About Gajab
Gajab is reimagining online shopping for India's next 100 million value-seeking users. We're building India's first AI-powered bargaining marketplace where technology negotiates on behalf of customers and sellers, recreating the interactive, joyful bazaar experience at your fingertips.
Our Mission: To bring the real desiness of shopping online the thrill of negotiation, the joy of getting a great deal, and the human touch of India's vibrant bazaars all powered by smart technology.
We're bootstrapped with 1000+ days of runway, backed by founders with strong business track records. We are currently in the Pre-beta launch Phase.
THE ROLE
We are looking for a Finance & Compliance Manager to build and own our finance backbone from scratch. This is a high-ownership, zero-to-one role where you will establish systems, ensure statutory compliance, maintain clean books, and build strong financial discipline as we scale.
You will start as an individual contributor and play a foundational role in shaping GAJAB's financial processes, internal controls, reporting systems, and compliance framework.
This role reports directly to the Chief of Staff.
WHAT YOU WILL DO
Statutory Compliance & Taxation (35%)
- Own end-to-end compliance for TDS deduction, timely payment, and filing
- Prepare and file GST returns (GSTR-1, GSTR-3B, GSTR-9) accurately and on time
- Handle ROC filings and statutory requirements on the MCA portal
- Prepare schedules and working papers for annual ITR filing
- Manage Professional Tax compliance across applicable states
- Ensure zero penalties, notices, or compliance lapses
Financial Accounting & Audit (25%)
- Maintain accurate daily books of accounts as per approved accounting standards
- Lead quarterly book finalization and prepare necessary schedules
- Coordinate with statutory auditors and ensure smooth annual audit closure
- Ensure proper documentation, ledger hygiene, and strong internal controls
- Identify and plug process gaps proactively
Accounts Payable & Treasury (20%)
- Maintain and govern Vendor Master with periodic reconciliations
- Validate expenses with proper approvals and documentation
- Manage vendor payments, ageing analysis, and cash flow planning
- Prepare Bank Reconciliation Statements (BRS) regularly
- Maintain proper documentation for all payment transactions
Fixed Assets & Controls (10%)
- Maintain and reconcile Fixed Asset Register (FAR) with General Ledger
- Manage capitalization and depreciation schedules
- Ensure asset procurement follows defined SOPs
- Build asset tracking systems as the company scales
Management Reporting & FP&A (10%)
- Prepare quarterly MIS reports for leadership
- Conduct expense deep-dives and cost optimisation analysis
- Support annual business planning and budgeting
- Monitor liquidity and prepare cash flow statements
- Provide insights not just reports
SYSTEMS & PROCESS BUILDING
- Set up accounting software and reporting frameworks (if not already in place)
- Build SOPs for compliance, vendor payments, approvals, and documentation
- Establish strong financial controls suitable for a fast-scaling startup
- Create dashboards for founders covering burn, runway, expenses, and unit economics
- Bring structure without slowing down execution
SUCCESS METRICS
You will be measured on:
- Zero compliance penalties or missed filings
- Accuracy and timeliness of GST, TDS, ROC, and ITR processes
- Clean audit closure without major qualifications
- Timely monthly book closure
- Vendor payment discipline and cash flow visibility
- Strong financial reporting that enables smart decision-making
- Process automation and efficiency improvements over time
MUST-HAVE REQUIREMENTS (Non-Negotiable)
- 3-6 years of experience in finance, accounting, or compliance roles
- Strong hands-on experience with GST, TDS, ROC filings, and statutory compliance
- Experience maintaining books independently in a startup or SME environment
- Immediate availability or ability to join within 15-30 days maximum
- Currently based in Mumbai or willing to relocate immediately
- Strong working knowledge of Indian accounting standards and tax regulations
STRONGLY PREFERRED (Major Plus Points)
- Startup experience (company size under 50 people)
- Experience handling finance in early-stage / zero-to-one setup
- Exposure to ecommerce or marketplace businesses
- Experience working directly with founders
- Strong Excel and financial modeling skills
- CA Inter / Semi-qualified CA / CA preferred
IMMEDIATE REJECTION CRITERIA (Red Flags)
- Purely theoretical knowledge without hands-on compliance experience
- Dependence on external consultants for routine statutory filings
- Inability to work independently without structured finance team
- Notice period longer than 60 days
- Expectation of rigid 9-5 structured corporate environment
- Lack of attention to detail or poor documentation practices
WHAT WE OFFER
- Compensation: Open and flexible based on experience and track record
- High ownership: Build GAJAB's finance foundation from scratch
- Direct founder access and visibility
- Real impact on company sustainability and growth
- Exposure to full finance stack compliance, accounting, FP&A, treasury
- Fast learning environment with decision-making authority
WORK CULTURE & EXPECTATIONS
- 6-day work week: 5 days in office (Marol, Andheri East, Mumbai), Saturday work from home
- Flexible working hours based on workload and filing cycles
- Results-driven culture accuracy and accountability matter more than hours
- High ownership with minimal supervision
- Builder mindset set up systems from scratch
- Comfortable with ambiguity and evolving processes
- Strong integrity and confidentiality standards
- Scrappy execution structure with speed
COMPENSATION & WORK SETUP
Compensation: Open and flexible
Work Mode: 5 days in office, Saturday WFH
Additional Benefits: 2 work-from-home days per month (mental health / menstrual health)
Reporting To: Founders / Operations Manager
Start Date: Immediate joining preferred within 15-30 days
Apply: https://gajab.notion.site/
PROCESS
Acknowledgement: Within 24-48 hours
Initial Response: Within 5 working days
Interview Rounds: 2 rounds
- Round 1: HR Screening (30-40 minutes)
- Round 2: Founder Round (60-75 minutes) deep dive into compliance handling, real-case scenarios, and financial problem solving
What to Expect:
Be prepared to walk us through actual filings handled, audit situations managed, compliance challenges faced, and how you've built financial systems in previous roles.
