Chief Financial and Strategy Officer

Catalight Foundation; California (MO); Hybrid; USD 450,000 - 550,000; Full time

Job summary

Catalight Foundation seeks a dynamic Chief Financial and Strategy Officer to elevate the organization’s financial and strategic operating system. You will lead Finance, Business Intelligence, Risk, Compliance, Contracting, Quality, Data Infrastructure, Information Systems, and Technology to support mission-driven care improvements.

The role requires translating complex financial and strategic concepts for the executive team and board, balancing short-term results with long-term sustainability,

Qualifications

• Ideal candidate brings systems thinking and experience building scalable growth ecosystems.
• Proven ability to partner with executive teams and boards to drive strategic initiatives.
• Strong communication of complex financial and operational concepts to diverse audiences.
• Experience balancing short-term results with long-term sustainability and value creation.

Responsibilities

• Lead finance, BI, risk, compliance, contracting, data, and tech functions.
• Drive predictive analytics, real-time reporting, and data governance for strategic planning.
• Partner with board and C-Suite to pursue growth opportunities and investments.
• Build and nurture high-performing teams with a culture of collaboration and innovation.
• Shape the organization’s digital agenda and modernize financial operations.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Analytical skills

Integrity

Adaptability

Emotional intelligence

Future-focused

Board communication

Tools

Data infrastructure

BI platforms

AI tools

Blockchain

Machine learning

Job description

Catalight is the parent organization leading a family of companies (FoC) that includes Easterseals Northern California, Easterseals Hawaii, and Catalight Care Services (CCS). Across the four non‑profit companies, nearly 900 employees work together to responsibly disrupt and transform home and community‑based care, aiming to become a diverse, equitable, and inclusive organization that proactively addresses complex societal problems, such as healthcare access and improved well‑being for underrepresented communities.

Job Summary

This isn't a traditional CFO role. If you are a strategic operator and generalist leader who can architect financial and operational infrastructure, ensure data and insights are accessible to everyone, and drive cross‑functional alignment, keep reading. Are you a progressive leader, a big‑picture thinker, and perpetually curious? Do you thrive in complexity, think in systems, and have the judgment to make high‑stakes decisions quickly? Interested in partnering with our executive team and board of directors to help build the company's future? We are seeking a dynamic and modern Chief Financial and Strategy Officer to advance our mission of disrupting healthcare systems and ensuring that individuals with developmental disabilities have equitable access to the services they need, when they need them, regardless of geography, race, gender, or sexual orientation. This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of healthcare and drive initiatives that dismantle barriers and biases contributing to these inequities by balancing short‑term results with long‑term sustainability. This role goes far beyond traditional finance. You'll lead an integrated portfolio spanning Finance, Business Intelligence, Risk Management, Compliance, Contracting, Quality, Data Infrastructure, Information Systems, and Technology, shaping the operational backbone of our organization. The ideal candidate is a change agent who understands that the issues we face are judgment issues, not just accounting issues. Someone who believes that with the right mindset, skills, and strategies, individuals can achieve goals that initially seem unattainable. Key qualities include meta‑thinking, strategic thinking, analytical skills, integrity, adaptability, emotional intelligence, and a future‑focused perspective. We are looking for a leader who will ensure every decision strengthens the financial engine of the business, creating lasting value rather than just managing numbers. Someone who:

Core Responsibilities & Essential Job Functions

• Has an accrual mindset and excels at value-based negotiations.
• Utilizes big data, predictive analytics, and real‑time reporting to enhance strategic planning and boost business performance.
• Recognizes that stakeholders increasingly expect finance leaders to manage complex strategic and operational challenges beyond traditional finance responsibilities.
• Works with the business to create impact and maximize profitable growth.
• Demonstrates strong board communication skills by effectively informing the board about big‑picture issues and presenting new or complex topics with confidence.
• Assesses risk appropriately and makes incisive decisions.
• Brings discipline to analytics while maintaining entrepreneurial agility.
• Inspire Trust: Provide timely, accurate, and helpful financial information to the board and maintain strong relationships with board members.
• Focus on long‑term strategy, not just immediate operations.
• Build Healthy Teams: Cultivate, develop, and motivate a healthy, high‑performing team committed to growth, development, and innovation. Foster creative problem‑solving and a growth mindset throughout your organization.
• Drive Value: Manage multi‑business portfolios by assessing the maximum value each business can create. Optimize resource allocation and identify growth opportunities. Partner with the board and C‑Suite to pursue new capabilities, products, and services through investments.
• Activate the Digital Agenda: Lead data governance and quality standards. Drive innovation through new investment approaches and business models. Bring new business modeling expertise and structure deals that create long‑term value.
• Modernize Skills: Foster finance teams that prioritize partnership and value creation by investing in continuous workforce retraining and upskilling. Bring together data science and traditional finance expertise, and advocate for the integration of emerging technologies such as blockchain, machine learning, and AI.
• Anticipate Market Change: Use internal and external data to fuel forecasting models. Transform risk from a passive compliance role to a strategic lever for growth.
• Optimize how work gets done: Make smart decisions about what to build in‑house versus outsource. Structure teams (onshore, nearshore, offshore) to deliver value, not just reduce costs.
• Execute as a Change Agent: Act as a builder at heart, bringing both discipline and entrepreneurial energy to create systems that scale.

Qualifications Minimum Education, Experience & Training

Equivalent to: We believe humans with diverse experiences may be suited for the work at hand. We are avoiding education and experience minimums for this role with an acknowledgment that these can be barriers for historically excluded groups. This role will be best suited for a strong people leader with a history of building scalable growth ecosystems from the ground up within quickly moving and creative industries or roles.

HELPFUL SKILLS + KNOWLEDGE (aligned to our core values):

• Bold: Challenges the status quo and embraces disruptive innovation. Leads transformative initiatives and drives systemic change. Navigates ambiguity and uncertainty with a growth mindset.
• Community‑Oriented: Strong connector with the ability to build relationships with diverse groups. Passion for creating inclusive and equitable environments. Experience in collaborating with cross‑functional teams to achieve shared goals. Strong user advocate, elevating the needs of any audience in the growth design process.
• Equity‑Informed: Effectively advocates for historically excluded or forgotten groups. Approaches work with empathy, engages in continuous feedback. Understands that humans have biases and are imperfect as a baseline. Effectively working with an ethnically, socioeconomically, linguistically, and culturally diverse population. Understanding of the social determinants of health and healthcare disparities. Experience in working with people with disabilities and underserved populations and addressing health inequities.
• Wellbeing‑Driven: Advocate for the wellbeing and needs of your team to be effective contributors in our ecosystem Committed to employee + community well‑being and work‑life harmony in your leadership Ability to foster a safe and supportive work culture in all rooms. Willingness and commitment to personal self‑reflection and systems re‑thinking Ability to understand your physical, mental, social, and financial wellbeing needs with a willingness to co‑create boundaries that allow you to sustainably show up and honor your humanity.

REQUESTS:

• Technical Innovator: Familiarity with the latest tech and competitive generative ecosystems. Understanding of how data infrastructure, business intelligence platforms, and technology enable business transformation, not just supports it.
• Excellent Storyteller: Highly effective written, verbal, and visual communication skills are a part of your being. Ability to translate complex financial and operational concepts for board members, executives, and frontline teams alike.
• Flexible + Firm Mindset: Flexibility and willingness to change approach and work tasks based on your evolved strategy grounded in insights, with concurrent ability to stand with conviction for areas that require us to challenge the status quo.
• Strong Discretion: Maintaining the highest levels of confidentiality.
• Baseline Technical Operations: You can operate with Microsoft tools, including (Outlook, Word, Excel, Teams, etc.), and a variety of AI‑based tools, and can use phones and computers to stay connected.
• Communication: Frequent visual or auditory communication and listening (40‑80%).
• Availability: 8 hours each day from 9‑5 PM PT, unless otherwise discussed.

In addition to the core values, the ideal candidate should possess:

• Strategic Thinking: Ability to develop and execute long‑term growth strategies.
• Financial Acumen: Strong understanding of financial metrics and the ability to drive revenue growth.
• AI + Digital Expertise: Experience in leveraging digital technologies to improve efficiency and patient outcomes.
• Global Perspective: Understanding of international healthcare markets and the ability to adapt to different cultural contexts.

Physical Requirements:

Must be able to communicate effectively within the work environment, read and write using the primary language within the workplace. Visual and auditory ability to work with clients, staff and others in the workplace continuously. Frequent speaking and listening (25‑75%) to clients, staff, and others in the workplace. Utilize computer and cell phone for effective communication.

Conditions of Employment:

Ability to obtain and maintain criminal record clearance through the Department of Justice (DOJ). The People & Performance Department must analyze DOJ/FBI live scan reports in accordance with applicable Federal, State, and Local laws, as well as fitness for the position. Ability to obtain and maintain clearance through the Office of Inspector General. Must attend any required training, e.g., HIPAA compliance, workplace safety, cyber security, and inclusive leadership for managers.

Time Type:

Full time

Compensation:

450,000-550,000

The statements contained in this job description reflect general details as necessary to describe the principal functions of this job. It should not be considered an all‑inclusive listing of work requirements. Individuals may perform other duties as assigned, including work in other functional areas as deemed fit for the organization.

Catalight is an equal opportunity employer.