Financial Controller

About 21K School

21K School is Asia's largest online school, educating 7,500+ students across 70+ countries. As we enter our next phase of global expansion, we seek a strategic and investor-facing Finance Controller to strengthen our financial leadership, governance, and capital readiness.

This is a pivotal role for a growth-minded finance leader who can bridge operational control with strategic foresight driving financial excellence, investor confidence, and value creation.

Job Title: Finance Controller

Experience: 6 to 10 Years

Location: Work from Office - Indiranagar Bangalore

Department: Finance

Reporting to: CEO & Founder

Role Overview

The Finance Controller will serve as the financial nerve Centre of the organization leading corporate finance, FP&A, treasury, and investor relations, while overseeing accounts, audit, and compliance through the Head of Finance & Accounts.

This role demands a balance of strategic vision, analytical depth, and operational discipline, working closely with the CEO, Board, and investors to build a scalable, investor-ready finance ecosystem.

Key Responsibilities

1. Strategic Finance & Fundraising

• Lead equity and debt fundraising investor identification, financial modelling, due diligence, and transaction execution.
• Develop and maintain investor relations, including quarterly updates, performance dashboards, and board reporting.
• Partner with leadership to develop long-term financial models, valuation analysis, and scenario planning for capital allocation.
• Drive initiatives to optimise capital structure, cost of capital, and shareholder value.

2. Financial Planning, Analysis & Business Partnering

• Own the annual operating plan (AOP), rolling forecasts, and management dashboards.
• Build a robust FP&A function providing strategic insights to leadership and business units.
• Partner with growth, marketing, and product teams for unit economics, pricing, and margin improvement.
• Establish data-driven frameworks for cost control, profitability, and ROI analysis.

3. Treasury, Cash Flow & Risk Management

• Manage cash flow forecasting, working capital efficiency, and capital allocation.
• Lead banking and treasury operations, ensuring liquidity and fund deployment efficiency.
• Maintain oversight of foreign exchange exposure and implement basic hedging and risk controls for international receipts and payments.
• Ensure compliance with FEMA, RBI, and international remittance regulations for overseas operations.
• Oversee risk management processes including financial, operational, and compliance risk assessment.

4. Accounts, Audit & Compliance Oversight

• Supervise the Head of Finance & Accounts for day-to-day financial operations, accounting accuracy, and timely closures.
• Ensure statutory compliance (GST, TDS, income tax, Companies Act, FEMA) and audit readiness.
• Oversee internal and statutory audits, ensuring clean reports and strong internal controls.
• Maintain transparent and investor-grade financial statements compliant with IND-AS and IFRS principles where relevant.

5. International Finance & Global Reporting (10%)

• Oversee limited aspects of international accounting, entity consolidation, and cross- border financial reporting.
• Support foreign subsidiary governance, including banking, forex, and local compliance coordination.
• Collaborate with advisors to manage transfer pricing and inter-company reconciliations as required.

6. Leadership & Transformation

• Build and mentor a high-performance finance team integrating FP&A, Treasury, and Accounts.
• Implement financial automation tools and scalable reporting systems.
• Partner with the CEO and Board to drive strategic initiatives M&A, new geographies, and global expansions.
• Serve as a key advisor to the CEO on fiscal risk, opportunities, and long-term financial strategy.

Compensation & Benefits

• Opportunity to partner directly with Founders and Board on strategic growth and fundraising.
• Culture that values ownership, innovation, and long-term impact

Qualifications & Experience

• Chartered Accountant (CA) or MBA Finance (Tier 1 preferred).
• 48 years of experience in corporate finance, FP&A, investor relations, or startup fundraising.
• Proven track record in scaling financial systems, managing multi-entity reporting, and raising equity/debt capital.
• Strong understanding of IND-AS with working knowledge of IFRS/IAS principles preferred.
• Advanced proficiency in financial modelling, valuation, and BI tools (Tally, Power BI, Excel, ERP systems).
• Exposure to FEMA compliance and international remittance management preferred.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Fundraising & Investor Relations -Successful capital raise, timely investor reporting, stakeholder satisfaction 90%
• Financial Performance- Forecast variance 5%, EBITDA margin improvement, cash runway 18 months
• Compliance & Governance-Zero audit qualifications, 100% statutory compliance, audit closure within 30 days
• Cash & Treasury- Working capital optimization, cash yield benchmark, risk exposure monitored monthly
• International Finance (10%)-Forex variance within 2% of forecast, compliance with FEMA & cross-border remittance timelines

Leadership Competencies

• Strategic Foresight: Aligns financial strategy with growth objectives.
• Investor Gravitas: Communicates confidently with institutional and individual investors.
• Operational Discipline: Ensures rigor in accounting, audit, and compliance.
• Financial Governance Excellence: Maintains compliance with IND-AS and readiness for global reporting standards.
• Integrity & Governance: Upholds ethical and transparent financial practices.
• Team Leadership: Inspires, mentors, and develops finance professionals.

Why Join Us

• Be part of Asia's largest online school, making real impact in education
• Work with a passionate and mission-driven team
• Fast-paced, dynamic, and inclusive work culture
• Opportunity to innovate and lead high-impact initiatives

Ready to Support, Solve, and Succeed

Join us at 21K School and help us shape the future of educationone meaningful interaction at a time.

How to Apply :

If you are a motivated and organized individual with excellent communication skills, please submit your resume and cover letter to [Confidential Information] . We look forward to hearing from you!