JobsAdvocate Health

Director Finance Service

Advocate Health · Barrington, IL

Posted Sep 1, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Sep 20, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

Behavioral

Tell me about a time you found an unfavorable variance during close and had to explain it to operational leaders who weren't happy about it.

how they handle pushback while staying accurate, and whether they can translate finance findings into terms operators accept

Describe a specific cost reduction or revenue enhancement opportunity you identified and quantified. What happened after you brought it forward?

ability to move from analysis to actual dollar impact and follow-through, not just spotting problems

Give me an example of a time you had to explain a complicated financial issue to a physician or non-financial leader who didn't have patience for jargon.

communication skill and whether they can genuinely simplify without dumbing down accuracy

You're the finance liaison to revenue cycle, managed care, HIM, and IT. Tell me about a time one of those groups' decisions was quietly hurting the numbers, and how you caught it and fixed it.

cross-functional awareness and whether they actively dig into operations or wait for numbers to surface problems

Tell me about a direct report who was struggling with performance. How did you handle it from the first conversation through to resolution.

people management competence given the direct supervisory responsibilities in this role

Technical

Walk me through how you would set up the budget process for this site from scratch, including how you'd handle timing, methods, and controls to keep it clean.

whether the candidate has actually run an end-to-end budget cycle and can name concrete controls, not just describe budgeting in the abstract

How would you build a revenue budget that accounts for gross revenue, contractuals, and bad debt and charity, and what usually trips people up in that process?

depth of hands-on revenue cycle and reimbursement knowledge versus surface familiarity

Tell me about the capital request process you've run before. How did you decide what got funded and how did you handle the pushback from leaders whose projects didn't make the cut?

experience staffing a capital committee and defending prioritization decisions under scarcity

How do you think about the margin contribution of different service lines when you're advising leadership on where to invest?

grasp of healthcare economics and marginal profitability analysis, not just budgeting mechanics

Situational

Say a department leader disagrees with your revenue budget assumptions and thinks you're being too conservative. How do you work through that with them?

conflict management style and whether they collaborate or just impose numbers

If labor productivity numbers at your site started slipping mid-year, what would you actually do in the productivity huddle to turn that around?

practical operating knowledge of labor cost management and whether they lead or just report

How do you decide when a variance or an issue is material enough that the senior finance leader needs to hear about it right away versus waiting for the regular report?

judgment about escalation and understanding of what actually matters to leadership

This role requires being onsite four days a week and some travel. How do you structure your week across budget cycles, close, huddles, and one-on-one time with department leaders?

realistic sense of how they'll manage competing recurring obligations without dropping any

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The full job description

As published by Advocate Health.

Department: 13437 Enterprise Corporate - Financial Planning : IL Status: Full time Benefits Eligible: Yes Hou rs Per Week: 40 Schedule Details/Additional Information: Must be onsite a minimum of 4 days per week. Pay Range: $75.40 - $120.65 Major Responsibilities: • Under the direction of the Senior Finance Leader prepares proformas or financial analyses to meet organization decision making needs. • Leads the budget process for the site(s), including establishing the timing, methods and process for the budget. Establishes controls and processes that insures the integrity of the budget. Directs or prepares revenue budget for the organization, including gross revenues, contractuals and bad debts/charity. Quantifies and budgets revenue enhancement and cost reduction opportunities. Assists the Senior Finance Leader and site leadership in identifying financial improvement opportunities. • Leads the forecast process in a similar manner. • Works collaboratively with site department leaders and SRCO to help improve site financial performance, including improved labor productivity, cost management, revenue capture, denials reduction, and other areas. • Directs the site capital process, including the capital request and approval process, tracking and reporting of capital dollars, and preparation of proformas and other financial analyses as directed. Staffs the site capital committee. • Prepares presentations, reports and other information for the Senior Finance Leader and executive team as requested. May present financial information at management team meetings. • Serves as a resource/liaison for site(s) or service line leadership, corporate finance staff (general accounting and reimbursement, etc.) departments and functions that directly affect the financial performance, and revenue cycle (including managed care), health information management, system logistics, and information technology for the site(s) or service line by providing guidance on policies and procedures, provides direction of financial statement preparation process, consultation on specific finance-related issues or day-to-day operations issues, notification regarding material issues impacting net reimbursement, etc. • Oversees, explains and interprets close results for site(s) or service line leadership. Partners with leadership to review and reconcile unusual expenses, unfavorable variances, or cost saving opportunities. Directs the production of reports and distributions to the organization. • Analyzes close while explaining variances. Partners with site(s) or service line leadership to review and reconcile unusual expenses, unfavorable variances, or cost savings opportunities. Directs the production of reports and distributions to the organization. • Leads site(s) or service line productivity huddle while partnering with operational leaders to assist in achieving labor productivity and cost management goals. • Performs human resources responsibilities for staff which include interviewing and selection of new employees, promotions, staff development, performance evaluations, compensation changes, resolution of employee concerns, corrective actions, terminations, and overall employee morale. • Develops and recommends operating and capital budgets and controls expenditures within approved budget objectives. • Responsible for understanding and adhering to the organization's Code of Ethical Conduct and for ensuring that personal actions, and the actions of employees supervised, comply with the policies, regulations and laws applicable to the organization's business. Licensure, Registration, and/or Certification Required: • None Required. Education Required: • Master's Degree (or equivalent knowledge) in Finance or related field. Experience Required: • Typically requires 7 years of experience in financial operations which includes experiences overseeing financial operations and developing and executing financial strategies within a large complex organization. Healthcare experience preferred. Includes 3 years of management experience in financial management. Knowledge, Skills & Abilities Required: • Excellent relational skills and ability to get things done through teamwork, persuasion and influence • Excellent communication skills and ability to work with executive boards, teams, physicians and staff. Formal presentation and business writing skills. Ability to explain complex financial information in ways non-financial people can understand and relate to. • Excellent analytical skills, including ability to review quantitative and qualitative data and reach sound conclusions • Effective collaboration and teamwork skills, including ability to partner with operations leaders to improve financial management of organization resources. • • Strong understanding of health care dynamics and economics as it relates to the profitability of various services and the margin contribution available with marginal investment. Physical Requirements and Working Conditions: • Operates all equipment necessary to perform the job. • Exposed to a normal office environment. • This position requires travel so the incumbent will be exposed to weather and road conditions. This job description indicates the general nature and level of work expected of the incumbent. It is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required of the incumbent. Incumbent may be required to perform other related duties. Our Commitment to You: Advocate Health offers a comprehensive suite of Total Rewards: benefits and well-being programs, competitive compensation, generous retirement offerings, programs that invest in your career development and so much more – so you can live fully at and away from work, including: Compensation • Base compensation listed within the listed pay range based on factors such as qualifications, skills, relevant experience, and/or training • Premium pay such as shift, on call, and more based on a teammate's job • Incentive pay for select positions • Opportunity for annual increases based on performance Benefits and more • Paid Time Off programs • Health and welfare benefits such as medical, dental, vision, life, and Short- and Long-Term Disability • Flexible Spending Accounts for eligible health care and dependent care expenses • Family benefits such as adoption assistance and paid parental leave • Defined contribution retirement plans with employer match and other financial wellness programs • Educational Assistance Program Note: Eligibility for programs listed above may depend on your FTE or status (e.g., full-time, part-time, per diem, temporary, etc.); please ask a Recruiter for more information during an interview. About Advocate Health  Advocate Health is the third-largest nonprofit, integrated health system in the United States, created from the combination of Advocate Aurora Health and Atrium Health. Providing care under the names Advocate Health Care in Illinois; Atrium Health in the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama; and Aurora Health Care in Wisconsin, Advocate Health is a national leader in clinical innovation, health outcomes, consumer experience and value-based care. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Advocate Health services nearly 6 million patients and is engaged in hundreds of clinical trials and research studies, with Wake Forest University School of Medicine serving as the academic core of the enterprise. It is nationally recognized for its expertise in cardiology, neurosciences, oncology, pediatrics and rehabilitation, as well as organ transplants, burn treatments and specialized musculoskeletal programs. Advocate Health employs 155,000 teammates across 69 hospitals and over 1,000 care locations, and offers one of the nation’s largest graduate medical education programs with over 2,000 residents and fellows across more than 200 programs. Committed to providing equitable care for all, Advocate Health provides more than $6 billion in annual community benefits.

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