This role is open to applicants who already have the legal right to work in India at the time of application. Relocation and visa sponsorship are not available. The British Council supports flexible working, including hybrid arrangements, subject to line manager approval and operational requirements.
Role Context
- This role is responsible for ensuring the integrity of financial information through close collaboration with Data & Systems / SAP Technical teams, and for delivering accurate month-end Management Information, Financial Planning, and Forecasting in partnership with regional, country, and UK-based finance teams.
- The FP&A team supports global colleagues by preparing monthly reports, analysing variances to aid decision-making, and facilitating planning and forecasting activities. It also plays a key role in building new capabilities across global finance teams and fostering a unified Finance culture.
- The ideal candidate will be a proactive and strategic thinker with strong attention to detail, excellent communication skills, and a solid understanding of commercial finance.
- They will engage regularly with senior finance leaders, managed service providers, global finance teams, and key stakeholders including Group Reporting, Treasury, Tax, and Audit. As the role involves managing a dispersed team of Financial Controllers and stakeholders across geographies, occasional international travel will be required
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Main responsibilities
- Lead and manage the finance team, role-modelling British Council values and EDI, while fostering a culture of professionalism, financial discipline, and continuous learning.
- Oversee month-end accounting processes and ensure timely, accurate delivery of management information packs for countries, regions, and SBUs in line with agreed SLAs.
- Support planning and forecasting activities, including administrative tasks such as salary uploads, allocation drivers, and FX rate updates.
- Engage with stakeholders to align service delivery with business objectives and conduct regular service delivery reviews to ensure performance and responsiveness.
- Drive process improvements, identifying automation opportunities and reducing turnaround times for month-end activities.
- Provide technical accounting guidance, liaising with Tax, Treasury, Finance Policy, and Global Process Owners to ensure compliance with professional standards.
- Lead service improvement initiatives, including implementation of new reporting requirements and supporting transformation efforts to centralize activities with MSPs.
- Manage stakeholder relationships, ensuring strong engagement and alignment across internal teams, external partners, and critical finance functions.
Role-Specific Skills
- Strong expertise in Procure to Pay, Financial Reporting, Accounting, Month-End Closing, and Compliance, with a solid understanding of global finance operations.
- Proficient in SAP and Excel, with excellent IT skills to support data analysis, reporting, and automation initiatives.
- Effective communicator with strong influencing skills, capable of simplifying complex financial concepts for diverse audiences.
- Highly organized and deadline-driven, ensuring timely and accurate delivery of financial outputs in a fast-paced environment.
- Skilled at build ing relationships across all levels of the organization, fostering collaboration and stakeholder alignment.
- Demonstrates flexibility, independence, and initiative, thriving in dynamic and evolving business contexts.
Role-Specific Knowledge & Experience
Minimum / Essential:
- Strong experience in Planning & Forecasting, with the ability to support strategic financial decision-making.
- Proficiency in Business Intelligence (BI) systems, enabling effective data analysis and reporting.
- Proven track record in driving process improvements across finance operations.
Desirable:
- Experience in Shared Services Operations, including service delivery and stakeholder engagement.
- Exposure to international and multicultural environments, with an understanding of global finance dynamics.
- Demonstrated leadership in change management initiatives and transformation projects.
- Hands-on experience with SAP in financial processes and reporting.
Education & Professional Qualification
- MBA in Finance from a premier institute
- Qualified Accountant or MBA with a minimum of 10 years of post-qualification experience, showcasing deep expertise in financial operations and leadership
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Language Requirements
- The British Council systems and global processes operate in English. Written and verbal proficiency in English is required.
- A connected and trusted UK in a more connected and trusted world.
