Assistant Manager - Ethics & Independence - Mumbai

BDO India; Mumbai; On-site; INR 1,500,000 - 2,100,000; Full time

Job summary

BDO India is seeking an Assistant Manager in Ethics & Independence to safeguard independence and manage complex risk and compliance matters. The role demands advanced subject matter expertise, strategic leadership, and cross-functional collaboration with senior leaders across legal, risk and engagement teams.

You will supervise conflict checks, provide expert opinions on high-risk scenarios, and drive policy evolution while working with BDO Global on international compliance standards.

Qualifications

• CA or equivalent with advanced regulatory knowledge.
• MBA in Finance, Risk or Law is a plus.
• Experience in Ethics & Independence, risk, compliance or regulatory advisory roles.

Responsibilities

• Interpret and implement ethics & independence framework per global and local standards.
• Lead and mentor a team of seniors and associates in risk/compliance.
• Advise senior stakeholders on high-risk ethical matters and policy evolution.
• Drive process improvements in conflict checks and independence monitoring.
• Collaborate with global teams on independence protocols and dashboards.
• Oversee quality reviews and timely delivery of independence memos and conflict reports.
• Design training for leaders and new joiners on ethics standards.

Skills

Ethics & Independence

Risk & Compliance

Regulatory Advisory

Stakeholder management

Data analytics

Audit independence requirements

Excel

Workflow automation tools

Education

Chartered Accountant, MBA in Finance/Risk/Law

Tools

Excel

Workflow automation tools

Job description

BDO is a global network of professional services firms with a presence in over 166 countries, revenue of over USD 14 billion, and experience of over 60 years. It’s a leading service provider for the mid-markets with client service at its heart.

BDO India Services Private Limited (or ‘BDO India’) is the India member firm of BDO International. BDO India offers strategic, operational, accounting and tax, and regulatory advisory & assistance for both domestic and international organizations across a range of industries. BDO India is led by more than 300+ Partners & Directors with a team of over 10,000 professionals operating across 14 cities and 20 offices. We expect to grow sizably in the coming 3-5 years, adding various dimensions to our business and multiplying and increasing the current team size multi-fold.

About the Ethics & Independence Function

The Ethics & Independence (E&I) team plays a pivotal role in safeguarding the firms reputation and regulatory compliance by proactively managing internal risks related to client acceptance, engagement continuance, and conflict of interest assessments. The team ensures the firms adherence to internal policies and global independence standards applicable to both audit and non-audit services.

The opportunity

As a Assistant Manager Ethics & Independence, you will take a role in ensuring compliance with the firms independence and conflict management policies. This role demands advanced subject matter expertise in ethics, regulatory compliance, and risk mitigation frameworks, along with the ability to lead a high-performing team. The Assistant Manager will drive strategic initiatives, lead cross-functional collaboration, guide senior stakeholders on high-risk ethical matters, and contribute significantly to policy evolution and implementation.

Key Responsibilities

• Interpret, implement, and enhance the firms Ethics & Independence framework in alignment with global and local regulatory standards (including ICAI, SEBI, RBI, and BDO International policies).
• Catalyse firm-wide initiatives to improve conflict check processes, develop policies, and implement monitoring controls.
• Serve as the advisor to client-facing teams on complex independence matters and conflict resolution.
• Deliver expert opinions to Partners and leadership on grey areas involving public interest entities, restricted services, and emerging compliance scenarios.
• Collaborate with BDO Global on independence protocols and global compliance initiatives.
• Supervise end-to-end conflict checks and independence clearance processes for large-scale, complex engagements.
• Lead the escalation and resolution of high-risk ethical scenarios involving multi-jurisdictional client relationships
• Governance & Quality Assurance
• Monitor quality and timeliness of deliverables, including conflict reports and independence memos, ensuring accuracy and regulatory compliance.
• Conduct periodic internal reviews and audits to assess adherence to ethics frameworks.
• Oversee firm-wide utilization of conflict management tools and independence databases.
• Drive automation and digitization initiatives to improve data quality, report generation, and workflow efficiency.
• Stakeholder Engagement:
• Act as a liaison between the E&I team and senior leadership, legal, risk, and engagement teams.
• Present periodic updates and dashboards to management on risk exposure, conflict trends, and resolution strategies.

Team Management

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of Seniors and Associates.
• Build a learning culture and upskill the team on evolving regulatory and ethical developments.
• Training & Communication:
• Design and conduct training sessions for client teams, leadership, and new joiners.
• Communicate policy changes and best practices firm-wide through structured communication strategies.

Required Qualifications & Skills

• Chartered Accountant, Postgraduate degree (MBA in Finance, Risk, Law, or related discipline) from a reputed institution.
• 3 - 5 years of experience in Ethics & Independence, Risk, Compliance, or Regulatory Advisory roles.
• Relevant certifications in Risk, Compliance, or Ethics (e.g., ICAI, ACCA, Certified Compliance Professional) are a plus.
• Prior experience in a Big 4 preferred.
• Technical & Analytical Skills - Deep understanding of auditor independence requirements (e.g., ICAI Code of Ethics, BDO Global Independence Manual, IESBA Code).
• Expertise in conflict management systems, and independence monitoring tools.
• Strong Excel and data analytics skills; experience with workflow automation tools is a plus.
• Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders and drive firm-wide initiatives.