Finance Controller - Finance & Accounting - Manufacturing - CA

Position: Finance Controller

Function: Finance & Accounting

Position Summary:

The Finance Controller will lead and oversee all finance and accounting activities for the India business, ensuring financial integrity, regulatory compliance, operational efficiency, and alignment with global financial policies and processes.

The role requires strong technical accounting expertise, leadership capabilities, commercial acumen, and the ability to operate effectively within a matrix organization. The incumbent will partner with regional finance leaders, business leadership teams, and global shared service organizations to drive financial performance, strengthen internal controls, and deliver continuous process improvements.

This role also offers strategic and enterprise-level finance exposure, with a development pathway toward a future CFO leadership position.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Financial Reporting, Accounting & Close Management:

• Lead month-end, quarter-end, and year-end closing, consolidation, and financial reporting activities, ensuring timely and accurate submissions.
• Ensure consistent application of US GAAP and Indian Local GAAP across accounting operations.
• Oversee General Ledger (GL), Accounts Payable (AP), Accounts Receivable (AR), billing, payroll, revenue recognition, treasury, and cash flow management.
• Review financial results, investigate variances, and ensure timely resolution of accounting issues.
• Drive working capital optimization through effective cash management, receivables collection, inventory control, and payables management.
• Leverage global shared service capabilities and systems to improve finance operations.

2. Internal Controls, Compliance & Audit:

• Maintain a robust internal control framework, ensuring compliance with SOX requirements and corporate control policies.
• Establish and oversee local audit programs, including balance sheet reviews, critical control monitoring, segregation of duties, and remediation activities.
• Develop, document, and continuously improve accounting policies, procedures, and financial processes.
• Coordinate statutory, internal, financial, SOX, tax, GST, sales tax, and other compliance-related audits.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to address audit findings, strengthen governance, and prevent recurring control gaps.

3. Regulatory & Tax Compliance:

• Ensure compliance with applicable local, state, and central government financial reporting requirements.
• Oversee tax filings, statutory submissions, and regulatory reporting.
• Coordinate tax-related documentation and reporting requirements with relevant stakeholders and advisors.
• Monitor changes in accounting standards, tax regulations, and statutory requirements, ensuring timely implementation.

4. ERP, Systems & Process Transformation:

• Act as the finance process owner for Oracle ERP implementation and ongoing system enhancements.
• Drive finance transformation, automation, and process standardization initiatives.
• Improve financial systems, reporting structures, and controls to support evolving business requirements.
• Champion LEAN methodologies to eliminate process inefficiencies, reduce waste, and strengthen control effectiveness.
• Leverage analytics, automation, Power BI, and AI-enabled tools to enhance financial reporting and decision-making.

5. Strategic Finance & Business Leadership:

• Develop expertise in treasury and banking operations, including liquidity planning, cash management, and foreign exchange risk management.
• Lead enterprise risk management initiatives and establish appropriate mitigation measures for financial, operational, and compliance risks.
• Prepare and present business performance reviews, financial insights, and strategic updates to regional and corporate leadership.
• Partner with business leaders on financial planning, commercial analysis, capital investment decisions, and performance management.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives that enhance profitability, operational effectiveness, and long-term business value.

Qualifications & Experience:

• Chartered Accountant (CA) or Cost and Management Accountant (CMA/ICMA) required; CA preferred.
• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related discipline required.
• MBA in Finance or a related specialization preferred.

Professional Experience:

• 15 - 18+ years of progressive experience in finance and accounting, preferably within a multinational organization.
• Proven experience as a Finance Controller, Finance Head, or in an equivalent senior finance leadership role.
• Experience managing finance operations for businesses with annual revenue exceeding 100 crore.
• Strong background in manufacturing finance, operations finance, cost controllership, and commercial finance.
• Demonstrated experience in financial reporting, closing, consolidation, internal controls, audits, taxation, and treasury.
• Experience working in a global matrix organization and collaborating with shared service centers.
• Hands-on experience with Oracle ERP or similar enterprise systems.
• Experience with OneStream or other modern enterprise performance management (EPM) and consolidation tools preferred.
• Exposure to finance transformation, automation, process improvement, strategic planning, and capital investment analysis.
• Strong proficiency in MS Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Power BI.

Key Competencies:

• Strong technical accounting, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent leadership, team management, and talent development capabilities.
• Strong stakeholder management, communication, and influencing skills.
• Ability to work effectively in a complex, multicultural, and matrix-managed environment.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver results in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong business partnering skills with a commercial and strategic mindset.
• Commitment to operational excellence, process governance, and continuous improvement.