Controller / Chief Financial Officer Development Candidate

Position Summary

The Controller is responsible for the integrity of the hospital's financial operations, accounting records, financial reporting, budgeting support, reimbursement analysis, internal controls, and audit readiness. This position leads core accounting functions and serves as the primary development pathway toward the Chief Financial Officer role. The Controller must deliver accurate financial statements, reliable reconciliations, disciplined controls, timely reporting, and actionable financial analysis while developing the judgment, communication skill, and operational understanding required of a future executive finance leader.

The Controller supports operational and strategic decision-making through financial analysis, forecasting, reimbursement review, performance measurement, and direct support to the Chief Financial Officer. This position must identify financial risks, recommend corrective actions, strengthen accountability, and build the technical and leadership foundation required to assume broader finance leadership responsibilities over time.

Required Regulatory Knowledge

The successful Controller and CFO development candidate shall demonstrate working knowledge of:

1. Critical Access Hospital reimbursement methodology;

2. Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement systems;

3. CMS regulations and guidance;

4. Medicare cost reporting principles;

5. Governmental accounting standards;

6. GASB requirements;

7. GAAP requirements;

8. HIPAA requirements;

9. Federal and State grant administration requirements;

10. OIG compliance guidance;

11. Healthcare internal controls and audit principles;

12. Federal and Utah healthcare regulatory requirements;

13. Public-sector financial accountability standards.

________________________________________

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

1. Advanced knowledge of healthcare accounting principles;

2. Advanced understanding of Critical Access Hospital reimbursement methodologies;

3. Strong understanding of Medicare, Medicaid, commercial insurance reimbursement, contractual allowances, and cost reporting;

4. Strong knowledge of governmental accounting practices and public-sector stewardship requirements;

5. Advanced financial modeling, forecasting, variance analysis, and executive reporting skills;

6. Knowledge of budgeting, capital planning, cash flow management, and long-range financial planning;

7. Experience preparing audited financial statements and audit-ready supporting documentation;

8. Strong knowledge of internal controls, segregation of duties, audit requirements, and corrective action processes;

9. Advanced Microsoft Excel skills including PivotTables, Power Query, financial modeling, data analysis, and artificial intelligence integration;

10. Ability to analyze complex financial information and communicate findings clearly to executives, managers, auditors, and governing bodies;

11. Ability to learn and connect revenue cycle operations to accounting accuracy, cash flow, reimbursement, and financial performance;

12. Strong written and verbal communication skills suitable for executive and board-level reporting;

13. Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines simultaneously without sacrificing accuracy;

14. Ability to maintain confidentiality, discretion, and sound professional judgment.

________________________________________

Required Personal Traits

1. High integrity;

2. Strong attention to detail;

3. Professional judgment;

4. Accountability;

5. Ownership mentality;

6. Analytical thinking;

7. Problem-solving ability;

8. Intellectual curiosity;

9. Process improvement mindset;

10. Strong organizational skills;

11. Reliability;

12. Commitment to accuracy;

13. Ability to work independently;

14. Ability to communicate difficult financial realities professionally and directly;

15. Commitment to stewardship of public resources.

Minimum Qualifications

1. Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or related field;

2. Five years of progressively responsible accounting, controllership, or financial analysis experience;

3. Three years of healthcare finance, healthcare accounting, reimbursement, or hospital financial operations experience;

4. Demonstrated ability to prepare financial statements, account reconciliations, and audit support schedules;

5. Demonstrated experience with budgeting, forecasting, variance analysis, and financial decision support;

6. Demonstrated leadership potential, professional judgment, and ability to develop toward executive finance responsibility;

7. Candidate must possess, or be actively tracking toward, a master's-level degree. Preferred degrees include Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA) or Master of Science in Accounting (MSA); a Master of Business Administration (MBA) is acceptable but secondary to the preferred degree paths.

Preferred Qualifications

1. Certified Public Accountant (CPA);

2. Certified Management Accountant (CMA);

3. Master's degree in Healthcare Administration, Accounting, Finance, or Business Administration, with preference for MHA or MSA;

4. Critical Access Hospital or rural hospital finance experience;

5. Medicare cost report, reimbursement, and settlement analysis experience;

6. Governmental or public-sector accounting experience;

7. Experience with healthcare ERP, payroll, budgeting, revenue cycle, and financial reporting systems;

8. Experience developing financial dashboards, operational analytics, and executive-level reporting packages.