Finance Controller - Early Stage B2B Manufacturing Startup

Location: Delhi

Experience : 8-15 Years

We are looking for a hands-on yet strategic Finance Controller who can own controllership end-to-end, build scalable systems, and be a true business partner to founders.

Role Overview :

You will be the responsible for:

• Building robust accounting and controllership processes
• Owning exports-related finance and compliances across multiple geographies
• Moving us from a largely outsourced, tactical setup to a strong in-house finance engine
• Partnering with leadership on banking, working capital, and future fundraises / due diligence

This is a role for someone who is comfortable rolling up their sleeves today, while designing for scale over the next 3–5 years.

Key Responsibilities

1. Controllership & Accounting

• Own end-to-end accounting, book closure, and statutory compliances for all entities (India and overseas).
• Gradually transition accounting in-house (from current outsourced model), including hiring and developing a lean, high-quality finance team.
• Ensure accurate and timely monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements under applicable GAAP.
• Design and implement strong internal controls , SOPs, and approval workflows to reduce leakages and errors.

2. Exports & International Operations

• Oversee all export-related transactions : shipping bills, export documentation, filings, export incentives/benefits, realization tracking, and related compliances.
• Work closely with operations and commercial teams to structure order flows across geographies (India, US, UK, etc.) in a way that is tax-efficient and minimizes FX loss.
• Ensure proper accounting treatment of cross-border transactions, inter-company arrangements, and transfer pricing in coordination with external advisors.

3. Financial Planning, Working Capital & Banking

• Partner with leadership to forecast cash flows , track burn, and proactively manage working capital.
• Build and streamline working capital lines and banking facilities (OD, WC lines, export finance, etc.) in partnership with existing and new bankers.
• Continuously monitor receivables, payables, inventory, and credit terms to optimize cash conversion cycles.
• Prepare periodic MIS dashboards for management with clear, actionable insights.

4. Systems, Processes & Scale

• Move the finance function from tactical firefighting to robust, scalable systems .
• Evaluate and implement the right tools/ERPs for accounting, invoicing, inventory, and multi-entity consolidation.
• Standardize processes for order-to-cash and procure-to-pay across India and international entities.
• Build simple, founder-friendly reports that enable faster and better decision-making.

5. Stakeholder Management & Due Diligence

• Be the single point of contact (SPOC) for auditors, tax consultants, and other external partners (including existing outsourced firms like Areete).
• Prepare and manage investor and lender due diligence (DD) – data rooms, reconciliations, analyses and Q&A.
• Work closely with the founders and board on strategic finance topics, including new market entry, product economics, and capital allocation.

What Success Looks Like in 12–18 Months

• Majority of core accounting has moved in-house with a small, capable team in place.
• Strong internal controls and SOPs are documented and followed across entities.
• Working capital lines and banking relationships are streamlined, with clear visibility on cash and limits.
• Exports and cross-border transactions run smoothly and compliantly , with minimal last-minute firefighting.
• The finance function operates with a strategic lens , not just transactional – giving founders proactive insight, not just historical data.

Ideal Candidate Profile :

Must-have:

• Qualification: CA / CPA / equivalent. MBA (Finance) is a plus.
• Experience: 8–15 years of experience in finance & controllership roles, with:
• Significant exposure to F&B / FMCG / CPG companies , ideally at least one top-tier F&B or consumer brand .
• Hands-on exports experience – shipping bills, export documentation, incentives, and cross-border compliances.
• Strong grounding in accounting, tax, and regulatory compliances in India (GST, TDS, Companies Act, etc.).
• Demonstrated experience in building or leading a small finance team , not just managing outsourced partners.
• Prior involvement in fundraise / investor or lender due diligence , data rooms, and financial analysis.

Nice-to-have:

• Experience working with multi-entity / multi-country structures (e.g. India + UK).
• Exposure to setting up or optimizing working capital / banking lines .
• Experience in early-stage or growth-stage startups where systems were being built, not just maintained.

You are someone who:

• Moves comfortably between detail and strategy – you can close books and design processes.
• Enjoys building from scratch and bringing order to chaos.
• Communicates clearly with non-finance stakeholders and can push back when needed.
• Is proactive, ownership-driven, and comfortable working directly with founders.