Head - Finance - Fashion Startup

Our client is fast-growing fashion startup building a contemporary brand with strong digital-first presence and omnichannel ambitions. Backed by ambitious growth plans, we are looking for a strategic and hands-on Head of Finance to build and lead the finance function from the ground up.

Role Overview:

The Head of Finance will be a core member of the leadership team, responsible for financial strategy, compliance, cash flow management, fundraising support, and building scalable financial systems. This role requires someone who thrives in a startup environment - strategic thinker yet operationally strong.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Financial Strategy & Planning:

- Drive financial planning, budgeting, and forecasting

- Develop long-term financial strategy aligned with growth plans

- Provide strategic insights to Founder on margins, pricing, expansion, and capital allocation

- Build unit economics for D2C, retail, marketplaces, and offline channels

2. Fundraising & Investor Relations

- Support fundraising initiatives (equity/debt)

- Prepare financial models, investor decks, and data rooms

- Manage relationships with investors and financial institutions

3. Financial Operations:

- Oversee accounting, MIS, and monthly financial reporting

- Ensure accurate P&L, balance sheet, and cash flow management

- Monitor working capital, inventory cycles, and vendor payments

- Drive cost optimization across supply chain, marketing, and operations

4. Compliance & Governance:

- Ensure compliance with GST, TDS, income tax, ROC, and other statutory requirements

- Manage audits (internal & external)

- Establish strong internal controls and SOPs

5. Systems & Process Building:

- Set up scalable finance processes and ERP systems

- Implement financial dashboards and reporting automation

- Build and lead the finance team as the company scales

Ideal Candidate Profile:

- CA / MBA (Finance) preferred

- 8-15 years of experience in finance roles

- Prior experience in fashion, retail, D2C, or consumer startup strongly preferred

- Experience in a high-growth startup environment

- Strong understanding of inventory-heavy business models

- Hands-on with financial modeling and fundraising

- Comfortable working in an entrepreneurial, fast-paced setup