As Finance Controller, you will lead and manage the organisation's finance, accounting, and reporting functions to ensure robust financial controls, compliance, transparency, and operational effectiveness. You will act as the finance business partner to the CEO and senior leadership, helping translate strategy into actionable financial plans, enabling sustainable growth of programmes and operations across multiple geographies.
Role & responsibilities
Financial Planning & Analysis
- Lead the annual budgeting process and quarterly re-forecasting, ensuring alignment with strategic priorities and programme plans.
- Analyse financial performance against budget and forecast, identify variances, key drivers, and recommend corrective actions.
- Support scenario modelling for new programmes, funding proposals, grants, and partnerships.
- Present financial insights and strategic recommendations to the Senior Leadership Team, Board Finance/Audit Committee, and CEO.
Accounting & Compliance
- Ensure accurate and timely preparation of monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements (P&L, balance sheet, cash flow) in compliance with Indian accounting standards applicable to NGOs.
- Oversee statutory and internal audits; liaise with external auditors, ensure timely completion, and implement audit recommendations.
- Ensure compliance with all regulatory and statutory requirements, including Income Tax, FCRA, 80G/12A, and donor/funder financial reporting.
- Maintain strong internal control frameworks, policies, and procedures (segregation of duties, expense approvals, petty cash, payments, and bank reconciliations).
Fund & Grant Management
- Monitor multiple grants and project funding streams, ensuring utilisation aligns with grant agreements, donor restrictions, and organisational policies.
- Partner closely with programme teams to ensure budget adherence, accurate cost allocation, proper documentation, and timely financial reporting to funders.
- Manage cash-flow forecasting for projects and operations, ensuring liquidity and optimal fund utilisation.
Business Partnering & Strategic Support
- Act as a strategic finance partner to the CEO and Senior Leadership Team, providing financial inputs for decisions such as new programme launches, geographic expansion, partnerships, and cost structures.
- Provide business intelligence to support performance measurement, impact metrics, cost-per-beneficiary analysis, return on impact, and operational efficiency.
- Develop and maintain financial dashboards and key metrics to enable transparency and informed decision-making.
Team & Systems Leadership
- Lead, mentor, and develop the finance and accounts team, fostering capability building and a high-performance culture.
- Drive adoption of finance systems (ERP/accounting software), process automation, digitalisation, and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Strengthen collaboration between finance, programmes, operations, and fundraising teams to promote a one-team” approach to resource management.
Required Qualifications & Experience
- Qualified Chartered Accountant (CA).
- 8–12 years of progressive finance experience, preferably within the NGO/non-profit or mission-driven sector; experience with multi-state operations and grant-funded projects is a strong advantage.
- Strong expertise in accounting, financial modelling, budgeting, and forecasting.
- Proven experience in audits, compliance, internal controls, and financial reporting.
- Strategic mindset with strong business-partnering capabilities.
- Excellent communication skills, with the ability to present financial insights to non-finance stakeholders.
- High integrity and comfort working in a dynamic, multi-stakeholder environment.
- Experience with ERP systems, digital finance tools, and advanced Excel/BI tools preferred.
- Willingness to travel occasionally to field offices and project locations across states.
Key Competencies & Behaviours
- Strategic orientation with the ability to align finance with organisational mission and impact.
- Strong collaboration and stakeholder-management skills.
- High standards of integrity, transparency, and accountability.
- Analytical and insight-driven approach to problem-solving.
- Leadership focus on team development and performance.
- Adaptability, proactiveness, and comfort with ambiguity.
- Mission-driven mindset and alignment with the client’s values and collaborative culture.
Reporting & Working Relationships
- Works closely with the Senior Leadership Team across programmes, operations, fundraising/partnerships, and HR.
- Leads the Finance & Accounts function, including accountants, project finance analysts, and interns.
- Interfaces regularly with the Board Finance/Audit Committee and external auditors and consultants.
Success Metrics
Within the first 6–12 months:
- Delivery of annual budget, rolling forecasts, and robust variance reporting.
- Strengthened internal controls and closure of prior audit observations.
- Development of leadership finance dashboards (burn rate, cost per beneficiary, liquidity).
- Streamlined grant monitoring and fund utilisation processes.
- Demonstrated strategic finance input that optimised costs or enhanced impact.
Ongoing KPIs:
- Timely closure of monthly and quarterly financials.
- Budget adherence at organisational and project levels.
- On-time audit completion with minimal observations.
- Strong cash-flow management and working capital efficiency.
- High finance team engagement and capability growth.
- Strong stakeholder satisfaction with finance partnership and service quality.
Why Join the Client
- Opportunity to contribute to a mission-driven organisation working across education, environment, health, and livelihoods.
- Lead the finance function of a recognised NGO based in Bengaluru with a multi-state presence.
- Work closely with the CEO and leadership team to shape governance, systems, and organisational scale.
- Collaborative culture that values professional growth, transparency, and innovation.
