Chief Financial Officer

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

LAKE CHARLES MEMORIAL HEALTH SYSTEM

LAKE CHARLES, LA

HARTZ Search invites you to explore an exciting opportunity for the Chief Financial Officer with our client, Lake Charles Memorial Health System, in Lake Charles, LA. Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer and serving as a key member of the Executive Leadership Team, the CFO will provide strategic leadership and executive oversight of all financial operations across the health system.

The CFO will lead financial planning, budgeting, reporting, compliance, treasury management, and capital financing activities, including direct engagement with bondholders and oversight of debt issuances. This role is critical to driving financial performance, ensuring regulatory compliance, strengthening operational efficiency, and supporting long-term strategic growth. The ideal candidate is a seasoned healthcare finance executive with strong operational acumen, deep regulatory and bond compliance knowledge, and a demonstrated ability to partner effectively with executive leadership and the Board of Trustees.

Lake Charles Memorial Health System is the largest not-for-profit, community-based healthcare system serving Southwest Louisiana. Established in 1952 and locally governed by a community Board of Trustees, Memorial is fully accredited by The Joint Commission and a shareholder of Voluntary Hospitals of America (VHA). The system operates 314 licensed beds at its Oak Park acute care campus, 54 beds at the Women’s campus, 42 beds at the Behavioral Health campus, and the Moss Memorial Health Clinic serving uninsured and underinsured populations. Memorial Medical Group includes more than 100 employed physicians and specialists, providing a comprehensive continuum of care across the region.

As the healthcare market leader in Lake Charles, Memorial is supported by more than 2,700 employees and 300 medical staff physicians representing over 60 specialties and subspecialties. The system operates the region’s largest emergency services department and the only trauma center in Southwest Louisiana. Memorial also serves as the physician teaching facility through the Memorial/LSUHSC Family Medicine Residency Program and partners with regional universities, including McNeese State University, to provide clinical training for nursing and allied health students.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Oversees all finance-related activities for the System, including developing and monitoring progress against Annual Operating and Capital Budgets.
• Responsible for financial analysis, identification of month-end financial drivers, and forecasting, including reporting to ensure compliance with State requirements under the CEA.
• Ensure compliance with Bond covenant requirements; Days Cash on Hand and Max Annual Debt Services (MADS).
• Track cash flow, analyze strengths and weaknesses of operational performance to propose corrective action plans when necessary.
• Prepare accurate forecasts to assist with making informed decisions about future investments or cuts.
• Performs financial impact analysis for new contracts and supports negotiations.
• Perform Monthly Operating Reviews (MORs) for all departments.
• Establishes financial strategic vision, objectives, policies, and procedures in support of the overall strategic plan.
• Oversees and validates pricing models and leads initiatives to identify inefficiencies and areas of development and improvement.
• Strong understanding of bond covenants, debt compliance, and continuing disclosure requirements.
• Ensure compliance with local, state, and federal reporting requirements.
• Assists in establishing short- and long-range departmental goals, objectives, policies, and operating procedures.
• Exceptional communication and Board presentation experience.
• Directs all aspects of financial operations, overseeing all transactions related to purchasing, coding, receivables, billing, collections, case management, discharge planning, CDI, cost report, general ledger, payables, payroll, and financial reporting.

POSITION HIGHLIGHTS

• CFO reports directly to the Chief Executive Officer of Lake Charles Memorial Health System.
• Gross Revenue: $1.8B
• Key strategic partner to the Executive Leadership Team and Board of Trustees
• EPIC EMR environment
• Competitive Compensation and benefits package offered.

REQUIREMENTS & QUALIFICATIONS

• Education:
  • Bachelor's in Finance, Accounting, Economics or Business Administration.
  • CPA or CMA required.
  • Master's Degree preferred.
• Experience:
  • 10 + years in a high-level finance role in the healthcare or insurance industry.
  • Epic system and Bond holder experience required.
  • Demonstrated experience with FEMA reimbursement and compliance.
  • Multi-facility management experience or larger tertiary acute care center.
  • Advanced computer skills to prepare financial spreadsheets and reports.
  • Previous management experience includes responsibilities for hiring, training, assigning work and managing performance of staff.
  • Exceptional written, oral, interpersonal and presentation skills and the ability to effectively interface with senior management, the Board of Directors and staff.

LOCATION

LAKE CHARLES, LA

Lake Charles is a thriving Gulf Coast community in Southwest Louisiana with a population of approximately 78,000 and a broader regional draw of more than 200,000 residents. The area benefits from a diverse and expanding economy supported by energy, petrochemical manufacturing, LNG export facilities, gaming and hospitality, healthcare, and higher education. Significant industrial investment in the region over the past decade has strengthened the tax base and positioned Lake Charles as an important economic engine along the Gulf Coast.

Residents enjoy a high quality of life marked by affordable housing, a low cost of living, strong public and private school options, and access to outdoor recreation including boating, fishing, and golf. The community offers a vibrant arts and cultural scene, regional cuisine, and year-round festivals, while maintaining the accessibility and collegial atmosphere of a mid-sized market. Lake Charles provides an attractive balance of professional opportunity and lifestyle for executives and their families seeking both impact and community engagement.