Chief Financial Officer, ( Foreign University, India Campus)

Emeritus Enterprise; Gurugram District; On-site; INR 6,000,000 - 10,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Emeritus Enterprise seeks a Chief Financial Officer for Foreign University’s India campus in Gurugram. The role leads strategic and operational finance, ensuring regulatory compliance and robust governance in a joint venture with the partner university.

You will shape financial strategy, budgeting, capital planning, and reporting, while building a high-performing finance team and advising senior leadership on strategic financial decisions across India.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Business, or related field (Essential).
• Professional qualification CA/CPA/ACCA/CFA or equivalent (Essential).
• 10+ years of senior financial leadership experience (Essential).
• Experience in financial strategy, governance, budgeting, risk management, compliance, and reporting (Essential).
• Strong knowledge of Indian taxation and regulatory frameworks (Essential).
• Experience in international expansion or multinational organisations (Desirable).
• Experience in higher education, transnational education, or complex regulated environments (Essential).
• Experience managing large capital projects and budgets (Essential).
• Ability to communicate complex financial information to non-financial stakeholders (Essential).
• Ability to influence executive and board-level decisions (Essential).

Responsibilities

• Establish finance systems, policies, processes, controls, and reporting frameworks.
• Develop financial strategy for establishing and operating the India campus.
• Lead long-term financial modelling for enrolments, fees, costs, and growth.
• Oversee procurement, contracts governance, and value-for-money compliance.
• Ensure taxation, audits, and regulatory reporting are robust and timely.
• Coach leaders to improve financial literacy and decision-making.

Skills

Financial leadership

Strategic planning

Regulatory compliance

Financial modelling

Stakeholder management

Cross-border operations

Communication to non-financial

Education

CA/CPA/ACCA/CFA

Bachelors in Finance/Accounting/Economics

Job description

10 - 20 Years

Permanent

Job Description

Employment Type:Full-time
Location: Gurugram India

Position Summary

The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) will provide strategic and operationalfinancial leadership from the outset for Foreign University’s new India campus.The campus will operate in India as a joint venture with Emeritus, and the rolewill involve a high degree of operational independence.The CFO will beresponsible for financial strategy, planning and budgeting, regulatorycompliance, financial reporting, taxation, financial risk management, capitalplanning, and the development of robust financial systems and controls. Therole will ensure compliance with applicable Indian regulations whilemaintaining alignment with Foreign University’s financial governance andreporting requirements, working closely with the university finance leadershipteam and the JVC Board.The CFO will work closely with university leadership,governing bodies, regulators, government authorities, auditors, legal advisors,banking partners, and stakeholders across India and Foreign University.

Key Responsibilities

1. Financial Strategy and Operational Performance

• Establishfinance systems, policies, processes, controls, and reporting frameworks.
• Develop andimplement the financial strategy for establishing and operating the Indiacampus.
• Leadlong-term financial modelling covering enrolments, fee structures,operating costs, investments, and campus growth.
• Lead theimplementation and ongoing development of finance systems and reportingtools.
• Overseebudgeting, forecasting, cash flow, taxation, statutory reporting, andinternal and external audits.
• Establish andoversee procurement, purchasing, and contract governance frameworks toensure transparency, value for money, and compliance with institutionalrequirements.
• Evaluatefunding, investment, partnership, leasing, and other financial models tosupport long-term sustainability.
• Developfinancially sustainable models for student enrolments, research, industrypartnerships, executive education, and other revenue streams.
• Build andlead a high-performing finance team through effective workforce planning,talent development, succession planning, and a culture of accountabilityand financial discipline.
• Providestrategic financial advice and insights to senior leadership and governingcommittees.

2. Governance, Risk and Compliance

• Establishstrong financial governance, internal controls, fraud prevention, and riskmanagement frameworks.
• Ensurecompliance with applicable Indian education, corporate, taxation, foreignexchange, and financial regulations.
• Ensureappropriate alignment with international financial reporting requirements,including IFRS where applicable.
• Managecross-border financial arrangements, foreign currency exposure, bankingrelationships, taxation, and financial risk.
• Maintainstrong relationships with Indian regulators, government bodies, auditors,banks, and professional advisors.
• Support theBoard in maintaining effective financial governance.
• Build andlead a high-performing finance team through effective workforce planning,talent development, succession planning, and a culture of accountabilityand financial discipline.
• Providestrategic financial advice and insights to senior leadership and governingcommittees.
• Coach leadersacross the business to improve financial literacy and decision-making.

Skills & Experience

• Bachelor’sdegree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Business, or a relateddiscipline, or equivalent experience. (Essential)
• Professionalqualification such as CA, CPA, ACCA, CFA, or equivalent. (Essential)
• 10+ years ofsenior financial leadership experience, preferably in complex, regulated,or international organisations. (Essential)
• Experience infinancial strategy, governance, budgeting, risk management, compliance,and financial reporting. (Essential)
• Strongknowledge of Indian taxation, regulatory, and financial frameworks. (Essential)
• Experience ininternational expansion, cross-border operations, or multinationalorganisations. (Desirable)
• Experience ofworking within higher education, transnational education, internationalcampuses, or similarly complex regulated environments. (Essential)
• Experiencemanaging significant capital projects and operational budgets. (Essential)
• Experience ofdeveloping long-term financial models and sustainability plans.(Essential)
• Experience ofworking with governing boards, Finance Committees, and Audit & RiskCommittees. (Essential)
• Strongstrategic thinking, commercial judgement, analytical ability, andstakeholder management skills. (Essential)
• Highintegrity, sound judgement, and ability to work effectively acrosscultures and jurisdictions. (Essential)
• Ability tocommunicate complex financial information to non-financial stakeholders.(Essential)
• Ability toinfluence strategic decision-making at executive and governing boardlevel. (Essential)

Key Relationships

• Head of Institution/ India Campus Head
• ParentUniversity Finance Leadership
• SeniorAcademic and Professional Leadership