Senior Director, Financial Planning & Analysis - Operations

The Senior Director of FP&A – Operations has key financial management responsibility for leading the team providing financial planning and analysis support to the Enterprise-wide Shared Service organization. This includes leaders across National Shared Service Organization (NSSO), Supply Chain Services, and indirect support to the Information Technology and Security Office (ITSO). This ITSO office includes functions such as the Chief Technology Office, Care Delivery and Health Plan Technical Services, IT Administration, Technology Risk Office, IT Shared Services and Risant Health. The total workforce is approximately 10,000 FTEs. Cost transparency, ability to accurately trend costs by category and tie to strategic initiatives, investments and consuming Regions, is critical. 

The accountable Senior Director of FP&A – Operations will assist leaders and staff to effectively manage costs, identify and pursue strategic opportunities. To achieve these objectives, the incumbent plays a key coordination role with the EBS/ITSO Senior Leadership Team as well as Program and Regional financial leadership.

The market includes all regions that Kaiser Permanente operates in. The Senior Director of Operations needs to understand the demand for financial insights, articulating and demonstrating value creation for services performed. The successful Executive will participate in the identification and the standardization of key business issues, design of analytical approaches, and development of multi-year business plans including strategic financial planning for cash flow, ROI, capital and operating expenditures. Supports process & cost improvement initiatives in the areas of financial transparency and financial reporting.

This senior management level employee is responsible for providing guidance on financial planning and analysis efforts, directing internal audit processes, ensuring proper development of budgets and forecasts, overseeing financial modeling efforts, and leading strategic financial planning efforts.

• Models and drives continuous learning and maintains a highly skilled and engaged workforce by aligning cross-functional resource plans with business objectives; overseeing the recruitment, selection, and development of talent; motivating and empowering teams; building organizational capacity and grooming high potentials for growth opportunities and advancement; staying current with industry trends, benchmarks, and best practices; providing guidance and leadership when difficult decisions need to be made; and ensuring performance management guidelines and expectations drive business needs.


• Oversees the operation of multiple units and departments by identifying customer and operational needs; analyzing resources, costs, and forecasts and incorporating them into business plans; engaging strategic, cross-functional business units to champion and drive support for business plans and priorities; translating business strategy into actionable business requirements; obtaining and distributing resources; setting standards and measuring progress; anticipating and removing obstacles that impact performance; addressing performance gaps and implementing contingency plans accordingly; ensuring products and/or services meet customer requirements and expectations while aligning with organizational strategies; serving as a subject-matter expert and trusted source to executive leadership; and providing influence and consultation in the development of the larger organizational or business strategy.


• Directs internal audit process, reviews audit results, and engages with auditors to resolve complex issues, implement changes to internal controls and proactively assess high risk areas.


• Ensures budgets and/or forecasts are developed in accordance with business strategic initiatives by overseeing budgeting trends; directing budget and forecasting; and overseeing development of department/regional budgets.


• Advises region/business unit leaders on strategic fiscal matters by overseeing regular and special reports for both financial and statistical matters in order to facilitate financial management throughout the organization; leading regular meetings with leadership to review financial results for their areas; and overseeing advice given to the Kaiser Senior Management team on reading and interpreting financial results, analyzing variances, and improving performance.


• Directs financial modeling by overseeing development and application of models; driving the optimization of risk alternatives; and overseeing development of what-if scenarios and forecasts.


• Directs the business vision, objectives, and strategic initiatives by reviewing financial impact.


• Directs costing activities by overseeing identification of cost avoidance and cost recovery opportunities and application of adequate solutions.


• Oversees performance/operations/financial state by directing the use of templates (e.g., cash flow, RFA process, weekly unit case report) and computer applications; making decisions based on financial analyses and results (e.g., operating cash flow analyses, pro forma P&L, line item walk forwards, volume building blocks, NPV, IRR, Discounted Cash Flow, statistical analyses, economic analyses); and monitoring variance analysis and results (e.g., volume, P&L line item, cost of goods, rate).


• Oversees reports of region/business unit financial information by directing use of financial trends, data analysis reports, and forecasts of income and expense; providing recommendations; monitoring assets, liabilities, revenues, and expenses; and directing the use of data/inputs from region/business unit systems to support analyses (e.g., membership and utilization reports, volume reporting, day sales inventory, analysis spreadsheets, investment schedules).


• Ensures field operations are supported by overseeing their operational/financial performance; identifying areas of improvement and recommending complex solutions.


• Directs Financial Statement Analysis of business partners (e.g., suppliers, customers, co-packers, acquisition targets) by overseeing information reported from software systems (Internet, Bloomberg, and D&B), annual reports, and/or interviews; ensuring that the financial status (viability) of business partners is adequate; and monitoring risk implications.


• Drives financial performance by reviewing financial trends and results; and advises senior leadership on ways to improve performance.


• Leads strategic financial planning by overseeing reporting of financial, utilization, and benchmark data.


• Leads strategic financial planning by directing financial plans, acquisition activity, financial requirements, and operating forecasts; and driving development of financial concepts for financial planning and control.