Strategic Finance Manager

Job description

Job Title: Strategic Finance Manager Position Type: Full-time Department: Finance Reports to: Controller FLSA Status: Exempt Location: Remote, Chicago area strongly preferred Summary Clarity Clinic is an interdisciplinary group private practice of Psychiatrists, Psychiatric Advanced Practice Providers (PAs, NPs), Psychologists, and Therapists, offering outpatient psychiatry and therapy, PHP/IOP, TMS, Spravato, and psychological testing across multiple Chicago-area locations. Our mission is to thoughtfully guide the whole person on their journey to find clarity and mental wellness by providing exceptional holistic care. The Strategic Finance Manager combines core FP&A with forward-looking strategic finance. This person completes the budget, forecast, variance narrative, site P&Ls, and reporting packages, and builds the models behind decisions on new sites, service lines, payer rates, and provider compensation. Reporting to the Controller, who owns the accuracy and sign-off of all financial reporting, this role explains what the numbers mean and what to do next. It also serves as the finance business partner to department heads. This is a hands-on modeling role, not a chief of staff role. Clarity is building its finance infrastructure as it grows. We run on QuickBooks today, are implementing Sage Intacct, and pay vendors through several channels. This role helps build planning and reporting that holds up through that transition. Duties/Responsibilities FP&A Core • Build and complete the annual budget with department heads, using a driver-based model tied to provider capacity, payer mix, ramp curves, and headcount. The Controller reviews and proposes the final budget to the CEO for approval. • Maintain the rolling monthly forecast, updating revenue, expense, and cash projections, and surface risks and opportunities 60 to 90 days ahead. • Build and maintain site-level P&Ls and provider productivity analysis. • Own the provider and PA demand models and recommended hiring triggers for CEO approval. • Provide hiring timing, spend pacing, and collection assumptions to the Controller's 13-week cash forecast. Strategic Finance & Decision Support • Build pro formas for de novo sites and leases, and service-line economics for PHP/IOP, TMS, and Spravato. • Model provider-level profitability (revenue, collections, utilization, and allocated costs) and provider compensation structures. • Analyze payer rate changes, capital planning scenarios, and incentive plan design. • Turn executive questions into models and recommendations quickly. Reporting & Business Partnering • Complete the monthly variance narrative and P&L bridge once the Controller locks the trial balance, for Controller review. • Present the P&L bridge in the monthly operating review. Department heads present their own KPIs, and this role quantifies the financial impact. • Build and complete board and lender reporting packages for Controller review and sign-off, and present them alongside the Controller. • Serve as the front door for department data and reporting requests. Hold regular check-ins and monthly budget reviews with department heads, and lead site P&L reviews with Center Operations Managers. • Maintain clear definitions for core financial KPIs so finance and operations use the same language. • Define financial dashboard requirements for the Data & Analytics team, covering provider productivity, payer mix, collections performance, no-show impact, CPT-level margin, and cost per visit, and write the commentary. • Pull and structure data from AdvancedMD, Rippling, the general ledger, and Clarity's data platform to answer questions without waiting for a clean dataset. • Track budget against actual and committed spend across all payment channels. Systems & Close Support • Support the Sage Intacct implementation from the planning side, including cost center design, budget loading, and budget-versus-actual reporting. • Support the close with accrual inputs and flux review of the P&L and balance sheet before the Controller locks the trial balance. • When the Controller covers for the Senior Accountant, review Controller-prepared entries and reconciliations and approve routine payments under the documented approval process. Other Duties The above job description is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of duties and standards of the position. Incumbents will follow any other instructions and perform related duties, as assigned by their supervisor. Qualifications and Minimum Requirements • Bachelor's degree in finance, accounting, economics, or a related field • 5+ years of progressive experience in FP&A, strategic finance, investment banking, consulting, or transaction advisory, including at least 2 to 3 years in an operating FP&A role (6 to 10 years ideal) • Personally owned, not supported, each of the following: ◦ An annual budget end to end, with department or site owners providing inputs to you ◦ A rolling forecast maintained monthly and presented to an executive team ◦ Monthly variance analysis, including explaining results to non-finance leaders ◦ A unit or site-level P&L model, ideally with ramp or maturity curves ◦ KPI definitions and a recurring reporting package ◦ At least one board or lender package you built and presented • Personally built an operating model, not just maintained someone else's • Working knowledge of accrual accounting and comfort working closely with actuals • Advanced Excel modeling: driver-based models, scenario analysis, and sensitivity tables • Experience as a business partner to operational leaders • Strong written communication and a clear point of view Preferred • Investment banking, consulting, or transaction advisory experience • Multi-site healthcare services, behavioral health, or PE-backed healthcare background • AdvancedMD experience • Familiarity with payer mix and CPT-driven revenue • Power BI familiarity sufficient to direct dashboard work • Experience during an ERP transition • MBA, CFA, or CPA (optional) Role Competencies Technical Competencies Competency Observable / Measurable Standard Assessment Point(s) Financial Planning & Forecasting Delivers the budget and monthly forecast on schedule; assumptions are documented and defensible Interview (modeling exercise); 90-day; 6-month; Annual Financial Modeling & Decision Support Builds pro formas, provider profitability, and scenario models that leadership uses for site, service line, payer, and compensation decisions Interview; 90-day; Annual Variance Analysis & Reporting Delivers variance narrative, P&L bridge, and reporting packages on the monthly calendar; Controller review finds no recurring errors 30-day; 90-day; 6-month; Annual Business Partnership Holds scheduled department check-ins and budget reviews; department heads can act on the analysis 90-day; 6-month; Annual Data & Systems Proficiency Pulls and structures data from source systems independently; defines dashboard requirements clearly 30-day; 90-day; Annual Healthcare Revenue Knowledge Applies payer mix, CPT, reimbursement, and ramp-curve knowledge correctly in planning assumptions Interview; 90-day; Annual Accrual Accounting & Close Support Provides accurate, timely accrual inputs and flags material fluctuations before the trial balance is locked 90-day; Annual Secondary Review & Payment Approval Reviews Controller-prepared entries and reconciliations during coverage periods; approves only payments with supporting documentation and required approvals 90-day; Annual Privacy & Data Security Completes HIPAA privacy and security training at orientation and annually; uses aggregated data only and never exports patient-level data Orientation; Annual Behavioral Competencies Competency Observable / Measurable Standard Assessment Point(s) Strategic Thinking Models decisions before they become urgent and surfaces risks ahead of the planning cycle 90-day; Annual Executive Communication Presents findings clearly to executive and non-finance audiences with a recommendation Interview; 30-day; 90-day; Annual Analytical Rigor Stress-tests models before presenting; conclusions hold up to review 90-day; Annual Accountability & Ownership Completes forecasts and reporting on time and follows through; delivers finished work 30-day; 90-day; Annual Collaboration & Lane Discipline Works effectively with the Controller, Senior Accountant, Data & Analytics, and operational leaders through the right channels 90-day; Annual Adaptability & Problem Solving Builds through imperfect data and evolving systems and improves processes over time 90-day; 6-month; Annual Integrity & Confidentiality Maintains confidentiality of financial, compensation, and patient-adjacent data 30-day; 90-day; Annual Orientation and Competency Assessment The employee completes Clarity Clinic orientation, including HIPAA privacy and security, compliance, and role-specific training, within the timeframe set by HR policy. Competency is assessed at hire (structured interview with a modeling exercise), at 30 days, 90 days, and 6 months of employment, and annually thereafter. The Controller serves as the evaluator of record, in coordination with Human Resources. Assessment methods include direct review of work products (budgets, forecasts, variance narratives, models, reporting packages) and observation. Results are documented and retained in the employee's personnel record in accordance with Joint Commission standard HR.01.06.01 and Clarity Clinic policy CC_HRM_D_HRM.01.07.01. Compensation & Benefits • Base Salary: $125,000 to $150,000 depending on experience and qualifications • Bonus Target: 10% • Remote, Chicago area strongly preferred • Growth opportunity as Clarity scales • Full comprehensive benefits package including health, dental, vision, EAP services and more • Monthly Wellness Reimbursement to promote your self-care routine and well-being • 401k match up to 4% • 15 days of accrued PTO and up to 5 sick/wellness days Physical Requirements The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The employee is regularly required to communicate with others, sit, and use a computer for extended periods, and to travel occasionally to Clarity Clinic locations in the Chicago area. We celebrate diversity when it comes to all backgrounds and identities, and we encourage applications from minorities, LGBTQ+ individuals, candidates of all ages, and nontraditional backgrounds. Clarity Clinic is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, and other legally protected characteristics. About Clarity Clinic Clarity Clinic is an interdisciplinary group private practice of Psychiatrists, Psychiatric Advanced Practice Providers (PAs, NPs), Psychologists, and Therapists. Our mission is to thoughtfully guide the whole person on their journey to find clarity and mental wellness by providing exceptional holistic care. Our staff of Psychiatrists, Advanced Practice Providers and Psychotherapists offer the latest medication, psychological assessment, and therapy treatment as we help guide our patients toward mental wellness and a balanced personal and professional lifestyle. Our team offers a broad range of specialties, services, and orientations to support and help all people regardless of their place in life. This multidisciplinary approach allows us to provide holistic care in psychiatry, psychotherapy and much more. We're redefining mental health care through our leading network of mental health providers, who thoughtfully guide the whole person on their journey to find clarity and mental wellness by providing exceptional psychiatry and therapy care. It's time to get the mental health care you deserve with our leading psychiatry (medication management) and talk therapy services.