Manager, Ethics & Independence

MSKA & Associates; Mumbai; On-site; INR 4,500,000 - 6,500,000; Full time

Job summary

MSKA & Associates seeks an experienced Manager to lead the Ethics & Independence function in Mumbai. You will drive policy, risk assessment, and cross-functional collaboration to safeguard independence standards across audit and advisory services.

You will mentor a team, liaise with senior stakeholders, and implement policy changes in a fast-paced environment. A CA with an MBA in Finance or Risk is highly valued, with extensive regulatory experience.

Qualifications

• Chartered Accountant with postgraduate degree from a reputed institution.
• 8–12 years of experience in Ethics & Independence, Risk, Compliance, or Regulatory Advisory roles.
• Certifications in Risk, Compliance, or Ethics (e.g., ICAI, ACCA) are a plus.
• Prior Big 4 experience preferred.
• Strong Excel and data analytics skills; workflow automation experience is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Policy Oversight: interpret, implement, and enhance the ethics and independence framework per global and local standards.
• Governance & Quality Assurance: monitor deliverables, conduct internal reviews, and ensure regulatory compliance.
• Stakeholder Engagement: liaison with senior leadership, legal, risk, and engagement teams; present risk dashboards.
• Team Management: lead and develop a team of professionals; foster learning in regulatory developments.
• Training & Communication: design training sessions and communicate policy changes across the firm.

Skills

Ethics & Independence

Regulatory Compliance

Stakeholder Influence

Data Analytics

Excel

Education

Chartered Accountant (CA)

MBA in Finance / Risk / Law

Tools

Conflict management systems

Independence monitoring tools

Job description

About the Ethics & Independence Function:

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

The opportunity

As a Manager – Ethics & Independence, you will take a role in ensuring compliance with the firm’s 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 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

Strategic Policy Oversight

• Interpret, implement, and enhance the firm’s 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 Assistant Managers, 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.
• 8–12 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.