MHN Director of Planning and Decision Support

MHN Director of Planning and Decision Support

Position Summary

Marshall Health Network is seeking a Director of Planning and Decision Support to lead the organization's financial planning, budgeting, and decision support functions. This position provides senior leaders with the financial insight and analysis needed to plan for the future, manage performance, and make informed decisions regarding services, staffing, and investments.

The Director leads the Planning and Decision Support team and partners closely with the CFO, Senior Vice President of Finance, executive leadership, physician leaders, and department directors. This role oversees the annual operating and capital budgets, long-range financial planning, cost accounting, productivity management, and financial evaluation of new programs, services, and strategic initiatives.

The Director ensures financial planning and reporting processes support the organization's strategic priorities and financial goals while providing accurate, timely, and actionable information to support organizational decision-making.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Financial Planning, Budgeting, and Forecasting

• Lead the annual operating and capital budget processes and monitor organizational performance against established budgets.
• Develop and maintain the long-range financial plan in support of the organization's strategic plan and financial goals.
• Prepare rolling forecasts, including volume, revenue, expense, and capital projections.
• Ensure budgets, forecasts, and financial analyses are accurate, consistent, and well documented.
• Establish team priorities and balance recurring planning and reporting responsibilities with requests from organizational leadership.
• Continuously evaluate and improve budgeting, forecasting, and financial reporting processes.

Decision Support and Financial Analysis

• Oversee cost accounting, service line profitability, and physician and payer profitability analyses.
• Evaluate business plans, physician recruitment proposals, capital requests, and other strategic initiatives, including financial projections and return on investment.
• Identify opportunities to reduce costs, improve productivity, and grow revenue.
• Establish clear and consistent definitions for key financial and operational measures.
• Support quality and performance improvement initiatives by evaluating their financial and operational impact.
• Present financial results, analysis, and recommendations to senior leadership and the Board.
• Provide objective financial information and recommendations to support organizational planning and decision-making.

Department Leadership and Collaboration

• Hire, develop, coach, and evaluate the Planning and Decision Support team, ensuring performance reviews are completed on time.
• Establish clear expectations and priorities and support the professional development of team members.
• Build strong working relationships with executive leadership, physician leaders, department directors, and other Finance teams.
• Partner with department leaders to help them understand and effectively use their budgets and financial reports.
• Respond promptly and professionally to requests from executives, physicians, and departments.
• Seek feedback from leaders to ensure financial reports and analyses meet their needs.

Financial Performance, Compliance, and Process Improvement

• Maintain the integrity of cost accounting methodologies, productivity standards, and financial reporting processes.
• Ensure consistent and reliable financial and operational data is available to support organizational decisions.
• Stay current on healthcare reimbursement, regulatory changes, and industry benchmarks and communicate their financial impact to leadership.
• Direct planning activities in alignment with the organization's strategic plan and financial objectives.
• Identify opportunities to improve financial planning, reporting, and decision support processes.
• Manage the Planning and Decision Support department budget and identify opportunities for cost savings.
• Maintain the confidentiality of financial, strategic, and personnel information in accordance with organizational policies.