Associate Director Business Finance - Group Functions

upGrad · Maharashtra, India

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 new 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.