert attention to details and strong adherence to quality and accuracy of work product.
Financial expertise:
Thorough understanding of accounting principles, budgeting techniques, and financial analysis methods
Communication skills:
Effective communication with diverse stakeholders across multiple time zones and cultures.
Proven ability to communicate financial story in business terms tailored to our industry.
Global perspective:
Knowledge of international markets, currency fluctuations, and cross-border transactions.
Proficiency in software tools:
Expertise in using financial software, spreadsheets, and data visualization tools. Strong proficiency with MS Excel skills, ERP systems, MS Office, financial accounting and budgeting software applications, and data visualization tools including Power BI; Expert-level analytical and financial modeling skills.
Language skills:
Fluency in English, with additional languages being beneficial based on Backroads family of entities.
Work Ethic
Maturity, professionalism, and high level of discretion are required; strategic thinking, ability to influence and persuade, and ability to interact with Senior Management.
Excellent time management, organizational skills, and attention to deadlines.
Independent worker and analytical thinker with ability to conduct research, data analysis and resolve complex problems.
Education and Experience:
Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, or a related field.
2+ years of experience in Financial Reporting & Analysis (FP&A), preferably with a focus on international operations.
Experience with global budgeting and forecasting.
Interview Process:
Recruiter Interview: 30-minutes
Finance Interview: 45-minutes
VP Interview: 45-minutes
In Person Panel Presentation: 1-hour
References
Offer
About Backroads:
At Backroads we’re passionate about connecting our guests with so many of the most beautiful places in the world. We use our four-plus decades of expertise to create exceptional biking, hiking, and multi-adventure trips in over 50 countries for people wanting a deeper and richer travel experience. We travel on land as well as by small luxury ships on active river and ocean cruises. Our trips are for all ages – including dedicated itineraries just for families. We are known for our unwavering attention to quality. We have a dynamic work environment and a strong company culture.
Why Backroads:
At Backroads, we value every single member of our staff, and we’re proud to offer a dynamic work environment that enables growth. Your colleagues will be some of the most dedicated, competent, active, and fun people you will ever meet. A job at Backroads is unlike any other job you will ever have – you will be challenged, you will be inspired, and you will be gratified. No matter what you do here, you will be part of something that makes us all proud – delivering authentic, enriching, and often profoundly life-changing experiences. On top of all that, we have some pretty great benefits and perks! For example our US office employees receive:
At Backroads, we uphold a commitment to transparency and fairness within our hiring process, particularly regarding compensation. The salary range posted for each role applies to both employment offers and employees actively working in the role.
New hires are typically offered a starting salary between the minimum and midpoint of the range to ensure there is continued opportunity for salary progression during your employment at Backroads, reflecting our commitment to rewarding ongoing dedication, high performance, and significant contributions to our team. This approach not only supports our budgeting strategy but also our intention to foster an environment that encourages long-term growth and strong relationships between Backroads and our valued employees.
Our office roles are onsite in our Berkeley headquarters, unless specifically noted as 'available for remote'. We do allow one work-from-home day a week, as well as one work-from-anywhere week per year. This pay range is intended for in-person work in our Berkeley, CA headquarters. Pay ranges for remote-eligible roles will be subject to adjustment based on the geolocation of the employee.