Chief Financial Officer

How to Apply

Ravinia has partnered with Russell Reynolds Associates, a global leadership advisory and executive search firm, to lead the recruitment for this role. Please do not apply through this career portal. To be considered for this position, please email your resume and cover letter directly to RaviniaCFO@russellreynolds.com. 

For more details, please see The CFO Success Profile, available here.

Company Description

At Ravinia, we believe in the transformative power of shared, live-music moments and their ability to inspire individuals, strengthen communities, and foster a more connected world.

Beyond presenting outstanding performances by the world’s greatest musicians, our mission as a not-for-profit organization is to develop broader, more diverse audiences and performers in the music industry with our Reach Teach Play® community engagement and education programs, our Steans Institute’s collaborative and experiential artistic training programs, and more. Together, Ravinia’s initiatives serve tens of thousands of students, families, and emerging professional musicians.

Our 36-acre park is home to North America’s longest-running outdoor music festival and its most artistically diverse. Over 100 different events, featuring a mix of classical, rock, pop, jazz, R&B, indie, and country performers, make up a typical summer season across our open-air and indoor stages, including the annual residency of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

Role & Opportunity

The Chief Financial Officer will serve as a strategic enterprise leader and key thought partner to the CEO and executive team, helping guide Ravinia through its next phase of growth, innovation, and operational excellence. As a core steward of the organization’s long-term financial sustainability, the CFO will oversee all financial functions while shaping broader business strategy across earned and contributed revenue streams, audience engagement, long-range planning, and organizational performance. 

In partnership with Programming & Development, the CFO will support a show-driven programming model alongside a year-round revenue and funding engine in which financial performance is shaped by both seasonal festival cycles and ongoing fundraising and earned revenue activity. This role ensures that artistic programming, audience engagement, and diversified revenue streams are aligned within a cohesive financial strategy that balances mission impact, artistic ambition, and institutional sustainability. 

This is an opportunity for a forward-looking executive to influence the trajectory of a complex and highly visible cultural institution with a diversified funding model and broad stakeholder base. The ideal candidate will bring both strategic and operational leadership, with the ability to partner closely with senior leadership, the Board, and cross-functional teams to strengthen financial infrastructure, support effective decision-making, and sustain organizational growth. 

The role is particularly well-suited for a leader energized by mission-driven work, collaborative problem-solving, and the intersection of finance, audience experience, programming, and long-term institutional impact.