Chief Financial Officer

For more than 65 years, Little City has empowered children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, behavioral health needs, and their families to live lives of greater independence, purpose, and belonging. Founded in 1959 by visionary parents, the organization has grown into one of the Midwest's leading providers of disability and behavioral health services, serving over 900 individuals and families annually through 20+ integrated programs across eight Illinois counties. Little City's 56-acre campus in Palatine includes specialized schools, residential neighborhoods, employment programs, therapeutic recreation, horticulture, and an award-winning arts center. With a $65 million operating budget, the organization is executing an ambitious strategic plan focused on expansion, philanthropy, and leveraging technology to improve outcomes.

About the Role

The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) is a key member of Little City's executive leadership team and a strategic partner to the Chief Executive Officer as the organization embarks on its new strategic plan. Reporting directly to the CEO, the CFO will shape and execute Little City's next phase of growth by providing strategic financial leadership on expansion initiatives, new programs, capital investments, and transformational opportunities. This role requires sophisticated financial planning and analysis to support executive decision-making, including long-range forecasts, scenario models, and business cases that guide investments across the organization.

Responsibilities

• Executive Leadership & Strategic Partnership
  • Serve as a trusted strategic advisor to the CEO and executive leadership team, providing financial insight and business counsel that supports enterprise-wide decision-making.
  • Partner with the CEO and executive team to implement Vision 2030 by aligning financial strategy with organizational priorities, growth initiatives, and long-term sustainability.
  • Present financial analyses, organizational performance, and strategic recommendations to the Board of Directors and Board committees.
• Financial Strategy & Stewardship
  • Lead the organization's financial strategy, including annual budgeting, long-range financial planning, forecasting, treasury management, investments, and cash flow oversight.
  • Develop financial models, scenario analyses, and investment recommendations that guide executive decision-making on strategic initiatives and capital investments.
  • Ensure the integrity of financial reporting and compliance with GAAP, nonprofit accounting standards, government regulations, grant requirements, and audit standards.
  • Oversee the annual audit, IRS Form 990, tax filings, financial policies, internal controls, and enterprise risk management practices.
• Organizational Growth & Revenue Strategy
  • Lead financial analysis supporting Little City's strategic expansion across Illinois and into neighboring markets, including Wisconsin and Indiana.
  • Partner with program and development leaders to evaluate private-pay opportunities, grant funding, philanthropy, and other revenue diversification strategies.
  • Develop business cases and investment analyses to help executive leadership prioritize opportunities and allocate resources effectively.
• Financial Operations & Technology
  • Provide executive oversight of the Finance and Information Technology functions, ensuring systems and infrastructure support organizational operations.
  • Expand the use of Sage Intacct to improve financial workflows, reporting, visibility, accountability, and decision-making.
  • Strengthen revenue cycle management by ensuring accurate billing, timely payments, and proactive receivables management.
• Government Funding & Compliance
  • Provide strategic oversight of the organization's diverse funding portfolio, including Medicaid, DHS, DCFS, HUD, school district contracts, grants, and philanthropic funding.
  • Monitor changes in reimbursement methodologies, funding requirements, and regulatory policies, advising leadership on financial implications.
  • Ensure compliance with contractual obligations, grant requirements, and federal, state, and local regulations while maximizing reimbursement opportunities.
  • Partner with operational leaders to strengthen financial performance across programs while maintaining compliance.

Qualifications

• Strategic Business Partnership
  • Looks beyond financial statements to understand the business, asking the right questions and challenging assumptions.
  • Demonstrates sound business judgment when weighing mission impact, organizational capacity, financial risk, and long-term sustainability.
• Visionary Growth & Financial Strategy
  • Brings experience assessing expansion opportunities, developing investment strategies, evaluating acquisitions or affiliations, and building financial models.
• Transformational Leadership
  • Identifies opportunities to strengthen workflows, financial processes, reporting structures, and technology for greater efficiency and scalability.
  • Leads change thoughtfully, balancing innovation with practical implementation.
• Collaborative Leadership
  • Builds a proactive, customer service-oriented finance department that serves as a valued partner to program and operational leaders.
  • Creates an environment where financial information is accessible, useful, and supports better decision-making.
• Learning Agility & People Development
  • Thrives in complex environments by quickly learning new business models, funding mechanisms, and operational nuances.
  • Develops teams through coaching, delegation, and mentorship, empowering staff to grow and take ownership.

Location

This position is based at Little City's headquarters in Inverness, Illinois. The organization prefers candidates residing in the Chicagoland area who can work a hybrid schedule of three days onsite and two days remotely per week. Candidates with a longer commute may be considered for a primarily remote arrangement with weekly onsite expectations. Exceptional candidates residing in Wisconsin or Indiana may also be considered, with an expectation of traveling to the campus approximately once per month.