Sattva - Function Lead - Business Finance & Operations

Description:

About the job

Function Supported: Business Units, Central Finance, People & Other Central Functions

Location: Bengaluru, India

Department: Finance

Reports To: CFO

About Sattva:

We Partner to deliver social impact at scale

Sattva Consulting is a global impact consulting firm from India. Since 2009 we have been engaging with communities, business and government to achieve societal impact at scale.

We believe that Civil society, Business and Government all have a critical role to play in building an equitable and sustainable world, and we actively partner with all stakeholders to enable impact through our advisory & orchestration services, knowledge and data platforms which we have built as public goods for the ecosystem and collaborative solutions and partnerships.

Our teams are based in India, Singapore, Denmark and UK, but as a global organization our work has spanned 25 countries and 5 continents. For more information, please visit: www.sattva.co.in

Our team of 400 (and growing rapidly) across offices in Bangalore, Mumbai, and Delhi comes with stellar professional credentials from diverse backgrounds and is bound together by our common commitment to social impact.

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 leadersproviding 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 managementfrom 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 to 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.

Why Sattva?:

It's not about us really- Because IMPACT is everybodys business.

- Create Impact: Make an impact with the work you do and the solutions you design

- Work Environment: Thrive in a diverse, inclusive, and collaborative environment

- Learn & Grow: Challenge yourself to learn, grow, and deliver the best you can

- Future Ready: Work on critical issues of today that will affect our collective tomorrow

How to Prepare?:

This is your opportunity to showcase not only your qualifications but also your unique personality and passion for making a meaningful impact. Approach your application with intentionality, ensuring that each word reflects your commitment to excellence and aligns seamlessly with the values of Sattva.