Vice President Finance Operations

We are seeking an exceptionally seasoned and transformative Vice President of Financial Operations (VP FinOps) to lead and optimize our financial operational hub in India. Based in Bangalore this executive role is critical for driving operational excellence simplification and strategic alignment across our global finance functions. The VP will join a team of US VPs that report directly to the Chief Accounting Officer (CAO) based in California USA.

This role requires a proven leader with 20 years of deep progressive experience who can navigate a complex global grid reporting structure balancing local team management with strong collaborative partnership with US-based functional owners. The ideal candidate is a proactive agent of change dedicated to simplifying complex processes with an intense focus on end-customer satisfaction.

Key Responsibilities & Global Mandate: 

1. Executive Leadership & Center of Excellence Management

• Strategic Vision: Provide executive leadership to define the long-term vision and strategy for Indias role as a global Financial Operations Center of Excellence.

• Team Leadership (Bangalore & Chennai): Have direct line management responsibility for the large multi-functional Financial Operations team across Bangalore (focused on Procurement/Sourcing) and the critical compliance functions in Chennai (Accounting Tax Internal Audit and Treasury). This includes executive hiring talent development succession planning and performance management in collaboration with US functional owners .

• Process Transformation: Serve as the primary change agent leveraging deep experience to identify champion and lead high-impact process simplification and automation initiatives across all financial operations globally focusing on uncomplicating complex processes for the end customer.

2. Grid Management & Global Governance

• Functional Partnership: Collaborate closely with US-based Functional Owners (Heads of Global Accounting Strategic Sourcing Internal Audit etc.) who define the global strategy policy and compliance standards. The VP will provide critical operational insights and ensure local execution excellence.

• Local Leadership: Serve as the most senior financial operations representative in India collaborating with local country leadership on strategic investments budget execution and regional initiatives.

• Global Alignment: Ensure all local financial operations and processes are robustly aligned with global policies systems and controls defined by US functional owners.

3. Functional Oversight (Execution & Compliance)

• Accounting & Treasury (Chennai Focus): Oversee the operational execution of General Accounting Revenue Accounting and Treasury functions in India ensuring timely and accurate financial reporting compliant with US GAAP and local statutory requirements.

• Tax & Internal Audit (Chennai Focus): Provide executive guidance on the operational execution of all direct and indirect tax compliance (e.g. GST) and support oversee the local execution of the global India Internal Audit plan guaranteeing the maintenance of world-class SOX compliance and internal controls.

• Procurement & Strategic Sourcing (Bangalore Focus): Direct the operational implementation of global Procurement and Strategic Sourcing strategy ensuring P2P efficiency compliance and driving significant value capture through cost savings.

Qualifications :

• Education: Chartered Accountant (CA) qualification is mandatory. A CPA or an Executive MBA is highly desirable.

• Experience: 20 years of extensive progressive finance and accounting experience with at least 10 years in a senior executive leadership role (VP/SVP) leading Global Financial Operations or Shared Service Centers for a major multi-national company (MNC).

• Leadership of Dispersed Teams: Extensive experience successfully leading mentoring and motivating very large multi-functional teams across different Indian locations (specifically Bangalore and Chennai) with direct oversight of compliance-heavy functions (Accounting Tax Audit Treasury).

• Grid Structure Expertise: Extensive experience successfully navigating and leading within a highly complex global matrix or grid reporting structure demonstrating executive-level collaboration and influence across functional and geographic lines.

• Transformation Acumen: Verifiable track record as a successful change agent who has personally led and delivered major multi-year finance transformation programs resulting in significant process simplification and efficiency gains.

• Technical Depth: Expert-level executive-grade knowledge of US GAAP advanced internal controls (SOX) and India-specific tax accounting and treasury compliance.

Additional Information :

At Freshworks we have fostered an environment that enables everyone to find their true potential purpose and passion welcoming colleagues of all backgrounds genders sexual orientations religions and ethnicities. We are committed to providing equal opportunity and believe that diversity in the workplace creates a more vibrant richer environment that boosts the goals of our employees communities and business. Fresh vision. Real impact. Come build it with us.

Remote Work :

No

Employment Type :

Full-time