[Career Site] CA Experienced required as Finance Manager at Quicksand
Quicksand is looking for a Finance Manager who would be excited about working in a challenging, creative environment that requires fresh thinking around financial management and reporting while bringing the rigor of more established organizations.
As a creative, professional services firm spread over multiple locations with several side ventures and interests, financial management at Quicksand tends to be non-typical. The nature of services requires people to be on the go, constantly traveling and using technology to stay connected. Traditional financial tools and accounting protocols however have not kept pace with these demands of a new age enterprise. Tally is still the purview of chartered accountants and auditors but doesn’t give any window into the financial health of the firm to its most important stakeholders - the employees. Being pro-active about the long term financial outcomes and advising the senior management about both strategic and tactical ways to achieve those is critical.
We are looking for a finance manager who is eager to be a part of an extremely progressive and young organization and take the lead in adopting new tools that can make the overall task of financial management easier, seamless and respond to the unique demands of our business. At the same time we expect the same rigor that is an inseparable part of this profession i.e. issues of compliance, accountability, integrity and fairness.
If you are excited about breaking away from what has been a very traditional role and are keen about working collaboratively with people from diverse disciplines and cultures, multi-tasking and trying new approaches, this would be the perfect opportunity for you.
Responsibilities:
- You will be responsible for the overall financial management of the studio across all its offices reporting directly to the Managing Partner in Delhi and will be supported by an accountant (also the administrative head).
- Proactive about resolving matters in a manner that protects the interest of the studio without stifling efficiency or creating unnecessary burden for our partners (employees, clients, vendors, contractors).
- You will have an added responsibility of overseeing the financial aspects of office administration ensuring that expenses are in line with budgets and follow established protocols
- Ensuring that all statutory compliances and audit related protocols are adhered to is one of the most important aspects of this job. This includes immaculate book-keeping, record-keeping, timely filing of all necessary taxes and returns, complying with contractual obligations where needed.
- Establishing consistent reporting protocols that help the senior management track budgets, project viability, cash flows, payables, receivables and any other critical business parameters. Managing monthly, quarterly, half yearly and annual statement of accounts would be your responsibility
- As a studio we are very keen to move to a new financial management software that automates some of these tasks and gives real time access and window into the health of the company. Without going into over-the-top tools, we believe there are several smart, new age cloud based tools that can be accessed across devices and can integrate with other collaboration platforms (like Google Apps). We expect the finance manager to take the lead role in assessing, evaluating and transitioning to this new system
- Taking the lead in establishing processes and protocols for internal reimbursements and external vendor payments that are then consistently followed. Understanding the unique needs of an organisation like ours and framing policies that are responsive to those needs
- Be the point person for managing all contractual and legal negotiations including vetting new contracts with clients, consultants and sub contractors, offer letters to employees, understanding legal implications, negotiating and closing the contractual formalities
- Finally, having an eye on the long term growth of the studio and its employees and advising both on ways to plan and optimize our investments
Qualifications
We are looking for experienced finance professionals for this role who are willing to make a shift to a challenging, new environment. We would ideally want someone who has experience of working in professional services and understands the financials of such a firm.
You would be the kind of person who thrives in a collaborative, multi‐disciplinary, entrepreneurial environment with minimal supervision. You would have worked in cross-cultural settings and would be equally at ease talking to various stakeholders. You would be able to think on your feet and be resourceful and creative in identifying multiple solutions to any context. You’d be skilled at working within time constraints and ensuring high quality outputs in fixed project timelines. You would be capable of delivering high quality work while insisting on high standards on self and others on the team. You would most importantly, have a roll-up-your-sleeves attitude towards your work.
Some specific qualifications you would need to have are:
- A professional degree in finance - MBA from tier 1 or tier 2 schools, Chartered Accountancy
- 6+ years of experience in a professional services firm having some exposure to senior responsibilities
- Extensive knowledge of taxation (both direct, indirect taxation) and other compliance rules and regulations. Desire and evidence of being abreast with the latest developments in these fields
- Working knowledge of accounting softwares like Tally. Strong foundation in core aspects of management accounting - book keeping, reporting, MIS etc
- Strong understanding of all aspects of the banking system including but not limited to current accounts, savings accounts, deposits, trade services, payments, forex, insurance and an ability to manage the banking relationship effectively
- Extremely conversant with spreadsheet analysis and using complex calculations and reporting tools in MS Excel
- Strong written and communication skills in English with the ability to draft official communication including emails, letters, financial reports.
- Good interpersonal skills which allows one to establish a rapport with all stakeholders. Important to have a supportive, caring and facilitating attitude towards all partners
- Excited about technology and sound knowledge of recent developments like cloud technologies, interoperable platforms across devices and operating systems
- Demonstrable experience in managing an investment portfolio even if its at a personal level. Knowledge of the latest in financial advisory and wealth management.
Opportunities
Quicksand offers competitive salaries, medical insurance, paid time off, and the opportunity to work in a variety of contexts and locations, while deeply engaging with people. In addition you’ll get a chance to work with a very diverse array of professionals within the studio, who will challenge you but also provide collective support always. Apart from consulting projects you will have a chance to explore other interests and contexts, with several of our independent projects, including the UnBox festival (www.unboxfestival.com) that we anchor. The job will also involve a chance to meet and work with users across the spectrum for projects, as well as travel to workshops, client meetings and the occasional company offsite!
