COMPANY BACKGROUND

Mercy Health

With nearly a 200-year legacy, Mercy Health is the 6th largest Catholic health care system in the United States comprised of 32 acute care hospitals, 17 specialty hospitals, and more than 50,000 team members.  Mercy Health is an $9 billion, award-winning, not-for-profit and highly integrated Catholic healthcare system, headquartered in Chesterfield, Missouri (the Greater St. Louis area), with operations spanning multiple states. Founded on a rich history of serving others and a mission to provide compassionate and exceptional quality of health care, the Sisters of Mercy opened their first hospital in 1871 – a 25-bed infirmary for women and children in St. Louis.

PURPOSE OF THE POSITION 

Reporting to the Chief Financial Officer, the SVP Financial Operations and Planning will be a strategic and operationally focused finance executive responsible for leading Mercy's financial operations, capital planning, and financial transformation across the system. This leader will drive accountability, optimize performance, and foster integration between corporate and community-based teams while supporting the ministry's broader strategic and operational goals.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Financial Leadership

• Lead the development and execution of Mercy's long-range financial plan, aligned with its strategic roadmap.
• Drive the financial components of Strategy 2030, ensuring financial planning supports organizational transformation and sustainability.
• Support strategic capital planning and facilitate capital committee discussions and decisions.
• Partner with executive and operational leaders to align market development initiatives and growth priorities.
• Ensure clear articulation of Mercy’s financial vision and performance expectations to stakeholders.

Financial Operations Management

• Provide oversight for community CFOs, who maintain solid-line reporting to this role and lead financial operations in local markets.
• Create and drive a shared services structure for Payroll, Accounts Payable, FP&A, and decision support.
• Deliver standardized and centralized financial operations through regional hubs, driving efficiency and consistency across the system.
• Establish clear accountability to achieve financial targets and operating budgets at both local and system levels.
• Direct financial compliance and ensure policies align with Mercy’s internal controls and regulatory requirements.

Capital and Resource Planning

• Oversee the capital planning process and long-range resource allocation for Mercy’s ministries.
• Lead strategic capital deployment efforts across community markets.
• Provide leadership for prioritization and transparency in capital investment decision-making.

Performance Management & Analytics

• Drive initiatives to enhance financial performance, monitor gaps, and implement improvement strategies.
• Leverage analytics to support decision-making, including operational and financial dashboards.
• Lead the information delivery function, including decision support and operational analytics, to promote data-driven performance.

Value-Based Care and Risk Management

• Provide financial oversight for performance tied to Medicare, Medicare Advantage, ACOs, and other value-based arrangements, which comprise a significant portion of Mercy’s revenue.
• Ensure the finance team understands and supports financial modeling and forecasting in risk-based and fee-for-service environments.

Team Leadership & Development

• Lead a team of 18 direct reports (ED level and above) with an emphasis on accountability, collaboration, and execution.
• Foster a culture of excellence, growth, and low-maintenance, high-performance leadership.
• Maintain strong peer relationships, especially with key stakeholders in hospital operations and revenue cycle.
• Promote weekly team connectivity and operational rhythm (e.g., Monday 4pm leadership meetings).

Organizational Transformation

• Advance the shift from regional to ministry-wide financial operations, aligning organizational structure and roles.
• Support transformation of the finance team to a more regionally focused, service-oriented function.
• Help define and implement a new operating model for finance, including automation, accountability, and standardized practices.

Cultural Expectations

• Embody and reinforce Mercy’s mission, values, and charism in all financial leadership practices.
• Collaborate across states and markets with a strong onsite presence to engage community leaders and hospital executives.
• Model transparency, service, and stewardship, while supporting development of next-generation finance talent.

EXPERIENCE AND PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

Strategic and Organizational Competencies

• Proven track record of financial leadership in a large, integrated health system.
• Strong understanding of centralized vs. decentralized finance models.
• Experience leading financial transformation and performance improvement in complex environments.
• Background in value-based care, Medicare Advantage, and risk-based payment models.
• Skilled in long-range planning, strategic capital deployment, and analytics-driven management.
• Board committee and governance exposure preferred.

Technical Competencies

• Deep expertise in healthcare financial operations, including budgeting, forecasting, capital planning, and revenue cycle alignment.
• Demonstrated experience in value-based care models, including Medicare Advantage, ACOs, and risk-based contracting.
• Proficiency in financial analytics, decision support systems, and performance dashboards to drive transparency and accountability.
• Ability to lead financial transformation and standardization efforts across a multi-entity, geographically dispersed system.
• Strong understanding of capital investment strategy and return-on-investment analysis for health system growth initiatives.
• Knowledge of regulatory frameworks and compliance requirements for nonprofit healthcare systems.

Leadership and Management Acumen

• Proven ability to develop and lead large finance teams, driving performance through low-maintenance, high-output leadership.
• Skilled at navigating matrixed environments and balancing corporate priorities with local market needs.
• Effective at building alignment among executive, clinical, and operational leaders in complex settings.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to convey financial strategy to diverse audiences, including boards and community leaders.
• Culturally attuned to mission-driven healthcare with a demonstrated commitment to service, transparency, and stewardship.

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Korn Ferry shall provide equal employment opportunity to all qualified candidates, and will refer candidates without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, veteran status or any other legally protected basis.