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 Associate Director – Finance & Accounts to lead finance, accounting, compliance, and grant management. You will drive financial planning, governance, and organizational growth, reporting to the CEO and Board.

The role requires 10+ years in finance, including 5+ years in non-profit sectors, with strong skills in budgeting, grants, audits, and MIS. This is a senior leadership position based in Bengaluru.

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.
• Proven experience in financial planning, budgeting, and grant management.
• Experience with statutory compliance (FCRA, GST, Income Tax) and audits.
• Strong reporting, MIS, and governance capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Lead financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, costing, and overall financial strategy.
• Prepare and monitor organizational budgets and provide updates to leadership.
• Develop finance policies, internal controls, and financial systems.
• Partner with programs for grant budgeting and utilization.
• Support ERP implementation and financial data reporting.

Skills

Financial planning

Budgeting

Grant management

Statutory compliance

Audit management

Financial reporting

MIS

Team leadership

Stakeholder management

Education

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