Description

Chief Financial Officer

PathWays of Southwestern Pennsylvania

A NATIONAL LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITY

Search conducted by Ferra Executive Search

The Organization

PathWays  is dedicated to helping individuals live fulfilling lives by fulfilling talent, potential, support, and connections through our services, each of which helps individuals at different stages of their journey. Founded in the 1960s by local parents and community professionals, the agency began as an information and referral service for children with cerebral palsy and was originally chartered as United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) of Washington County in 1964. Over the following decades, the organization expanded geographically and programmatically, eventually becoming PathWays of Southwestern Pennsylvania in 2009. Today, PathWays has grown into a major regional provider with over 1900 staff supporting more than 1,600 individuals, children, and families of all ages and abilities annually.

PathWays believes every person has inherent potential and strives to create environments where individuals can achieve personal goals and fulfillment at every stage of life. Through personalized support, strong community connections, and continuous quality improvement, PathWays works to deliver the highest standards of support and service excellence.

PathWays offers a wide range of individualized, life-enhancing services designed to support both children of all abilities and adults with IDD and autism:

• Early Intervention: Individualized support and therapies for children from birth to age 3 who have developmental milestone delays or disabilities.
• Your Child’s Place: Specialized day program with skilled nursing for infants and children with complex medical needs.
• Rainbow’s End Learning Center: Inclusive quality early learning center for children from birth to age 13 to inspire creative and confident children of all abilities.
• Adult Training Facility: Day program for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and autism to work on life skills, community participation, and vocational training.
• Residential Program: Safe and secure residential housing or customized at-home support for adults with IDD and autism.
• Agency With Choice: Self-directed support services for all ages with IDD and autism.

Over its 60+ year history, PathWays has remained deeply rooted in its community, serving multiple counties across Southwestern Pennsylvania and providing not only direct care but also advocacy, education, and workforce opportunities in the IDD and autism field. The organization emphasizes person-centered planning, strong family involvement, and partnerships with local professionals and families to support long-term success for those it serves.

POSITION OVERVIEW

PathWays of Southwestern Pennsylvania is a human services organization with over $65 million in funding, serving individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), autism spectrum disorders, and children across southwestern Pennsylvania. With about 1,900 staff members, PathWays is one of the largest and most complex nonprofit providers in the region, operating in a sector experiencing significant structural changes.

This transformation is driven by Pennsylvania’s transition to Performance-Based Contracting, increased competition from well-capitalized for-profit and private equity-backed providers, changing Medicaid reimbursement models, and mounting pressure on workforce costs and supply. PathWays must now compete—and succeed—on the basis of quality outcomes, operational efficiency, and financial discipline.

We are seeking a Chief Financial Officer who demonstrates analytical expertise, strategic insight, and leadership presence, serving as a genuine partner to the CEO and executive team. This is not a typical nonprofit CFO role. The ideal candidate will combine extensive financial knowledge with a business strategy mindset — able to drive financial performance, develop forward-looking analytical skills, and help the organization make bold, well-informed decisions about its future.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Financial Strategy and Planning

• Collaborate with executive leadership and the Board to develop and implement a long-term financial strategy aligned with PathWays’ mission, competitive position, and regulatory environment.
• Lead the annual budgeting and multi-year financial planning processes, integrating strategic plan assumptions, workforce cost trends, and reimbursement rate scenarios.
• Manage the creation and upkeep of financial models and scenario analyses that assist executive and Board decision-making.
• Offer a clear, honest financial view of opportunities and risks — helping leadership grasp not only the numbers but also their strategic significance.

Financial Planning and Analysis

• Establish and manage a financial planning & analysis function capable of delivering program-level profitability analysis, variance explanations, and forward-looking projections.
• Ensure the establishment of financial dashboards and reporting tools that integrate financial, operational, and workforce data into actionable information for program and service leaders.
• Track and analyze reimbursement rate changes, Medicaid policy shifts, and legislative developments (including Medicaid waiver structures and potential federal policy changes) and translate their financial impact for leadership.

Financial Operations and Reporting

• Oversee all financial operations, including accounting, payroll, accounts payable/receivable, cash flow management, and financial reporting.
• Ensure the accuracy, timeliness, and integrity of financial reporting to internal stakeholders, the Board, government funders, and regulatory bodies.
• Maintain robust internal controls and ensure compliance with GAAP, grant requirements, and all applicable federal and state financial regulations.
• Lead the annual audit process and liaise with external auditors; ensure audit readiness and timely resolution of findings.

Revenue Cycle and Reimbursement Management

• In collaboration with operations and billing leadership, provide strategic financial oversight of PathWays’ revenue cycle across multiple Medicaid waiver programs (e.g., P/FDS, Community Living, Adult Autism Waiver).
• Monitor billing, claims, and collections performance; identify and address systemic risks to revenue integrity.
• Evaluate the financial implications of ODP and OCDEL rate-setting decisions and advise on organizational response strategies.

Risk Management and Compliance

• Identify, assess, and mitigate financial, operational, and regulatory risks across the organization.
• Oversee insurance programs, manage banking relationships, and ensure appropriate debt financing and investment strategies are in place.
  
  

Growth and Strategic Decision Support

• Provide financial leadership for new program development, geographic expansion, and strategic partnerships.
• Assess the financial implications of potential relationships with other providers, including program transfers, affiliations, or other collaborative arrangements that could strengthen PathWays’ capacity or market position.
• Evaluate the financial sustainability of proposed growth initiatives and new service lines, helping leadership make well-informed decisions about where and how to invest PathWays’ resources.

Technology and Data

• Ensure leverage of financial and operational technology to improve reporting speed, accuracy, and analytical depth.
• Drive integration of financial systems with HR, workforce scheduling, EVV (Electronic Visit Verification), and operational platforms to create a more complete picture of program performance.
• Champion data-driven decision-making across the organization.
• Team Leadership and Organizational Development.
• Lead, develop, and mentor the Finance team, fostering a culture of accuracy, accountability, continuous improvement, and business partnership.
• Build team capacity to support program managers and operational leaders as informed financial stewards of their programs.
• Serve as a visible and accessible financial resource across the organization, demystifying financial concepts for non-financial leaders.

Facilities Oversight

• Member (non-voting) of the Finance, Audit & Compliance, and Real Estate Committees. Also, prepare and present financial reports, analyses, and recommendations to the Board of Directors.
• Communicate financial performance, risks, and outlook with clarity and intellectual honesty —helping the Board understand options, trade-offs, and long-term implications.
• Maintain strong relationships with banking partners, external auditors, government funders, and financial advisors.

Facilities Oversight

• Provide executive oversight of the Facility & Maintenance Department, ensuring safe, well- maintained residential and programmatic facilities in compliance with applicable regulations.
• Work with the Facilities Director to plan and execute capital improvement projects and manage the organization’s real estate portfolio strategically.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or a related field required.
• MBA, MPA, or equivalent advanced degree strongly preferred.
• CPA, CMA, or equivalent professional certification preferred.

Experience

• Minimum of 10 years of progressive financial leadership experience, with at least 5 years in a senior finance role (VP of Finance, CFO, or equivalent).
• Experience in regulated human services, healthcare, behavioral health, or a comparable Medicaid-funded environment strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience leading financial planning and analysis (FP&A), including scenario modeling, multi-year forecasting, and program-level financial analysis.
• Experience evaluating new program opportunities, strategic partnerships, or organizational growth initiatives from a financial perspective is highly desirable.
• Proven history of leading finance teams during times of organizational growth, transformation, or financial complexity.
• Familiarity with the competitive landscape of Medicaid-funded human services, including experience in markets where nonprofit and for-profit providers compete for the same populations, is a valuable advantage.

Core Competencies

• Strategic Financial Leadership: Thinks beyond the numbers to understand their business implications; connects financial analysis to organizational strategy.
• Analytical Rigor: Builds and interprets complex financial models; comfortable with uncertainty and scenario planning.
• Communication and Influence: Translates complex financial information into clear, actionable insights for non-financial audiences; earns trust across the organization.
• Business Partnership: Builds relationships with program and operations leaders; seen as a resource and advisor, not a gatekeeper.
• Technology Fluency: Comfortable with financial systems, ERP platforms, data tools, and reporting technologies; drives adoption of analytical tools.
• Change Leadership: Thrives in dynamic, evolving environments; comfortable challenging the status quo and building new capabilities.
• Integrity and Mission Alignment: Demonstrates commitment to PathWays’ mission; balances financial discipline with compassion for the people we serve.

About Ferra Executive Search

This search is led by Kevin Ferra, President and Founder of Ferra Executive Search. Kevin brings more than two decades of experience working with senior leaders in higher education and other complex environments. He is known for his thoughtful, candidate-centered approach and for conducting searches with professionalism, care, and discretion.

Ferra is committed to a search process that is thorough, confidential, and respectful of both candidates and institutions. All inquiries and conversations are handled with appropriate sensitivity, recognizing the professional responsibilities and standing of individuals currently serving in senior leadership roles.

Ferra Executive Search is a boutique executive search firm with experience recruiting senior leaders for research universities, complex public institutions, and mission-driven organizations. The firm works closely with governing boards, presidents, chancellors, and senior administrators on searches that require judgment, discretion, and institutional fluency.

Ferra is known for a hands-on, highly engaged approach. Searches are led directly by senior consultants who remain closely involved throughout the process, from early consultation and candidate development through final selection. The firm places particular emphasis on understanding institutional context, leadership expectations, and the sensitivities associated with high-profile and regulated roles.

Visit www.ferrasearch.com to learn more.

Procedure for Candidacy

PathWays of Southwestern Pennsylvania has retained Ferra Executive Search to assist with this important search. Applications, nominations, and inquiries are welcomed and will be handled in confidence.

Candidates should submit a resume and a letter of interest addressing their relevant financial leadership experience, strategic approach, and alignment with the responsibilities of the Chief Financial Officer role. Materials should reflect experience in financial strategy and planning, FP&A, revenue cycle management, regulatory environments, and leading finance functions within complex, mission-driven organizations.

Nominations of qualified individuals are encouraged and may be submitted in confidence. Additional information regarding the search timeline and process will be shared with candidates as appropriate. References will not be contacted without a candidate’s knowledge.

For inquiries, nominations, or to apply, please email:

Kevin Ferra

President and Founder

Ferra Executive Search

kevin@ferrasearch.com

PathWays of Southwestern Pennsylvania is an Equal Opportunity Employer.