Job Description: Director, Brand Finance

Location: Boston, MA (Hybrid - 3 days onsite)
Department: Finance
Reports To: VP, Brand Finance
Direct Reports: 1 Senior Financial Analyst
Position Summary

Grand Circle Corporation is seeking a strategic and commercially minded Director, Brand Finance to serve as an embedded financial leader within our Front-End organization. This role is accountable for driving brand-specific annual profit goals while acting as a trusted business partner across Brand Marketing, New Customer Acquisition, FP&A, Creative, and Digital Customer Experience teams.

This individual will play a highly visible role in influencing business outcomes through financial rigor, strategic analysis, and strong commercial instincts. The Director, Brand Finance will own brand-level forecasting and planning, identify and close profit gaps, drive itinerary profitability improvements, and contribute directly to pricing strategy and competitive market positioning.

The ideal candidate combines strong financial acumen with a proactive, business-oriented mindset and thrives in fast-paced, highly collaborative environments. This role offers regular exposure to executive leadership, including the CFO, CEO, and COO.
What You'll Do
Brand Profit Accountability

• Drive achievement of brand-specific annual profit goals through strategic decision-making and financial leadership
• Identify profit risks and opportunities across the brand P&L, including revenue, margins, acquisition costs, and product contribution
• Develop action plans to address financial gaps and improve overall performance
• Bring a strong commercial mindset to brand decisions, challenging assumptions and advocating for high-return business choices

Forecasting, Planning & Financial Strategy

• Lead the monthly forecasting process end-to-end, delivering accurate and timely financial projections
• Own annual budgeting activities in partnership with cross-functional stakeholders
• Build scenario models and sensitivity analyses to support decision-making under evolving market conditions
• Continuously improve forecasting accuracy, planning processes, and financial visibility

Itinerary Profitability & Business Analysis

• Lead strategic analysis of itinerary-level profitability across the travel portfolio
• Evaluate product mix, demand trends, pricing structures, and cost drivers to improve margins
• Partner with Brand Management and cross-functional teams to implement financially impactful recommendations
• Track performance outcomes and refine strategies to maximize contribution and profitability

Pricing Strategy & Competitive Intelligence

• Provide financial guidance and analysis on pricing decisions, balancing revenue growth, margin targets, and market competitiveness
• Monitor competitor pricing, positioning, and market trends across key itineraries and destinations
• Translate competitive intelligence and internal performance data into actionable pricing recommendations
• Partner with Brand Management, Revenue Management, and FP&A on pricing frameworks and optimization strategies

Cross-Functional Partnership

• Serve as an embedded finance partner across Marketing, Acquisition, Creative, FP&A, and Digital teams
• Participate actively in planning cycles, campaign reviews, and go-to-market discussions
• Ensure financial considerations are integrated into strategic decisions from the outset
• Align brand-level planning and forecasting with enterprise financial objectives

Executive Communication & Reporting

• Develop executive-ready presentations and reporting packages for senior leadership
• Translate complex financial data into clear, actionable business insights
• Represent Front-End Finance in leadership reviews and cross-functional planning sessions

Team Leadership & Development

• Lead, mentor, and develop one direct report, providing coaching, feedback, and growth opportunities
• Build scalable financial processes and reporting infrastructure to increase team effectiveness
• Foster a culture of accountability, analytical rigor, and continuous improvement

Qualifications
Required

• 8+ years of progressive finance experience with strong business partnering and P&L ownership experience
• Proven track record influencing commercial, brand, marketing, or business decisions through financial analysis and strategic insight
• Deep expertise in forecasting, budgeting, financial modeling, and scenario analysis
• Strong understanding of P&L drivers, profitability analysis, and variance management
• Experience contributing to pricing strategy and competitive analysis initiatives
• Exceptional communication and presentation skills, including experience presenting to executive leadership
• Proven ability to influence cross-functional stakeholders without direct authority
• Experience managing and developing direct reports
• Advanced Excel and financial analytics/reporting skills
• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or related field

Preferred

• MBA or advanced degree in a quantitative or business-related field
• Experience within travel, hospitality, direct-to-consumer, or subscription-based business models
• Familiarity with SQL, Essbase, Tableau, or similar analytical tools
• Experience partnering closely with marketing, product, and digital organizations

Total Rewards

The base salary range for this role is up to $175,000annually for employees based in Boston, MA. Final compensation may vary and will be determined based on factors such as relevant experience, skills, internal equity, and geographic location. In addition to base pay, this role is eligible for an annual incentive bonus and first-class benefits, which include:

Health & wellness: Comprehensive and heavily subsidized medical, dental, and vision plans, plus on-site gym access, holistic wellness sessions, and group fitness classes

Time for you: Substantial Paid Time Off (PTO), and 11 paid holidays - including Juneteenth, Memorial Day, and Labor Day - and Summer Fridays. Plus extensive parental leave, with up to 12-16 weeks paid leave at 100% base salary

Travel more, spend less: 50% off our trips for you and a companion, 25% for additional immediate family members, and exclusive quarterly associate travel deals

Your future, secured: 401(k) with company match, life insurance, and disability coverage

Continuous growth: Tuition assistance for both professional and personal development, opportunities for professional development through overseas travel, and direct access to Pinnacle Leadership & Team Development

Extra perks: Commuter benefits, FSA options, pet insurance, home & auto discounts, and paid volunteer time off to give back to the community

To learn more, please visit our websites at www.gct.com, www.oattravel.com and www.grandcirclefoundation.com.