Principal/Head - External Audit - CA

JOB DESCRIPTION
NOTE: Qualified Chartered Accountant (CA) is mandatory.
Job Title: Principal (Head of External Audit-Pune Practice)
Location: Pune
Experience: 12+ years
Educational Qualification: Chartered Accountant
Work Mode: Work from Office
Whats in it for you?
This role will provide you with an opportunity to strategically lead and shape a key audit practice unit of a prestigious Indian CA firm with national and international client exposure. It will provide you with a platform to drive practice growth, innovation in audit delivery and quality excellence. Working with a talented team, you will lead the agenda of delivering impactful audit solutions and strengthening firm reputation.
Role Description:
We are seeking a seasoned Audit Expert with 12+ years of post-qualification experience to lead the Statutory Audit Practice in Pune. This role will have full ownership of practice leadership including for practice growth, branch profitability and margins, audit delivery, quality, people management and operational excellence, overseeing the related team in Pune with alignment to the practice leadership. The role requires strong technical depth, commercial acumen, and the ability to manage complex client and regulatory situations.
Key Responsibilities:
1. Practice Leadership & Growth:
- Lead and manage the External Audit Practice in Pune, driving strategic growth and execution.
- Build, mentor and inspire a high-performing team of audit professionals.
- Responsible for business development, client acquisition and practice management initiatives to expand service offerings, revenue and grow practice margins.
- Act as senior relationship owner for key clients and stakeholders of the related practice.
- Responsible for Branch related reporting to the central/ corporate team.
2. Audit Delivery & Client Management:
- Lead audits and other engagements across multiple sectors, managing complexity and ensuring regulatory compliance.
- Handle complex engagement issues and provide on-ground leadership in challenging situations.
- Take responsibility for planning, delivery and finalization of audit engagements, ensuring superior client satisfaction.
3. Technical & Quality Leadership:
- Provide technical expertise in engagements, local GAAP (Indian standards), Ind AS, and global GAAP frameworks.
- Ensure consistent, high-quality audit delivery, with robust methodologies, risk assessment and documentation.
- Lead and manage readiness and responses for ICAI quality reviews and NFRA oversight reviews.
4. Operational Excellence & Innovation:
- Oversee operational aspects of audit delivery, engagement resourcing, planning, budgeting and profitability.
- Drive process improvements and innovation in audit tools and methodologies, fostering out of the box thinking to enhance audit quality and efficiency.
- Champion automation, data analytics and advanced audit technologies to elevate audit delivery.
5. Training & People Development:
- Design and deliver training programs to build technical depth and professional capabilities within the audit team.

- Mentor and coach managers and seniors, fostering a culture of continuous learning and performance excellence.
6. Crisis & Risk Management:
- Act decisively and thoughtfully in complex or challenging situations on client engagements or practice operations.
- Provide effective crisis management, resolving issues with a calm, pragmatic and professional approach.
Required Competencies, Skills, and Experience:
- Chartered Accountant (CA) with 12+ years of relevant post-qualification experience, primarily in statutory and related audits.
- Proven track record in leading statutory audits across sectors and handling audits of medium to large corporate clients.
GAAP Proficiency:
1. Deep knowledge of Indian GAAP and Ind AS frameworks.
2. Experience with global GAAPs (e.g., IFRS) and group reporting.
- Hands-on experience managing ICAI quality reviews and NFRA oversight reviews.
- Strong people leadership, team building and practice management capabilities.
- Experience in sales, marketing and business development within professional services.
- Comfortable with audit technologies, data analytics tools and advanced audit platforms. Come up with out-of-the-box solutions for enhancing effectiveness and efficiency in engagement delivery.
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills with senior clients, regulators and audit committees.
- Proven ability to handle complex client situations, risk issues and perform effective crisis management.
Hiring Process:
Your interaction with us will include, but not be limited to:
- Technical / HR Interviews
- Assessment