Senior Controller Finance

Job Title

Senior Controller – Finance

Location

Chennai

Experience

15+ years (Senior leadership finance role)

Reporting

CFO

Role Summary

The Senior Controller – Finance will own the end-to-end finance controllership function and act as a strategic finance partner to the Founder. This role requires an independent leader who can manage statutory financials, taxation, controls, and reporting while contributing to budgeting, forecasting, financial modelling, and business analysis. The role demands strong leadership communication, sound judgment, and the ability to operate at a CXO mindset level in the absence of a CFO.

Key Responsibilities

Financial Controllership & Statutory P&L

• Own preparation and finalization of Statutory P&L and Balance Sheet with accuracy and timeliness.


• Ensure integrity of the General Ledger, chart of accounts, and accounting closures (monthly/quarterly/annual).


• Ensure compliance with Ind AS / IFRS / applicable accounting standards.

Taxation & Statutory Compliance

• End-to-end ownership of GST, TDS, direct and indirect tax compliances, filings, assessments, and reconciliations.


• Manage tax audits, notices, and interactions with statutory authorities.


• Ensure adherence to Companies Act, statutory timelines, and regulatory requirements.

Internal Audit & Controls

• Lead internal audit processes, risk assessments, and control testing.


• Design, implement, and strengthen internal financial controls (IFC) and SOPs.


• Act as the primary point of contact for statutory, internal, and tax auditors.

Budgeting, Forecasting & Financial Planning

• Drive annual budgets, rolling forecasts, and periodic reforecasts in collaboration with business leaders.


• Track performance against budgets; perform variance analysis and recommend corrective actions.


• Partner with leadership on cost control, margin improvement, and capital allocation decisions.

Financial Modelling & Business Analysis

• Build and review financial models for business planning, scenario analysis, investments, and strategic initiatives.


• Provide actionable financial analysis and insights to support leadership decision-making.


• Evaluate risks, opportunities, and financial impact of key business initiatives.

Founder & Leadership Partnership

• Work independently and closely with the Founder in the absence of a Head of Finance / CFO.


• Act as a thought partner on strategic, financial, and operational matters.


• Communicate complex financial information clearly to senior leadership and non-finance stakeholders.


• Demonstrate leadership-level thinking, ownership, and decision-making maturity.

Team Leadership & Stakeholder Management

• Lead, mentor, and develop finance and accounting teams.


• Collaborate effectively with cross-functional leaders (Operations, HR, Legal, Procurement).


• Drive process improvements, automation, and ERP/system enhancements.

Qualifications & Experience

Education

• Chartered Accountant (CA) – Mandatory


• CPA / CMA / MBA (Finance) – Preferred

Experience

• 15+ years of progressive experience in finance, controllership, or senior accounting roles.


• Proven experience handling Statutory P&L, GST, TDS, taxation, GL, audits, budgeting, forecasting, and financial analysis.


• Prior experience operating in environments with limited finance leadership layers (founder-led or fast-growing organizations) is highly desirable.

Key Competencies

• Strong leadership communication and executive presence


• Ability to think and operate at CXO / leadership level


• High ownership, independence, and accountability


• Strong analytical and problem-solving mindset


• Integrity, attention to detail, and governance focus

Ideal Candidate Profile

• Finance leader who can act as a CFO proxy when required


• Comfortable taking decisions, challenging assumptions, and influencing leadership


• Balances compliance rigor with business orientation


• Thrives in ambiguity and scale-up environments