The Sr. Finance Officer - Budget and Compliance will support the Director – Finance & Administration in ensuring strong financial management, compliance, and reporting across the organization. Key responsibilities include assisting in annual and grant-specific budgeting, managing donor financials, preparing financial reports, supporting audits, and ensuring adherence to statutory, regulatory, and board compliance requirements. The role involves regular engagement with donors, auditors, and regulatory bodies, and contributing to the financial planning and governance of the organization.
Responsibilities:
Manage the organization-wide annual budgeting process, coordinating with departmental teams to develop and finalize individual budgets. Consolidate inputs into a comprehensive budget package with relevant analysis and justifications for senior leadership review.
Collaborate with program teams to develop accurate and compliant project budgets for donor proposals, ensuring alignment with programmatic goals and donor requirements.
Analyze monthly budget versus actuals in coordination with program teams, identify key variances, generate actionable insights, and present findings during program review meetings.
Prepare monthly and quarterly financial dashboards and grant tracking reports to support effective decision-making by the leadership.
Liaise with individual donors on budget submissions, ensuring timely and accurate communication and compliance with donor expectations.
Lead the planning and execution of statutory, internal, and special-purpose audits, ensuring all audit findings are effectively addressed and resolved in consultation with auditors.
Coordinate donor audits, compile required documentation and facilitate timely responses to audit observations.
Oversee the preparation and timely submission of financial and utilization reports for donor-funded projects, ensuring adherence to specific donor requirements.
Serve as the key point of contact for donor communications related to financial queries, reviews, and compliance during grant implementation.
Ensure accurate and timely execution of month-end and year-end closing processes in line with organizational and regulatory standards.
Support the implementation and optimization of accounting systems to meet evolving organizational needs.
Requirements:
Qualified Chartered Accountant (CA) or MBA (Finance), with a solid grounding in financial management, compliance, and reporting; candidates holding an additional Company Secretary (CS) qualification will be preferred.
Minimum 5 years of relevant experience in financial planning and analysis, budgeting, donor reporting, grant management, and regulatory compliance—preferably within the development/non-profit sector.
Skills:
Strong financial acumen with demonstrated ability to manage complex budgets, financial data, and donor-specific reporting requirements.
In-depth knowledge of statutory, regulatory, and donor compliance requirements applicable to non-profit organizations, including FCRA, Income Tax, GST, EPF, and Companies Act.
Advanced proficiency in accounting and ERP systems (e.g., Tally, QuickBooks, NetSuite) and strong command over Microsoft Excel and other data analysis tools.
Proven experience in financial analysis, interpreting trends, generating insights, and translating them into actionable recommendations for leadership.
Strong organizational and project management skills, with the ability to prioritize effectively, manage multiple deadlines, and work in a fast-paced, evolving environment.
Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills; ability to collaborate with senior leadership, external auditors, regulatory bodies, and donors.
High level of integrity, accountability, and attention to detail.
Demonstrated initiative, adaptability, and eagerness to learn; a self-starter with a growth mindset and commitment to continuous professional development.
Ability to work both independently and as part of a cross-functional team, while maintaining a strong focus on results and impact.
