Senior Manager, Finance

Position Summary

The Senior Manager (Finance) works closely with the Director, Finance in managing the trust's financial operations, with a strong focus on accounting, statutory and regulatory compliance, cash flows, investments and high-quality, regular MIS for leadership. The role emphasises continuous monitoring and guidance of the finance team, regular review of accounting entries and payroll, and support for strengthening systems, processes and documentation, but does not directly own donor reporting.

Responsibilities

Accounting, compliance and audits

• Oversee day-to-day accounting, ensuring accurate and complete recording of transactions in line with Indian GAAP/Accounting Standards and internal policies as applicable to NGOs.
• Conduct regular review of accounting entries (including cost centres, projects and funding codes) to ensure accurate mapping of expenses to donors, programmes and organisational cost heads.
• Ensure all allocations, apportionments and reclasses are supported by clear workings and posted in the correct period.
• Ensure compliance with the Maharashtra Public Trusts Act, Income Tax Act (including 12A/80G), FCRA and other applicable NGO regulations, including timely filing of returns and maintenance of supporting documents.
• Coordinate statutory, internal and FCRA audits, prepare required schedules, respond to queries and support timely closure of audit observations.

Taxation and regulatory reporting

• Handle tax-related matters including taxation of NPOs, tax audits, TDS, and preparation of income tax return workings and documentation.
• Prepare and organise data and documentation for income tax assessments or scrutiny and respond to queries in coordination with tax advisors.
• Liaise with tax advisors, auditors and regulators to address compliance requirements and minimise exposure to penalties or disputes.

Treasury, cash flows, investments and systems

• Monitor and manage monthly and quarterly cash flows to ensure adequate funds for salaries, programme activities, vendor payments and statutory obligations.
• Prepare rolling cash flow forecasts linked to budgets and expected inflows, highlighting anticipated gaps or surpluses in MIS discussions with the Director – Finance.
• Support the Director, Finance in deploying surplus funds in line with the trust's investment policy and regulatory requirements (e.g., Section 11(5)–eligible instruments), prioritising safety, liquidity and reasonable returns.
• Track maturity schedules of FDs/other investments, plan renewals/redemptions, and report investment balances and returns as part of regular MIS and Board packs.
• Manage banking operations in coordination with the team, including signatory controls, digital banking safeguards and optimisation of bank charges.
• Oversee ERP/financial systems (NetSuite, Tally or equivalent) and drive process automation to improve accuracy, timeliness and integrity of financial data.

Financial planning, control and MIS

• Support the annual budgeting cycle by preparing the finance function budget, checking accuracy and completeness during consolidation of organisational budgets, and performing regular variance analysis with clear explanations for management.
• Monitor budget vs actuals monthly, analyse key variances, and share insights with the Director, Finance and budget owners for corrective actions.
• Ensure MIS is accurate, consistent and released as per agreed timelines, with clear commentary on trends and risks.

Team monitoring, review and support

• Supervise and guide finance team members on accounting, reconciliations, payments, payroll, filings and documentation.
• Set clear monthly and quarterly deliverables for the team (books closure, reconciliations, MIS, returns) and monitor adherence through structured review meetings.
• Review and sign off on key outputs prepared by the team (JV/ledgers, reconciliations, MIS, audit schedules, tax workings) before submission to the Director, Finance or management.
• Oversee payroll review each month to ensure prompt and accurate salary, reimbursement and statutory payments, and resolve payroll-related queries in coordination with HR.
• Provide on-the-job coaching to build team capability in systems, Excel, analysis and compliance.

Systems, processes and documentation

• Support the Director, Finance in designing and strengthening finance systems, processes and internal controls across accounting, payments, payroll, cash flow and compliance.
• Prepare and periodically update standard operating procedures (SOPs), process notes and checklists for key finance activities to ensure consistency and continuity.
• Champion best practices in documentation, record-keeping and data security within the finance function.

(Note: Donor financial reporting and grant utilisation reporting will be led by another role; this position primarily provides accurate underlying financial data and validations as required.)

Knowledge and Technical Skills

• Excellent written and spoken English.
• High attention to detail, ownership and integrity in financial data management and reporting.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving and stakeholder-management skills, with the ability to explain financial information clearly to non-finance colleagues.
• Ability to work independently, manage multiple deadlines, and thrive in a mission-driven, fast-paced NGO environment.

Minimum Qualifications, Experiences and Expectations

• Education: Inter CA or Commerce Graduate/Postgraduate (B.Com/M.Com) from a recognised institution.
• Experience: Around 10 years of relevant experience in large NGOs, with some exposure to medium-sized corporates in the service sector considered an advantage.
• Strong understanding of tax audits, income tax filing requirements, taxation for NPOs and NGO regulatory environment.
• Experience with ERP systems such as NetSuite, Tally or equivalent, and strong Excel skills for MIS and analysis.
• Prior work experience or audit exposure with Big 4 or other large audit firms will be an added advantage.

Note: We want to hear your unique voice and perspectives through the process, hence all applicants are expected to personally author statements of purpose/essays in the application form. Sole use of AI or Chat-GPT based tools may lead to disqualification from the process.