Associate Director – Business Finance

Department: Finance | Location: Mumbai | Experience: 10+ Years

Qualification: Chartered Accountant | Industry Preference: Education / EdTech

Job Overview

We are looking for a seasoned and strategic Business Finance leader. The role will serve as a key financial partner to the Business CEO and Leadership Team, driving financial planning, business performance, strategic decision-making, and co-owning P&L; delivery.

The ideal candidate has a proven track record of supporting high-growth organisations, with deep expertise in FP&A;, financial modelling, commercial finance, and business partnering — including partnering in the launch of new business verticals from scratch. Experience in the Education / EdTech sector will be strongly preferred.

This role requires a leader who can balance strategic thinking with operational rigor while driving sustainable growth, profitability, and financial governance.

Key Responsibilities

1. Strategic Finance & Business Partnering

● Partner with Business Heads and the Leadership Team to drive business growth, profitability, and long-term value creation.

● Act as a trusted advisor on strategic initiatives.

● Provide financial insights and recommendations to support key business decisions.

● Evaluate new business opportunities, partnerships, and acquisitions.

● Partner in the end-to-end launch of recent business verticals from scratch, including business case

development and financial structuring.

2. Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A;)

● Lead the organisation's annual budgeting, long-range planning, rolling forecasts, and monthly business reviews.

● Build and maintain robust financial models to support business planning, new initiatives, and investment decisions.

● Establish robust forecasting models to improve predictability and business performance.





● Drive variance analysis and provide actionable recommendations to leadership.

● Develop financial dashboards and management reporting frameworks for business performance

tracking.

3. Commercial Finance & Profitability Management

● Own revenue, gross margin, contribution margin, EBITDA, and business profitability analysis.

● Identify opportunities to improve margins, optimise costs, and enhance operational efficiency.

● Partner with business teams to drive revenue growth while maintaining profitability.

4. Financial Governance & Controls

● Work closely with Controllership, Accounting, and Compliance teams to ensure financial integrity and reporting accuracy.

● Establish strong governance frameworks around budgeting, forecasting, business reviews, and capital allocation.

● Ensure compliance with regulatory, audit, and corporate governance requirements.

5. Leadership & Team Management

● Build and lead a high-performing Business Finance team.

● Develop finance business partners capable of supporting multiple business units.

● Drive a culture of accountability, data-driven decision-making, and continuous improvement.

● Mentor and develop future finance leaders within the organisation.

Ideal Candidate Profile

● 10+ years of progressive experience in Business Finance, FP&A;, Commercial Finance, or Strategic Finance roles.

● Strong experience in financial modelling and building business cases for new initiatives.

● Hands-on experience partnering in the launch of new business verticals from scratch, from ideation through execution.

● Demonstrated success in partnering with senior business leaders, influencing strategic decisions, and scaling up business.

● Strong commercial acumen with a deep understanding of revenue models, profitability, pricing, and unit economics.

● Experience in leading large finance teams and building robust and scalable finance processes.

📌 Associate Director Business Finance - Group Functions (Mumbai)
🏢 upGrad
📍 Mumbai