Caring Network is a Christian ministry that, in the state with the most abortions per capita, has helped significant numbers of women choose physical life for their babies and eternal life for themselves. The ministry is growing rapidly, with a July 2024 to June 2025 budget of $6.5 million and a vision and strategy to open 25 new women's centers.
With this growth, they are seeking their first Chief Financial Officer to come alongside the President and CEO, Kirt Wiggins, in the ministry’s office in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. The ideal candidate is strategic and innovative enough to see the big picture and handle the complexity of a growing, multi-ministry-unit enterprise, while still able to dive into details and assure accuracy. The CFO will oversee all financial functions including the annual audit and 990 and accurate reporting to staff and Board.
ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION
Caring Network is a $3.5 million Christian nonprofit with a coming-year (July 2024—June 2025) budget of $6.5 million. Its revenues and programs are growing, due to a new vision and strategy to open 25 women's centers in the state of Illinois.
The ministry has proven its effectiveness. From 2010 to 2020, as they grew from 3 to 6 centers (under the current Women’s Center model, one of their two models) they saw abortions drop by 40%. A second model, "the New Clinic model,” has been tested and seen 52% of women choosing not to abort. That model, along with tele-health, is now being scaled to 25 centers. If the ministry sees continued effectiveness in Illinois, they may—in time—expand to other abortion-allowing states.
Since 2022’s Supreme Court Dobbs ruling, Illinois has been a haven for women seeking abortions, attracting women from other states that have banned or limited the procedure. During this time, in-state abortions have increased from around 50,000 to 90,000 per year. For every one women's center, where a woman might consider options for life, the City of Chicago has three abortion clinics.
By expanding, Caring Network is taking its proven model to address the escalating number of abortions in the state of Illinois.
THEIR STORY
Caring Network started more than 43 years ago with the mission of helping women facing an unexpected pregnancy. They began as a few volunteers serving women out of a mechanic’s garage, but over the years they have grown into a staff of 40 professionals, skilled in pregnancy consultation and medical technology, serving women through six crisis women's centers.
Between 2010 and 2020, they grew from 3 to 6 women's clinics in DuPage County and during that same time saw the number of abortions drop by 40% in DuPage County and 2 of the 4 abortion providers shut down.
Seeing this impact in DuPage County, they created a scalable model to start 25 new women’s clinics across the state of Illinois, supported by a centralized Telecare Clinic. This June, they plan to open the first of these new women's clinics in downtown Aurora and six more clinics in the City of Chicago next fiscal year.
Through all their full-service women's clinics, they offer free pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, pregnancy consultations, resources, referrals, and after-abortion care* all without cost to the women. They are Christ-centered and share the gospel with women when the Lord opens the door.
* Restore is their post-abortion program for men and women suffering from the trauma of past abortions. This 12-week, biblically based curriculum helps clients find freedom and forgiveness after having chosen an abortion.
OPPORTUNITIES & CHALLENGES
Opportunities
The ministry has a significant growth vision, with backing from funders, its board, and the team to single-mindedly advance.
Despite a huge vision and forward movement to making it real, none of the leadership team expressed feeling overwhelmed. When asked why, the answer was the team is united, respects each other’s capability, has invested in open communication and productive conflict, and takes days for fasting and prayer. The president also checks in to see how people are doing.
Caring Network’s four strategic priorities are:
Go where the need is greatest in the state.
Reach her first.
Equip her to choose life - physical for the baby and eternal for the mother and
Connect her into a supportive, caring network.
The most important things now, to achieve its vision, are to:
Engage an excellent CFO.
Get better at recruiting nurses and key staff.
Continue protection of state opposition to the work.
Develop more church partnerships and support.
Challenges
Illinois has the most abortions per capita of any state, and the most permissive abortion laws. Given the nature of Caring Network’s work and magnitude of the vision, it is important to know this task will face hard work including spiritual opposition. In addition, the government is opposed to the work of Caring Network and is working to find ways to shut down operations. Caring Network has a strong alliance with attorneys who have helped prevent citations to this point.
ABOUT THE ROLE
Caring Network seeks to hire its first Chief Financial Officer who will work closely alongside the President and CEO, Kirt Wiggins, in the ministry’s office in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. The CFO is responsible for overseeing all financial functions including the annual audit and 990 and providing accurate reporting to staff and Board. The ministry reassesses top priorities quarterly and budgets annually but may move to quarterly reforecasting.
Up until now, the finance function has been staffed by a person versed in accounting who worked remotely. As the complexities of the growing organization (with two profit and loss centers) and the pace of change increased, it became clear a CFO is needed.
What might the ideal candidate be doing at this time? They may be a director or VP of Finance in a not-for-profit or for-profit organization, looking to make a significant impact. A nonprofit background is strongly preferred, and a CPA is not required, but helpful.
They are flexible enough to keep pace with the president’s pace of change, yet courageous enough to raise a flag when something needs to be addressed before moving forward. This successful candidate will need to “lead up,” communicating to a board and to a president who describes his style as a “directive coach” and who the team agrees is fast-paced and visionary. The preferred leadership style for this role is strategic and innovative enough to see the big picture and handle the complexity of a growing, multi-ministry-unit enterprise, while able to dive into details and assure accuracy. Relationally, they must also be able to advance change, doing so after looking into history to make a clear, direct case for how a new approach will yield a better outcome. The most important abilities are financial acumen, detail-orientation, relational abilities, analytical skills and operational excellence.
The staff has mentioned they need this role to provide clear ways to allocate expenses using the chart of accounts, reporting to support clinic operations and fundraising grants, and assistance with budgeting.
The CFO will oversee an accounting vendor, administrative assistant, and HR leader who oversees an IT vendor.
What is the ideal person like? Words that describe them include:
Strategic in understanding how we best enable this ministry to go forward yet operational enough to accurately accomplish the CFO role.
Can work shoulder to shoulder and align with the president and lead the administrative staff.
Passionate about the ministry’s work in saving the physical lives of babies and spiritual lives of mothers.
A startup, innovative mentality while also learning from the past. Appreciating where the ministry has been while embracing a future that requires daily learning to get there and continuing to try new things and learn quickly.
Humble and looking to God for direction. Trusting God to accomplish a God-sized vision.
Values others; shows mutual respect; is a pleasant enjoyable person.
Assists with change and overcoming any territorialism. Able to help others through change as the ministry embraces new models of delivering care, that balance of “I respect the history and we need to move forward too.”
A person of integrity, big-picture thinker, not overwhelmed by complexity, attentive to details, pro-active.
An attitude of “How do we get to yes?”—meaning that saying “no” is easy, but finding solutions that allow the ministry to move forward and say “yes” requires more creativity.
Attributes that would not fit well include:
Resistant to change.
Paralyzed by perfection—must be willing to try things and learn quickly.
Disrespectful or abrasive
Uncomfortable working with women leaders
Gossipy, territorial or conflict-avoidant— must be able to work through things to get to the unity the team has worked hard to forge.
They are living in or willing to relocate close enough to the administrative office in Glen Ellyn, Illinois to allow for a weekday commute (with some hybrid days). Staff who have moved there describe it as a “great town.” Housing in Glen Ellyn is a bit pricey but there are a number of adjacent communities within a 15–20 minute commute that are also great, and less expensive. These include Lombard, Wheaton, Downers Grove, Villa Park, Lisle, Naperville, and Warrenville. The average price for a 3-bedroom home in these areas is around $450,000.
JOB DESCRIPTION
JOB TITLE: CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
REPORTS TO: President
DIRECT REPORTS: HR Director, Cedarstone (outsourced donation processing and accounts payable), and Admin Assistant
LOCATION: Glen Ellyn, Illinois
POSITION DESCRIPTION
Reporting to the President, the Chief Financial Officer is responsible for overseeing all financial, HR, and IT functions within Caring Network. This role will supervise an Administrative Assistant and HR Director, while also maintaining relationship with a third-party accounting firm.
ESSENTIAL ATTRIBUTES
A committed Christian who demonstrates a personal relationship with Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord and is a participant in a local church.
Maintains a consistent life-affirming philosophy and would never refer or advise a woman to have an abortion.
Agree with and be willing to uphold Caring Network’s Statements of Faith and Principle and Core Values, Humility, Mutual Respect, Sacrificial Love, Optimism, Excellence, Integrity, Mission Focus, & Perseverance.
Enthusiasm for and commitment to the mission and strategy of Caring Network.
Comfortable with participating in prayer with co-workers.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Prepares monthly reports for Leadership and Board as needed.
Prepares monthly balance sheets, income statements, and Profit and Loss statements for departments as well as Caring Network Operational P&L.
Maintains the general ledger.
Performs full cycle accounting duties, including posting and reconciling of Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable.
Codes invoices, sets up new accounts, reconciles accounts, and closes the monthly books.
Reconciles bank accounts monthly, verifies deposits, and addresses inquiries from banks.
Verifies payment of invoices associated with accounts payable and ensures payments are charged and posted to the appropriate accounts with accuracy.
Manages all aspects of annual audit and 990 submission, provides outside auditors with assistance; gathers necessary account information and documents to perform annual audit.
Approves, monitors, and manages budgets for all departments of Caring Network’s ministry.
Works closely with third party accounting firm to ensure all donations are being processed and receipted accurately.
Oversees payroll for all employees, ensure all tax reporting is submitted and compliant according to respective state and federal laws.
Analyses and negotiates yearly contracts for workers compensation, health and dental insurance and liability/property insurance.
Ensures information technology needs are met at the most cost-effective rate.
Prepares membership renewals with professional organizations.
Monitors and maintains listings on membership and partner sites.
Ensures policy & procedure manuals are up to date.
Maintains and updates phone system as needed for office closings, time changes and changes in staff.
Oversees and ensures the HR processes are effective and compliant.
Attends weekly Leadership Team meetings, monthly Staff meetings, and quarterly Prayer meetings.
Provides reports as needed to President.
REQUIREMENTS
Bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance required; MBA preferred.
Certified Public Accountant status desired.
At least ten (10) years of experience in the financial function of an organization required.
Non-profit experience a plus
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Thorough knowledge of financial and legal best practices and requirements with a proven ability to provide sound and ethical financial counsel to executive leadership.
Thorough understanding of and personal involvement with systems and methodologies of finance and administration.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
Strong supervisory and leadership skills.
Proficient with QuickBooks Online and Microsoft Office Suite (or related software).
SALARY & BENEFITS
Salary: $130-150,000 annually, depending on experience.
Benefits: No employee cost for health, dental, and vision insurance; discounted rates for dependents. 403(b) with company match. STD, LTD and FSA Program.
Vacation: Generous PTO policy including substantial vacation time and sick time. Nine (9) paid company holidays PLUS Christmas Break.
Relocation: Up to $12,000.
Travel: Minimal.
To learn more about Caring Network, please visit their website at www.caringnetwork.com. To view their financials, click here.
After prayerfully reviewing this information, if you sense this position opportunity could be a good fit for you, please click on the APPLY NOW button below. Or if you know someone who may be interested and a fit, please share this opportunity using the social media and email buttons at the top of this page.