Chief Operating Officer - Mumbai

Jobitus; Mumbai; On-site; INR 4,500,000 - 7,500,000; Full time

Job summary

Jobitus in Mumbai invites an accomplished executive to act as COO, owning non-revenue functions across operations, HR, finance, IT, and risk. The role focuses on building the operating backbone to support growth while enabling Partners to focus on clients.

You will shape the operating model, set annual plans, oversee budgets and compliance, and partner with senior leadership to scale the firm while maintaining discretion and professional standards.

Qualifications

• CA, CMA or MBA with 15–20 years in operations or finance.
• 5+ years in COO, CFO, or Head of Operations in a growing firm.
• Experience in Big Four or mid-tier professional services preferred.
• Knowledge of ICAI regulations, LLP structures and Indian tax/labour laws is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Own the non-revenue functions and build the operating backbone.
• Develop annual operating plans, budgets and firm-wide SOPs.
• Lead HR lifecycle, compensation, retention and partner-track design.
• Drive IT strategy, cyber security and DPDP compliance.
• Ensure risk, compliance and regulatory filings are met.

Skills

Builder mindset

Strong financial acumen

People leadership

Technology orientation

Discretion

Education

CA / CMA / MBA

Tools

ERP / HRMS

Job description

The opportunity Our client is a mid-size, multi-disciplinary audit and assurance firm (audit, tax, transaction advisory, investment banking) with offices across India and an ambition to become a large, institutionally run firm. The COO will own all non-revenue functions, building the operating backbone that lets Partners focus on clients while the firm scales.

Key responsibilities

• Operations & strategy
  • Annual operating plan and budgets; firm-wide SOPs and delegation of authority; monthly MIS to Partners (utilisation, realisation, billing, collections); integration of new offices or acquired practices.
• Human resources
  • Full employee lifecycle from hiring to exit; career and grade framework; CA articleship programme; compensation, retention and partner-track design; labour-law and POSH compliance.
• Finance & accounts
  • Books, monthly close, budgets and cash flow; billing, WIP and debtor management; firm tax, GST and statutory filings; partner capital accounts and profit-sharing workings; cost control.
• Learning & development
  • Annual technical and leadership learning calendar; ICAI CPE tracking; firm academy and knowledge management.
• Technology
  • IT strategy, cybersecurity and DPDP compliance; practice-management, billing, HRMS and DMS systems; audit analytics, automation and AI adoption.
• Risk & compliance
  • Process support for SQC 1 / SQM, peer review and NFRA / ICAI inspections; independence and conflict checks; PI insurance, contracts and the firm's own regulatory filings.
• Admin & brand
  • Offices, facilities, travel and procurement; new office set-ups; marketing operations and proposal support; Partners' Board secretariat.

Success will be measured on support cost as % of revenue, debtor days and realisation, attrition and time-to-hire, CPE compliance, system adoption, clean inspection outcomes, and Partner feedback.

Candidate profile

• CA, CMA or MBA (Finance / Operations / HR); 15–20 years' experience, with 5+ years as COO, CFO, Head of Operations or Shared Services.
• Background in a Big Four, mid-tier audit / consulting firm, law firm or other people-intensive professional services business.
• Has led at least three of HR, finance, IT, L&D and admin, and scaled an organisation through rapid growth.
• Working knowledge of ICAI regulations, LLP / partnership structures, and Indian tax and labour laws.
• Preferred: ERP / HRMS implementation, firm mergers or integration, and moving a founder-led firm to institutional governance.
• Attributes: Builder mindset, strong financial acumen, credibility with senior Partners, people leadership, technology orientation and absolute discretion.

Why this role

A seat at the leadership table with a mandate to shape the firm's operating model, competitive pay with bonus, and a path to an operations / non-practising Partner or equivalent role.