Company Overview:
Upward Health is an in-home, multidisciplinary medical group providing 24/7 whole-person care. Our clinical team treats physical, behavioral, and social health needs when and where a patient needs help. Everyone on our team from our doctors, nurses, and Care Specialists to our HR, Technology, and Business Services staff are driven by a desire to improve the lives of our patients. We are able to treat a wide range of needs – everything from addressing poorly controlled blood sugar to combatting anxiety to accessing medically tailored meals – because we know that health requires care for the whole person. It’s no wonder 98% of patients report being fully satisfied with Upward Health!
Job Title & Role Description:
The
Vice President, Value-Based Finance is the enterprise owner of financial performance for Upward Health’s risk-based business model. This role is accountable for how value-based contracts perform economically, how financial risk is measured and managed, and how those realities are reflected in company-wide planning and strategy.
This position operates as a hands-on executive leader, combining strategic influence with deep analytical rigor in a lean, high-impact finance organization. The VP serves as the primary financial authority on value-based care economics, directly influencing payer strategy, contract structure, and organizational risk appetite.
The role partners closely with the CFO, executive leadership team, and Board of Directors to translate complex healthcare economics into clear, actionable insights that guide enterprise decision-making. Unlike traditional FP&A roles, this position carries decision-shaping responsibility, owning both the interpretation and performance management of risk-bearing contracts.
Key responsibilities include enterprise ownership of value-based contract economics, leadership of FP&A processes embedded in risk models, actuarial-style financial analysis, advanced data engagement, and executive-level financial governance. The VP also leads and develops a small team of analysts while setting a high bar for analytical rigor and business impact.
Skills Required:
- Deep expertise in value-based care economics and risk-bearing contract structures
- Advanced financial modeling, scenario analysis, and forecasting capabilities
- Strong FP&A leadership with experience supporting executive and Board-level decision-making
- Proficiency in SQL and ability to work directly with large healthcare datasets
- Actuarial-informed analytical thinking (medical cost modeling, risk exposure, utilization trends)
- Ability to translate complex financial and healthcare data into clear strategic insights
- Strong business acumen with understanding of payer-provider dynamics
- Executive communication and presentation skills
- Strategic thinking with the ability to influence enterprise direction
- Leadership and team development in a lean, high-performance environment
Key Behaviors:
- Acts as an Enterprise Owner: Takes full accountability for the financial performance of value-based contracts, not just reporting outcomes
- Drives Decision-Making: Proactively shapes strategic decisions rather than reacting to them
- Maintains Analytical Rigor: Grounds all conclusions in data validation and first-principles thinking
- Operates with Executive Presence: Communicates complex topics clearly and confidently to senior stakeholders and the Board
- Balances Strategy and Execution: Moves seamlessly between high-level strategy and hands-on analytical work
- Exercises Sound Judgment Under Uncertainty: Makes informed decisions in complex, ambiguous, and risk-laden environments
- Partners Cross-Functionally: Collaborates effectively with payer, clinical, actuarial, and operational leaders
- Challenges Constructively: Provides independent, data-driven perspectives even when they may be unpopular
- Builds Scalable Thinking: Establishes repeatable frameworks for financial and economic analysis
- Develops Talent: Coaches and elevates team performance despite a lean structure
Competencies:
Value-Based Care Financial Expertise
- Demonstrates deep understanding of payer-provider risk arrangements, including capitation, shared savings, and downside risk models
- Owns contract-level profitability, PMPM performance, and medical cost ratio analysis
- Evaluates and optimizes financial performance across value-based contracts
Strategic Financial Leadership (FP&A)
- Leads enterprise forecasting, budgeting, and long-range planning processes
- Integrates contract-level economics into consolidated financial strategy
- Influences executive and Board-level decision-making with actionable insights
Risk Assessment & Actuarial Thinking
- Applies actuarial principles to evaluate medical cost trends, utilization, and risk exposure
- Assesses margin volatility and downside risk across populations
- Partners effectively with actuarial and analytics teams to refine assumptions and models
Advanced Analytics & Data Fluency
- Engages directly with data using SQL and other analytical tools
- Validates financial insights through detailed data interrogation
- Establishes standards for rigorous, repeatable analysis
Executive Communication & Influence
- Translates complex healthcare and financial concepts into clear, concise narratives
- Communicates effectively with executives, Board members, and external stakeholders
- Frames trade-offs between growth, margin, risk, and outcomes
Business Partnership & Cross-Functional Leadership
- Collaborates with payer, clinical, and operational leaders to inform strategy
- Influences contract negotiations, pricing, and risk participation decisions
- Aligns financial strategy with operational and clinical realities
Accountability & Ownership
- Demonstrates full ownership of financial outcomes and strategic direction
- Moves beyond analysis to drive execution and results
- Maintains high standards for accuracy, integrity, and impact
Team Leadership & Development
- Leads and develops a high-performing team of analysts
- Sets clear expectations for analytical rigor and business impact
- Builds capability within a lean organizational structure
Upward Health is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to attracting, retaining, and maximizing the performance of a diverse and inclusive workforce. This job description is a general outline of duties performed and is not to be misconstrued as encompassing all duties performed within the position.
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