APAC Assistant Controller

Esper; Bengaluru; On-site; INR 4,000,000 - 7,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Esper India is seeking a technically strong accounting leader to own India entity accounting, tax, and compliance. You will integrate Esper India's systems into the global finance stack and coordinate with the US Controller.

As transition matures, you will support US monthly close as well. Ideal candidate has Big 4 background, CA designation, and deep US GAAP experience, with India statutory audit exposure and multi-currency accounting.

Qualifications

• Big 4 experience with US GAAP, consolidation, and US-headquartered parent expectations.
• Experience with India statutory audits and MCA filings is required.
• CA designation strongly preferred and highly valued for leadership of India entity close.

Responsibilities

• Own the full monthly close for Esper India under Indian GAAP and US GAAP.
• Manage journal entries, intercompany transactions, reconciliations, and schedules.
• Lead India statutory filings and statutory audit process with auditors.

Skills

US GAAP

Big 4

Ownership mindset

Strong communicator

Education

CA designation

Tools

NetSuite

Tally

Rippling

Carta

Avalara

Bill.com

Navan

Job description

We are the industry pioneers in building technology that enables businesses to manage and operate massive fleets of edge devices at scale. Our cloud-native platform allows customers to seamlessly configure, deploy, and manage devices across multiple operating systems with reliability, security, and a high level of automation. Esper powers mission-critical device ecosystems to achieve operational excellence for some of the world's most innovative brands across retail, hospitality, logistics, and healthcare.

Our engineering team is AI-native by design. Agentic and AI-assisted workflows are embedded into how we build every day, enabling engineers to move faster and deliver higher-quality outcomes. We combine this with a strong foundation in engineering fundamentals and the judgment to know when to leverage AI and when human expertise is essential.

About Esper

Esper is a VC-backed B2B SaaS company headquartered in Bellevue, WA that powers device management infrastructure for enterprise and developer teams. Our India subsidiary, Esper.io Software Services Private Limited, is a wholly-owned entity and a critical part of our global operations.

About the role

This is a high-ownership, high-visibility role for a technically strong accounting professional who thrives in a fast-moving startup environment. You will take full ownership of the India entity from an accounting, tax, and statutory compliance standpoint, replacing our current third-party outsourced provider. You will also lead the integration of Esper India's accounting systems and workflows into our consolidated global finance infrastructure, reporting directly into the US- based Controller. As you establish yourself in the role and the India transition matures, your scope will expand to include supporting the US monthly close as well.

What you'll do

India Entity Accounting and Close

• Own the full monthly close for Esper India, including preparation and review of financial statements under both Indian GAAP and US GAAP
• Manage all journal entries, intercompany transactions, reconciliations, and supporting schedules
• Maintain and reconcile the intercompany relationship between Esper US and Esper India, including multi-currency accounting and CTA treatment India Statutory and Tax Compliance
• Manage all India statutory filings including GST (including e-invoicing requirements), TDS, advance tax, and professional tax
• Own the India statutory audit process end-to-end, serving as the primary point of contact for Indian auditors
• Ensure timely and accurate compliance with MCA filings, including annual returns and board resolutions
• Manage India payroll accounting in coordination with HR, including ESOP perquisite taxation, TDS on salary, and reconciliation to payroll provider outputs
• Stay current with evolving India regulatory requirements and proactively flag compliance risks Systems integration
• Lead the integration of India accounting operations into Esper's consolidated accounting stack
• Partner with the US Controller to design scalable, auditable processes that work across both entities
• Identify and drive improvements in how we use accounting software, automation, and AI

tools to reduce manual work and improve accuracy

US GAAP Reporting Support

• Prepare and review India-side workpapers supporting the consolidated US GAAP
• Support the annual financial statement audit conducted by Esper's US-based external auditors
• Contribute to technical accounting memos and analysis as needed (revenue recognition, equity, intercompany eliminations, etc.)

Qualifications

• KPMG) with subsequent experience in a senior accounting role in private industry
• Your Big 4 experience included audit engagements for US-listed companies or US- backed startups, giving you real exposure to US GAAP, consolidation requirements, and the expectations of a US-headquartered parent company
• You also have hands-on experience with India statutory audits, giving you command of both frameworks
• Your private industry experience at the Senior Accounting Manager or Assistant Controller level means you know what it looks like to own a close, manage compliance deadlines, and operate within a lean finance team
• CA (Chartered Accountant) designation strongly preferred.

Technical Skills

• Deep working knowledge of US GAAP including revenue recognition (ASC 606), equity accounting, intercompany eliminations, and consolidation
• Strong command of India compliance: GST, TDS, Income Tax Act, Companies Act, and MCA filing requirements
• Familiarity with multi-currency accounting, foreign currency translation, and CTA
• Comfort working across a modern finance tech stack; experience with tools such as NetSuite, Tally, Rippling, Carta, Avalara, Bill.com, or Navan is a strong plus.

Mindset

• Genuinely curious about AI and enthusiastic about finding new ways to use it in accounting workflows
• You approach systems and processes with a modern lens: you are not attached to how things have always been done, and you actively look for better ways
• High ownership mentality: you are comfortable operating with limited hand-holding and are proactive about surfacing issues early
• Strong communicator who can bridge the gap between India-side compliance requirements and a US-based finance team.

Nice to Have

• Prior experience working at or with a US-headquartered SaaS or technology company
• Exposure to intercompany transfer pricing or cross-border invoicing structures
• Experience with tools like NetSuite, Tally, Rippling, Carta, Avalara, Bill.com, or Navan
• Familiarity with India ESOP taxation and TDS on perquisites