Vice President Chief Accounting Officer

Job description

Job Description

Shape the Financial Future of Healthcare Excellence

As Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer (CAO) at Henry Ford Health, you'll be the architect of financial integrity and governance for one of the nation's leading integrated healthcare systems. This is more than a compliance role—it's a strategic leadership position where your decisions directly impact patient care, research innovation, and organizational sustainability. You'll partner with executive leadership to transform complex financial challenges into competitive advantages while building a world-class accounting organization.

The Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer (CAO) is responsible for the integrity, accuracy, and timeliness of Henry Ford Health's accounting, financial reporting, fund accounting and control environment. The CAO ensures compliance with GAAP, regulatory standards, and internal controls while enabling system strategy, growth, and financial sustainability.

This role serves as a key advisor to the CFO, executive leadership and partners across finance, treasury, tax, legal, research, and operations to ensure strong financial governance and decision support across a complex, integrated healthcare system. The role will report to the SVP, Corporate Financial Services

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Lead all system-wide accounting functions, including general accounting, consolidation, and financial close

Ensure timely and accurate financial statements in compliance with GAAP and regulatory standards

Establish and maintain a strong internal control environment and financial governance processes

Oversee external audit activities and regulatory filings

Oversee funding accounting including research grants, community grants and restricted/unrestricted donor funds

Serve as a key financial partner to HFH's research enterprise, including the partnership with Michigan State University, ensuring appropriate accounting, compliance, and financial oversight

Provide strategic leadership of tax, including planning, compliance, and optimization across a complex healthcare system

Provide technical accounting leadership for complex transactions, including M&A, joint ventures, and system integration

Partner with FP&A, treasury, tax, and operational finance to support enterprise performance and decision-making

Lead accounting's role in ERP implementation, including: Driving people, process, and workflow transformation

Ensuring alignment of accounting structures, controls, and reporting within the ERP

Standardizing and simplifying processes to enable scalability and efficiency

Partnering with IT and operational leaders to support successful deployment and adoption

Drive standardization, automation, and continuous improvement across accounting operations

Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local regulations and reporting requirements

Serve as a strategic advisor to the CFO and executive leadership on accounting, reporting, and risk considerations

LEADERSHIP & CULTURE

Model HFH mission, vision, and values in leadership behaviors and decisions

Build and lead a high-performing accounting organization, including talent development and succession planning

Promote a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and operational excellence

Lead change effectively across large-scale transformation initiatives (e.g., ERP, integration)

Collaborate across corporate, clinical, and market leadership to advance system priorities

Qualifications:

Qualifications

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance required; Master’s preferred

CPA required

15+ years of progressive accounting/finance leadership experience in a complex, multi-entity environment (healthcare preferred

Deep expertise in financial reporting, internal controls, and regulatory compliance

Experience with internal/external audit, funding structures, tax strategy, ERP implementation, and research funding environments strongly preferred

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Worksite address

detroit, MI, 48228, US

Who can apply

Review the original listing for work authorization, qualifications and employer requirements.