Associate Director: Finance & Accounts, Bangalore

Ground Zero; Bengaluru; On-site; INR 1,530,000 - 1,870,000; Full time

Job summary

Ground Zero is seeking an experienced Associate Director – Finance & Accounts to lead finance, accounting, compliance, and grant management. This leadership role collaborates with the CEO, senior leadership, and the Board to drive financial planning, governance, and organizational growth.

The candidate will oversee budgeting, internal controls, regulatory compliance (GST, FCRA, Income Tax), and ERP-related initiatives, while mentoring the Finance & Accounts team and engaging with donors and

Qualifications

• CA / CA (Inter) / MBA (Finance) / M.Com or equivalent.
• Minimum 10 years of finance experience, including 5 years in the non-profit sector.
• Strong experience in financial planning, grant management, and statutory compliance.
• Experience with donor-funded organizations and multi-grant portfolios is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, costing, and overall financial strategy.
• Prepare and monitor budgets; provide updates to senior leadership.
• Develop and strengthen finance policies, internal controls, and financial systems.
• Partner with program teams to support grant budgets and financial monitoring.
• Support operational teams in financial evaluation and ERP implementation initiatives.
• Prepare financial reports, presentations, and documentation for leadership and Board meetings.

Skills

Financial planning

Budgeting

Grant management

Statutory compliance

Audit management

Financial reporting/MIS

Team leadership

Stakeholder management

MS Excel proficiency

Education

CA / CA (Inter) / MBA (Finance) / M.Com

MBA in Finance or equivalent

Tools

MS Excel

Accounting/ERP systems

Job description

Experience: 10+ years

Salary: Upto 17 LPA

Note: Non-profit sector experience is mandatory

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About the Role:

We are looking for an experienced Associate Director – Finance & Accounts to lead the organization's finance, accounting, compliance, and grant management functions. This is a leadership role that will work closely with the CEO, senior leadership, and the Board to drive financial planning, governance, compliance, and organizational growth.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, costing, and overall financial strategy.
• Prepare and monitor organizational budgets, providing regular updates to senior leadership.
• Develop and strengthen finance policies, internal controls, and financial systems.
• Partner with program teams to support budget planning, grant utilization, and financial monitoring.
• Support operational teams in financial evaluation and contribute to ERP implementation initiatives.
• Prepare financial reports, presentations, and documentation for leadership and Board meetings.

2. Grants & Donor Financial Management-

• Manage financial oversight of grants and donor-funded projects.
• Prepare donor financial reports, expenditure statements, utilization reports, and supporting documentation.
• Monitor grant budgets, fund utilization, cash flow, and financial coding.
• Ensure compliance with donor requirements, reporting timelines, and documentation.
• Support the fundraising team with financial inputs for grant proposals and budgets.

3. Compliance & Governance-

• Lead statutory audits, internal audits, grant audits, GST, FCRA, and other regulatory compliance requirements.
• Coordinate with auditors and internal stakeholders to ensure timely audit completion.
• Ensure compliance with applicable tax laws and statutory regulations.
• Manage financial and legal risks through effective controls and governance practices.
• Review and oversee contracts, MoUs, and other legal documentation related to finance and operations.
• Lead, mentor, and develop the Finance & Accounts team.
• Build efficient finance processes and strengthen team capabilities.
• Drive a culture of accountability, compliance, and continuous improvement.

Preferred Qualifications:

• CA / CA (Inter) / MBA (Finance) / M.Com or equivalent.
• Minimum 10 years of finance experience, including 5 years in the non-profit/development sector.
• Strong experience in:
• 1. Financial planning & budgeting
• 2. Grant and donor financial management
• 3. Statutory compliance (including FCRA, GST, Income Tax)
• 4. Audit management
• 5. Financial reporting and MIS
• 6. Team leadership
• Experience working with donor-funded organizations and multi-grant portfolios is highly preferred.
• Strong communication, stakeholder management, and presentation skills.
• Proficiency in MS Excel and accounting/ERP systems.