Vice President of Accounting

Additional Information About the Role

 The Vice President, Accounting serves as the enterprise senior accounting executive for BJC Health, providing strategic leadership and oversight for all system-wide accounting functions across one of the nation's largest integrated academic health systems.

The VP, Accounting is responsible for ensuring the integrity, accuracy, and transparency of financial reporting; maintaining a highly effective internal control environment; and leading enterprise accounting operations, including consolidated financial statements, month-end close, regulatory reporting, technical accounting, and audit coordination.

This executive leads major accounting transformation initiatives, including ERP and financial systems implementations, automation strategies, process redesign, and accounting integration efforts associated with mergers, acquisitions, affiliations, and other strategic transactions. The role partners closely with executive leaders, Treasury, Tax, Internal Audit, Operational Finance, and business units to support enterprise strategy through timely, compliant, and actionable financial information.

The VP, Accounting develops high-performing teams, advances accounting excellence, and ensures compliance with GAAP, regulatory requirements, and organizational governance standards while supporting BJC's mission of delivering exceptional patient care.

Overview

BJC HealthCare is one of the largest nonprofit health care organizations in the United States, delivering services to residents primarily in the greater St. Louis, southern Illinois and southeast Missouri regions. With net revenues of $6.3 billion and more than 30,000 employees, BJC serves patients and their families in urban, suburban and rural communities through its 14 hospitals and multiple community health locations. Services include inpatient and outpatient care, primary care, community health and wellness, workplace health, home health, community mental health, rehabilitation, long-term care and hospice.

BJC is the largest provider of charity care, unreimbursed care and community benefits in the state of Missouri. BJC and its hospitals and health service organizations provide $785.9 million annually in community benefit. That includes $410.6 million in charity care and other financial assistance to patients to ensure medical care regardless of their ability to pay. In addition, BJC provides additional community benefits through commitments to research, emergency preparedness, regional health care safety net services, health literacy, community outreach and community health programs and regional economic development.

BJC’s patients have access to the latest advances in medical science and technology through a formal affiliation between Barnes-Jewish Hospital and St. Louis Children’s Hospital with the renowned Washington University School of Medicine, which consistently ranks among the top medical schools in the country.

Preferred Qualifications

Role Purpose: 

 The Vice President, Accounting serves as the enterprise senior accounting executive for BJC Health, providing strategic leadership and oversight for all system-wide accounting functions across one of the nation's largest integrated academic health systems.

The VP, Accounting is responsible for ensuring the integrity, accuracy, and transparency of financial reporting; maintaining a highly effective internal control environment; and leading enterprise accounting operations, including consolidated financial statements, month-end close, regulatory reporting, technical accounting, and audit coordination.

This executive leads major accounting transformation initiatives, including ERP and financial systems implementations, automation strategies, process redesign, and accounting integration efforts associated with mergers, acquisitions, affiliations, and other strategic transactions. The role partners closely with executive leaders, Treasury, Tax, Internal Audit, Operational Finance, and business units to support enterprise strategy through timely, compliant, and actionable financial information.

The VP, Accounting develops high-performing teams, advances accounting excellence, and ensures compliance with GAAP, regulatory requirements, and organizational governance standards while supporting BJC's mission of delivering exceptional patient care.

Accountabilities:

Enterprise Accounting Leadership

• Develop and execute the enterprise accounting strategy in alignment with organizational objectives, governance requirements, and long-term financial priorities.
• Establish and maintain accounting policies, standards, and practices that support consistency, compliance, and operational effectiveness across BJC Health.
• Serve as the principal accounting advisor to executive leadership on accounting matters, financial reporting implications, and emerging regulatory developments.
• Lead enterprise accounting transformations that enhance scalability, efficiency, financial transparency, and decision support capabilities.

Technical Accounting and Audit Oversight

• Provide executive oversight for complex accounting transactions, technical accounting assessments, and financial policy interpretation.
• Direct enterprise account reconciliation processes, journal entry governance, and accounting controls.
• Coordinate annual financial statement audits and maintain productive relationships with external auditors.
• Partner with Internal Audit to strengthen financial controls, mitigate risk, and address audit findings.
• Ensure effective documentation, monitoring, and testing of key financial controls.

Strategic Transactions and Transformation

• Support mergers, acquisitions, partnerships, joint ventures, and other strategic initiatives, including purchase accounting and post-transaction integration activities.
• Lead accounting workstreams associated with large-scale ERP implementations, system conversions, and financial technology upgrades.
• Drive automation and continuous improvement initiatives that increase efficiency, reduce manual effort, and improve reporting quality.
• Champion standardization and modernization of accounting processes across the enterprise.

Financial Stewardship and Operational Excellence

• Develop and manage departmental operating budgets, staffing plans, and resource allocations.
• Monitor key accounting performance metrics and implement strategies that improve service delivery and organizational outcomes.
• Establish enterprise standards for financial reporting quality, timeliness, and accountability.
• Identify opportunities to improve operational effectiveness while maintaining strong compliance and control environments.

Leadership, Talent Development and Culture

• Build, lead, and develop a high-performing accounting organization through recruitment, coaching, mentoring, succession planning, and leadership development.
• Establish clear performance expectations and accountability measures for accounting leaders and team members.
• Foster collaboration across Treasury, Tax, Internal Audit, Finance, Operations, and executive leadership teams.
• Promote a culture of integrity, inclusion, continuous improvement, accountability, and professional growth.
• Serve as a visible and engaged leader who models BJC values and drives organizational excellence.

Position Requirements:

• Bachelor's Degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field required; Master’s Degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field preferred.
• 10+ years of progressive accounting and financial experience
• 5-10 years of management experience leading accounting, finance, or related functions
• Experience leading managers and large, geographically dispersed teams
• Significant experience within large, complex organizations with multi-entity financial reporting structures
• Demonstrated responsibility for consolidated financial reporting, audits, technical accounting, and compliance oversight
• Healthcare industry experience within integrated delivery systems, academic medical centers, or large health systems strongly preferred
• Experience leading ERP implementations, finance transformation initiatives, automation programs, and acquisition integrations
• Deep expertise in GAAP, healthcare financial reporting, internal controls, and audit management

Benefits and Legal Statement

BJC Total Rewards

At BJC we’re committed to providing you and your family with benefits and resources to help you manage your physical, emotional, social and financial well-being.

• Comprehensive medical, dental, vison, life insurance, and legal services available first day of the month after hire date
• Disability insurance* paid for by BJC
• Annual 4% BJC Automatic Retirement Contribution
• 401(k) plan with BJC match
• Tuition Assistance available on first day
• BJC Institute for Learning and Development
• Health Care and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts
• Paid Time Off benefit combines vacation, sick days, holidays and personal time
• Adoption assistance

To learn more, go to our Benefits Summary.

*Not all benefits apply to all jobs

The above information on this description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees in this position. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job. Equal Opportunity Employer