Summary:

This is a hands-on leadership role responsible for the accuracy, integrity, and compliance of financial operations in India, while acting as the key finance liaison between the India GCC and the US finance leadership. The role requires strong technical grounding in US GAAP, Indian statutory compliance (tax, GST, corporate law), and the ability to scale processes - including vendor management and potential SEZ/STPI setup - as the center grows.

This is a critical leadership position with high visibility to both India country leadership and the US finance organization.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Financial Controllership:

- Own end-to-end financial controllership for the India GCC, including books of accounts, month-end/quarter-end/year-end close, and financial reporting.

- Ensure accurate and timely reporting under US GAAP for consolidation with the US parent, alongside statutory reporting under Indian GAAP (Ind AS).

- Drive balance sheet integrity - reconciliations, provisions, accruals, and intercompany accounting.

- Own the intercompany cost-plus/transfer pricing framework in coordination with US finance and tax advisors.

- Establish and maintain strong internal financial controls (SOX-aligned, where applicable), and lead internal/external/statutory audits.

- Build and monitor budgets, forecasts, and cost center reporting for the GCC; partner with business/functional leaders on cost management.

- Drive automation and process improvement across the record-to-report (R2R) cycle.

2. Compliance - Tax, GST & Statutory:

- Ensure full compliance with Indian direct and indirect tax regulations, including Income Tax, TDS, GST filings, and assessments.

- Manage relationships with statutory auditors, tax consultants, and regulatory authorities.

- Ensure timely and accurate filings under the Companies Act, FEMA, RBI (as applicable for a captive/GCC structure), and other statutory bodies.

- Monitor changes in Indian regulatory/tax landscape and proactively assess impact on the entity.

- Own transfer pricing documentation and compliance in coordination with US tax teams and external advisors.

3. SEZ / STPI Setup & Compliance (as applicable):

- Evaluate and lead, if required, the setup and ongoing compliance of SEZ (Special Economic Zone) or STPI units to optimize tax efficiency for the GCC.

- Manage SEZ-related approvals, softex filings, LOA renewals, and compliance with Development Commissioner requirements.

- Partner with legal, real estate, and tax advisors on facility/location decisions with SEZ implications.

4. Vendor Management:

- Own the vendor management framework for finance-related and administrative spend as the GCC scales.

- Set up/strengthen vendor onboarding, contracting, invoicing, and payment governance processes.

- Drive cost optimization and vendor consolidation initiatives in partnership with procurement.

- Ensure appropriate controls over vendor payments, PO management, and spend approvals.

5. Business Partnering & Stakeholder Management:

- Act as the primary finance point of contact for the India Country Head and local leadership team.

- Maintain a strong dotted-line partnership with the US Finance Leader - ensuring alignment on reporting, controls, and strategic finance priorities.

- Support leadership with financial insights for workforce planning, real estate/facility decisions, and business case development as the GCC scales.

- Represent India finance in global finance forums/calls as required.

6. Team Leadership:

- Build, lead, and mentor a finance team capable of supporting a scaling 1,000+ person captive center.

- Define clear roles, career paths, and capability-building plans within the finance function.

Qualifications & Experience:

- Chartered Accountant (CA) - Mandatory.

- 15-18 years of progressive finance experience, with at least 5-7 years in a leadership/controllership role.

- Prior experience in a captive/GCC/shared services setup of a US-headquartered company strongly preferred.

- Demonstrated hands-on experience with US GAAP reporting and consolidation processes.

- Strong working knowledge of Indian tax, GST, and statutory compliance requirements.

- Experience with SEZ/STPI setup and compliance is a strong plus.

- Experience managing vendor relationships and building vendor governance frameworks at scale.

- Experience working in a matrixed reporting structure (local + global stakeholders).

- High ownership mindset - comfortable operating both strategically and hands-on.

- Excellent stakeholder management skills, able to work with both local and US leadership.

- Strong communication skills - able to translate financial detail into business insight.