Excited to grow your career? We value our talented employees and instill an environment where you feel engaged, satisfied and able to contribute your unique skills and talents while living and working as your authentic self. We provide extensive opportunities for personal and professional development, building employee competence and organizational capability to fuel exceptional performance through an inclusive environment both now and in the future. Our people make all the difference in our success. Senior Vice President, Finance Business Partner – Kaufman Hall (Consulting Business Unit) Overview
The Senior Vice President, Finance Business Partner for Kaufman Hall (Consulting) serves as the senior-most financial leader for the Consulting Business Unit and a key member of both the Finance and Consulting leadership teams. Reporting to the CFO, with dotted-line accountability to the Consulting BU President and Consulting BU Operations Leader, this role provides strategic financial leadership in direct support of the BU President and Operations Leader to advance the business unit’s growth, performance, and long-term value creation. As a trusted advisor, this leader partners closely with executive leadership to shape strategy, drive financial and operational discipline, and ensure alignment between business objectives and financial outcomes. The SVP brings a forward-looking perspective, combining deep financial expertise with strong business acumen and understanding of consulting operations, market dynamics, and competitive positioning. Key Responsibilities Strategic Leadership & Advisory
- Serve as a strategic advisor to the Consulting BU President and Operations Leader, shaping business unit strategy, growth priorities, and financial direction
- Lead strategy and financial analysis, providing financial insight to influence key decisions
- Develop and deliver strategic recommendations grounded in performance analysis, market trends, and competitive dynamics Financial Planning & Performance Management
- Owns budgeting, forecasting, and long-range planning processes for the Consulting BU, including calendar, analytic structure, assumptions and enabling technology
- Ensure financial plans are aligned with both near-term objectives and long-term strategic goals
- Monitor performance, identify risks and opportunities, and drive actions to achieve financial commitments Business Partnership & Decision Support
- Act as a core member of the Consulting leadership team, supporting the BU President and Operations Leader in financial and operational decision-making
- Partner with leaders to evaluate investments, pricing, and business cases to support growth and profitability
- Guide capital allocation and resource prioritization aligned to strategic objectives Execution & Value Creation
- Translate strategy into execution by leading or supporting key initiatives, including revenue growth, margin expansion, and cost optimization
- Drive accountability for results, ensuring initiatives deliver measurable financial and operational impact
- Participate in cross-functional alignment to translate strategy into actionable plans with measurable outcomes and execute on priorities Performance Transparency & Governance
- Establish consistent performance metrics and reporting frameworks across the Consulting BU
- Ensure alignment on a single source of truth for financial and operational performance
- Lead ongoing performance reviews and tracking of key initiatives M&A and Strategic Initiatives
- Lead financial diligence and support integration efforts for mergers and acquisitions
- Evaluate and shape strategic opportunities that enhance Consulting capabilities and growth Leadership & Collaboration
- Build strong partnerships across the enterprise, including Finance, Operations, and other business units
- Lead and develop a high-performing finance team, fostering accountability, engagement, and continuous improvement
- Operate as a connector between enterprise finance and Consulting leadership to ensure alignment and clarity Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or related field; MBA or advanced degree preferred
- 15+ years of progressive experience in finance business partnering, FP&A, or related leadership roles
- Experience supporting consulting or professional services businesses required; healthcare experience preferred
- Background in management consulting, capital markets, or investment banking a plus
- Demonstrated success influencing executive leadership and driving enterprise-level decision-making
- Strong financial acumen, analytical capabilities, and executive communication skills
- Proven ability to lead teams and operate effectively in complex, matrixed environments Key Capabilities
- Enterprise and strategic mindset with strong commercial and financial acumen
- Ability to translate complex data into clear, actionable insights for executive audiences
- Executive presence with the ability to influence and challenge senior leaders
- Highly collaborative, with a strong focus on partnership and outcomes
- Ability to operate effectively in a dynamic, growth-oriented environment Measures of Success
- Achievement of Consulting BU growth, profitability, and financial performance targets
- Strength and effectiveness of partnership with the BU President and Operations Leader
- Quality, clarity, and impact of financial insights and decision support
- Successful execution of strategic initiatives and value creation efforts
- Development of a high-performing, engaged finance team Work Environment
- Willingness to travel as needed
- The role is based in Chicago and requires 3 days per week in office
- Work is regularly performed in combination of in-office and home office settings, and routinely uses standard office equipment
- This position offers a competitive salary with short- and long-term incentives This position is short and long term incentive eligible. Vizient has a comprehensive benefits plan! Please view our benefits here: http://www.vizientinc.com/about-us/careers
