Country Financial Controller - India

About the role

Side is seeking an experienced Financial Controller to lead its India finance function across Bangalore and Hyderabad.

This is a hands-on country finance leadership role with responsibility for a team of three and end-to-end ownership of India's management and financial reporting, month-end close, budgeting and forecasting, statutory reporting and audit, financial compliance, cash flow and financial controls.

The role will partner closely with the India Managing Director, Group Finance and FP&A to provide accurate reporting, robust forecasts and practical commercial insight, while ensuring that the Indian business operates within Side's global finance policies and local statutory requirements.

The ideal candidate will combine strong controllership and technical accounting skills with the ability to lead a small team, improve processes and act as a credible finance partner to senior non-finance stakeholders.

The role reports to the Group Financial Controller, who is based in London, with a professional reporting line to the India Managing Director.

Key responsibilities

• Lead the India finance team of three and take end-to-end ownership of the local finance function, while remaining hands-on where required.
• Own the monthly close and reporting process for India, ensuring timely and accurate P&L, balance sheet, cash flow, management reporting and supporting schedules for Group Finance and Side's parent company based in Japan.
• Prepare and review management and statutory financial statements, balance-sheet reconciliations and supporting schedules, with clear ownership of data quality and reporting deadlines.
• Ensure financial reporting is accurate, timely and compliant with applicable Indian accounting requirements and Side Group accounting policies.
• Own local statutory and financial compliance, including applicable direct and indirect tax, corporate and regulatory reporting requirements, working with external advisers where appropriate.
• Lead the annual statutory audit process, including auditor coordination, preparation of schedules, resolution of audit issues and delivery to agreed deadlines.
• Lead the Indian element of our parent company's statutory audit on a quarterly basis, including an annual controls-based assessment.
• Oversee finance operations across the general ledger, accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll accounting, credit control, fixed assets and cash management, ensuring clear controls and accountabilities.
• Implement and maintain strong financial policies, procedures and internal controls, and drive practical process improvements and standardisation.
• Ensure all material financial transactions are appropriately supported, approved, authorised and recorded in accordance with delegated authorities and Group policy.
• Manage local cash flow and working capital and prepare reliable short- and medium-term cash forecasts in line with Group Treasury requirements.
• Oversee fixed-asset accounting, including additions, depreciation/amortisation, disposals and physical/control requirements.
• Co-lead the India annual budget and periodic forecasting process with FP&A and the India Managing Director, providing assumptions, variance analysis and challenge to business inputs.
• Partner with the India Managing Director and other business leaders to explain performance, identify risks and opportunities, and provide clear financial insight for decision-making.
• Lead, mentor and develop the three-person India finance team, setting clear responsibilities, standards and development objectives.
• Drive improvements in team performance, process efficiency, close discipline, controls and turnaround times.
• Build strong working relationships across India operations, Group Finance, FP&A, Treasury, Tax and other relevant global functions.
• Support Group Finance initiatives affecting India, including systems, controls, reporting and process-change projects.

Requirements

• Based in Bangalore, or able to work regularly from the Bangalore office in line with Side's working arrangements.
• Qualified Chartered Accountant (CA) or Cost and Management Accountant (CMA) preferred. An equivalent professional accounting qualification may be considered where the candidate has strong practical experience of Indian statutory reporting, audit and compliance.
• Ideally 6 - 9 years of relevant post-qualification experience, including recent responsibility for a complete finance function or significant controllership remit in India.
• Strong end-to-end finance and accounting experience, with the judgement to operate as the senior local finance lead rather than solely as a technical accountant.
• Proven ownership of month-end close, balance-sheet control, management reporting and statutory financial statements.
• Experience overseeing core finance operations including general ledger, accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll accounting, cash management and credit control.
• Strong practical knowledge of Indian statutory compliance and a track record of leading external statutory audits.
• Strong knowledge of Indian GAAP / Ind AS, with working knowledge of IFRS or another international reporting framework.
• Experience working within a multinational or internationally owned business and reporting into a regional or global finance organisation.
• Experience implementing and maintaining financial policies, procedures and internal controls, with evidence of improving processes rather than simply operating them.
• Strong cash-flow forecasting, working-capital management and variance-analysis experience.
• Demonstrable experience directly managing and developing a small finance team.
• Strong communication and business-partnering skills, including the ability to explain financial performance and challenge assumptions constructively with senior non-finance stakeholders.
• Proactive and hands-on, with the ability to prioritise, meet reporting deadlines and respond pragmatically to changing business needs.
• Strong Excel skills and experience using a modern ERP. Experience with Microsoft Dynamics 365 or a comparable multinational ERP environment would be advantageous.

What we offer

• The opportunity to join a growing global business at an exciting stage.
• A dynamic, entrepreneurial working culture.
• Exposure to international finance operations across multiple regions.
• The opportunity to work closely with senior stakeholders across a global games services business.