Financial Controller

Job Summary

We are looking for an experienced and detail-oriented Senior Chartered Accountant to manage and oversee the financial operations of our automobile dealership business. The role involves financial planning, accounting, taxation, statutory compliance, budgeting, internal controls, audit management, and financial reporting across dealership locations and brands. The candidate should ensure financial accuracy, regulatory compliance, cost control, and profitability.

Key Responsibilities

1. Financial Management & Reporting

• Oversee day-to-day accounting operations and ensure accurate financial records.
• Prepare monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements, MIS reports, and management dashboards.
• Monitor dealership profitability, revenue, expenses, margins, and cash flow.
• Analyse brand-wise, branch-wise, and department-wise financial performance.
• Provide financial insights and recommendations to management.

2. GST, Taxation & Statutory Compliance

• Ensure timely GST returns, reconciliations, TDS payments, returns, and income tax compliance.
• Monitor GST input tax credit (ITC), output tax liability, and reconciliation with books.
• Ensure compliance with applicable accounting standards and statutory requirements.
• Coordinate with tax consultants and authorities for assessments, notices, and other matters.
• Ensure timely completion of statutory payments and regulatory filings.

3. Automobile Dealership Accounting

• Monitor accounting for new and used vehicle sales, service revenue, spare parts, accessories, and other dealership income.
• Review vehicle purchases, inventory valuation, floor-plan funding, and OEM-related accounts, wherever applicable.
• Reconcile OEM incentives, dealer discounts, sales schemes, warranty claims, and incentive receivables.
• Monitor vehicle stock, spare parts inventory, stock ageing, and inventory discrepancies.
• Review customer advances, vehicle delivery payments, finance disbursements, and outstanding receivables.
• Ensure accurate accounting of service job cards, workshop revenue, and warranty claims.

4. Banking, Cash Flow & Reconciliation

• Monitor daily cash flow, bank balances, cash transactions, and fund utilization.
• Review bank reconciliations, customer/vendor balances, and inter-branch transactions.
• Control payment processing and ensure appropriate approvals for all financial transactions.
• Monitor outstanding payments, collections, credit limits, and overdue balances.
• Coordinate with banks and financial institutions for working capital and other financial requirements.

5. Budgeting & Cost Control

• Prepare annual budgets, forecasts, and financial projections.
• Analyze actual performance against budgets and identify variances.
• Monitor operating expenses, employee costs, overheads, and branch-level expenditure.
• Identify opportunities to improve profitability, reduce costs, and optimize working capital.

6. Audit & Internal Controls

• Coordinate internal, statutory, tax, and other audits.
• Establish and monitor financial controls to prevent errors, irregularities, and revenue leakage.
• Verify supporting documents, approvals, vouchers, and financial transactions.
• Identify control gaps and implement corrective actions.
• Ensure compliance with company policies and delegated financial authorities.

7. Team Management & Process Improvement

• Supervise and guide the accounts and finance team across dealership locations.
• Review the accuracy and timeliness of accounting entries and reconciliations.
• Standardize financial processes and reporting formats across branches and brands.
• Coordinate with HR, Sales, Service, Administration, and OEM teams on financial matters.
• Support management in financial planning, business expansion, and strategic decisions.

Required Qualifications & Skills

• Qualified Chartered Accountant (CA) from ICAI.
• 3-5 years of relevant post-qualification experience preferred.
• Experience in automobile dealerships, automotive retail, or multi-location businesses is highly preferred.
• Strong knowledge of GST, TDS, income tax, accounting standards, and statutory compliance.
• Experience in financial reporting, budgeting, MIS, audit management, and working capital control.
• Advanced MS Excel skills and proficiency in accounting/ERP systems.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, leadership, and communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple dealership locations, brands, and reporting deadlines.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Timely and accurate monthly financial closures and MIS reporting.
• Timely GST, TDS, income tax, and other applicable statutory compliance.
• Accuracy of bank, ledger, OEM, and inventory reconciliations.
• Reduction in overdue receivables and improvement in working capital.
• Effective control of operating expenses and financial leakages.
• Timely completion of audits with minimal observations.
• Improvement in branch-wise and brand-wise financial performance.