Director of Finance & Accounting

Brattleboro Retreat; Brattleboro (VT); On-site; USD 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Brattleboro Retreat seeks a Director of Finance & Accounting to lead the organization’s accounting operations and ensure the accuracy, timeliness, and integrity of financial reporting. This leader manages the monthly and annual close, general ledger, cash management, fixed assets, and internal controls while developing the accounting staff.

The role emphasizes hands‑on leadership, process reliability, and cross‑functional collaboration with leaders across the organization to strengthen controls

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting/related field required; equivalent experience considered.
• CPA, CMA, or master’s degree preferred.
• 7+ years of progressively responsible accounting experience including leading a close.
• 3+ years of supervisory or team-lead experience preferred.
• Healthcare accounting or hospital environment experience highly valued.
• Strong GAAP knowledge, internal controls, and budgeting.

Responsibilities

• Lead monthly and annual close, ensure timely, accurate financial statements.
• Oversee general ledger, cash management, fixed assets, and reconciliations.
• Coordinate external audits and respond to auditor requests.
• Manage accounting staff, develop talent, and ensure cross‑functional collaboration.
• Improve accounting processes and internal controls across the department.
• Provide financial analysis to support strategic decisions across leadership.

Skills

Accounting leadership

GAAP knowledge

Financial analysis

Cash management

Audits

Excel (advanced)

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree

CPA

CMA

Master's degree

Tools

Meditech

ERP/financial systems

General ledger software

Job description

Description

JOB SUMMARY:

The Director of Finance & Accounting is a key member of the Finance leadership team and reports directly to the Chief Financial Officer. This position leads the organization’s accounting operations and is responsible for the accuracy, timeliness, and integrity of financial reporting. The Director oversees the monthly and annual close, general ledger, accounts payable, cash management, fixed assets, account reconciliations, audits, internal controls, financial systems, and the development of accounting staff.

The ideal candidate is a hands‑on accounting leader who can manage technical accounting responsibilities while building reliable processes, strengthening controls, developing staff, and partnering effectively with leaders across the Brattleboro Retreat. This role requires sound judgment, attention to detail, the ability to explain financial information clearly, and a continuous‑improvement mindset.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Financial Close, Reporting & Accounting

• Leads the monthly and annual financial close and establishes a disciplined close calendar, assigned responsibilities, review standards, and documentation requirements.
• Ensures the general ledger and financial statements are complete, accurate, timely, and prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and organizational policies.
• Reviews journal entries, account reconciliations, supporting schedules, and financial analyses prepared by accounting staff; resolves unusual or complex accounting matters.
• Prepares and reviews monthly financial statements, variance analyses, cash reports, and other management reporting for the Chief Financial Officer, executive leadership, and Board committees.
• Oversees accounting for cash, investments, accounts payable, fixed assets, prepaid expenses, accrued liabilities, debt, leases, grants, net patient service revenue, and other significant balance‑sheet and income‑statement accounts.
• Maintains the chart of accounts and financial‑reporting structure to support clear, consistent, and useful internal and external reporting.

Internal Controls, Compliance & Audit

• Establishes, documents, monitors, and continuously improves accounting policies, procedures, and internal controls designed to safeguard assets and support reliable financial reporting.
• Coordinates the Finance Department’s role in the annual financial statement audit and other external audits; serves as the primary accounting contact for auditors and ensures timely, well‑supported responses.
• Oversees preparation of audit schedules, account analyses, confirmations, questionnaires, variance explanations, and other supporting documentation.
• Identifies control deficiencies, accounting risks, suspected fraud, or reporting concerns and promptly communicates them to the Chief Financial Officer.
• Ensures required financial, tax, grant, regulatory, and other external reports within the Controller’s scope are accurate, complete, and submitted on time.
• Maintains confidentiality and complies with organizational policies, HIPAA requirements, and applicable federal and state requirements.

Cash, Budgeting & Financial Analysis

• Oversees daily cash positioning, cash projections, bank activity, transfers, and related controls; provides the Chief Financial Officer with timely visibility into liquidity and emerging cash needs.
• Supports the annual operating and capital budget, periodic forecasts, and long‑range financial planning by coordinating accounting inputs, validating assumptions, and analyzing results.
• Analyzes financial performance and operating trends to identify risks and opportunities related to revenue, expenses, cash flow, working capital, and financial sustainability.
• Partners with department leaders to explain budget‑to‑actual results, address accounting questions, improve financial understanding, and support sound operational decisions.
• Collaborates with Patient Financial Services, Revenue Cycle, Payroll, Human Resources, Materials Management, Information Technology, and other functions to ensure accurate and efficient transaction flows.

Team Leadership & Department Operations

• Directly manages assigned Finance staff, including hiring, onboarding, work assignment, coaching, performance feedback, professional development, and corrective action when appropriate.
• Creates clear roles, review expectations, and backup coverage for critical accounting processes; cross‑trains staff to reduce key‑person dependency and strengthen continuity.
• Promotes a collaborative, respectful, accountable, and service‑oriented Finance culture.
• Prioritizes department work, monitors deadlines and service levels, and ensures appropriate staffing and workload distribution.
• Develops and monitors meaningful department goals, key performance indicators, and process‑improvement initiatives aligned with organizational priorities.
• Provides accounting guidance and technical support to Finance staff and colleagues throughout the organization.

Financial Systems & Process Improvement

• Leads ongoing improvement of the general ledger, financial reporting tools, close processes, account reconciliations, and related accounting workflows.
• Partners with Information Technology and system users on financial‑system design, configuration, testing, implementation, access, and data integrity.
• Uses Microsoft Excel and other reporting tools to organize, analyze, reconcile, and communicate financial information effectively.
• Evaluates manual processes and implements practical improvements that increase accuracy, timeliness, transparency, and efficiency without weakening internal controls.
• Maintains organized, complete, and accessible documentation for recurring accounting processes and significant judgments.

OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES:

May be required to perform duties of lesser, equal or greater responsibility. Other duties as assigned as discussed with manager.

Requirements

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, business administration, or a closely related field required. An equivalent combination of education and directly relevant experience may be considered.
• CPA, CMA, or master’s degree preferred.
• Minimum of seven years of progressively responsible accounting experience, including experience leading a financial close and preparing or reviewing financial statements.
• Minimum of three years of direct supervisory or team‑lead experience preferred.
• Healthcare accounting or financial‑management experience strongly preferred; experience in a hospital or other regulated healthcare environment is especially valuable.
• Demonstrated knowledge of GAAP, internal controls, account reconciliation, audit support, budgeting, cash management, and financial analysis.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and experience with general‑ledger and financial‑reporting systems. Experience with Meditech or a comparable healthcare financial system is preferred.
• Working knowledge of healthcare reimbursement, net patient service revenue, third‑party payer activity, and revenue‑cycle interfaces preferred.
• Ability to analyze complex financial information, identify root causes, exercise sound judgment, and communicate conclusions clearly to financial and nonfinancial audiences.
• Excellent organization, prioritization, written communication, interpersonal, and leadership skills; ability to manage multiple deadlines while maintaining accuracy and professionalism.