Function Lead - Business Finance & Operations

The Opportunity

As the Function Lead for Business Finance and FP&A, you will serve as a strategic finance business partner to the leadership of Business Units and Central Functions. This role is responsible for end-to-end financial stewardship of the function, including planning, forecasting, performance management, and strategic initiatives. You will play a key role in driving profitable growth, operational efficiency, and strategic decision-making.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Finance Leadership
Serve as the primary finance advisor to the Function / BU Leadership. Lead financial planning cycles including Annual budgeting, Monthly / quarterly forecasts, and long-range plans for the function. Develop financial strategies to support growth, margin expansion, and resource optimization. Analyze and interpret financial performance; recommend corrective actions to leadership.

Performance Management & Decision Support
Own the end-to-end P&L for the Bus / function, including top-line (revenue, realization) and bottom-line (margins, cost management) metrics. Monitor and analyze key business KPIs: utilization, realization, project profitability, mix of services, pyramid optimization, etc. Lead function-specific financial reviews, dashboards, and reporting packs for internal and global stakeholders. Lead the preparation and analysis of monthly/quarterly management reports including variance analysis. Act as a finance advisor to business leaders providing insights and guidance on cost management, margin optimization, and project profitability.

Business Operations
Collaborate with delivery and sales to ensure smooth project execution. Track operational KPIs including utilization, capacity planning, TAT, and delivery efficiency. Oversee contract lifecycle management from proposal to closure. Coordinate between HR / Talent Acquisition / Delivery to ensure resource planning aligns with revenue objectives.

Project & Client-Level Financial Oversight
Partner with engagement and project teams to monitor project economics, profitability, billing efficiency, and working capital (WIP, DSO). Review and approve commercial constructs, rate cards, and pricing strategies for key pursuits and large deals. Evaluate project-level profitability and identify revenue leakages. Support time tracking, resource utilization, and capacity planning initiatives.

Cashflow & Working Capital
Monitor billing cycles, unbilled revenue, overdue receivables, and DSO. Coordinate with customers and internal stakeholders to expedite collections. Suggest commercial restructuring to reduce working capital stress.

Financial Modeling & Analysis
Build financial models for scenario planning, business cases, investments, and new offerings. Analyze trends in revenue, cost structure, and profitability for strategic insights. Provide ad-hoc analysis to support executive decisions and board reporting.

Business Partnering & Leadership Influence
Act as a trusted advisor to the Function Leader, helping shape business priorities through financial insights. Influence strategic initiatives such as cost restructuring, delivery model transformation Collaborate with Talent, Operations, and Risk to ensure alignment across workforce planning, compensation models, and investment cases.

Financial Governance & Controls
Ensure compliance with internal policies, accounting standards, and external regulatory requirements. Lead Internal audit readiness and participate in internal/external reviews for the function. Maintain strong financial controls and risk management practices.

Systems & Process Improvement
Drive automation and digitization of FP&A processes through tools like Netsuite, Power BI, or Tableau. Promote data-driven decision-making by improving data accuracy, dashboarding, and predictive analytics capabilities. Continuously optimize finance workflows in collaboration with shared services and central FP&A teams.

Key Skills & Competencies

Deep knowledge of financial planning, P&L management, and business performance metrics in a professional services context.
Business acumen with understanding of services revenue models (T&M, fixed price, retainer, outcome-based). Strong commercial acumen, strategic mindset, and influencing skills. Advanced Excel and financial modeling; proficiency in FP&A tools and ERP systems (Oracle). Excellent stakeholder management and ability to operate at the leadership level. High level of integrity, ownership, and resilience in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

CA / MBA (Finance) from a reputed institution.
10-14 years of experience in FP&A or Business Finance roles, preferably within Big 4, large consulting, or IT/Professional Services firms. Prior experience leading finance for a business unit or function in a matrixed organization.