Manager- Cost Controllership (Corporate Office)- CA Mandatory

Darwinbox- one of Asia's fastest Unicorns based out of DIFC, Dubai - is a mobile-first, AI-enabled cloud-based HR platform that partners with enterprises to unlock their HR potential. They automate an organization's HR needs across the entire hire-to-retire employee lifecycle from Recruitment, Onboarding, Core transactions (Leave, attendance & Payroll) to engagement, Performance Management and People Analytics.

They support 800+ global enterprises covering 2+million employees across 143 countries (e.g., Nivea, Starbucks, Sephora, Zara, and AXA, along with Ghassan Aboud, Al Zayani, Property Finder, EFS Facilities Services, Jashanmal, Alinco, Lulu Group in the region). With marquee investors including the likes of Microsoft, Salesforce, Sequoia, TCV- they are the only Asian origin vendor on Gartner's Magic Quadrant and are rated the highest globally at 4.8/5 Gartner's customer review platform- Peer Insights.

Role Summary
The Cost Controller will be a key member of the Group Finance function, reporting to the Group Financial Controller. You will own cost governance across the organisation — driving budget discipline, variance analysis, management reporting, and strategic cost optimisation — across eight entities spanning multiple currencies and accounting standards. This is a high-visibility role with direct exposure to CFO-level reporting.

QUICK FACTS
Location: Hyderabad, India (HQ)

Department: Finance & Accounts

Reporting To: Group Financial Controller

Experience: 3–6 years (post-qualification)

Qualification: Chartered Accountant (CA) — mandatory

Preferred Background: Big 4 / Large Audit & Advisory Firms

Key Responsibilities
Cost Management & Governance
▸ Own end-to-end cost governance across all eight entities — India, Singapore, Philippines, UAE, USA, Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia

▸ Monitor departmental and project-level costs against approved budgets; flag overruns proactively

▸ Establish and enforce cost approval workflows, delegation matrices, and spend controls in coordination with business heads

▸ Drive cost centre accountability by preparing and distributing monthly cost reports to department owners

Technical Accounting & Compliance
▸ Ensure correct accounting of cost items under Ind AS (Ind AS 19 for employee benefits, Ind AS 116 for leases, Ind AS 38 for intangibles)

▸ Review and approve accruals, prepaid amortisation, and cost provisions at month-end close

▸ Support the external audit process — prepare cost-related schedules, reconciliations, and supporting documentation

▸ Coordinate with entity controllers across geographies for consolidated cost reporting

▸ Contribute to IPO readiness initiatives including restated financial presentation and multi-year cost trend analysis

Process & Automation
▸ Identify and implement process improvements in cost capture, allocation, and reporting within NetSuite (ERP)

▸ Build automated templates and dashboards to reduce manual effort in MIS and close cycles

▸ Support the design and implementation of cost module configurations in NetSuite for new geographies

Mandatory Qualifications
▸ Chartered Accountant (CA) — Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI)

▸ 3–6 years of post-qualification experience in a finance / accounting / controlling role

▸ Demonstrable experience in budgeting, variance analysis, and cost management

▸ Strong working knowledge of Ind AS / IFRS — especially Ind AS 19, 116, 38, and 1

▸ Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel — complex formula builds, multi-sheet models, and pivot-based reporting

▸ Experience with NetSuite or a comparable ERP system

Preferred Background
▸ Prior experience at a Big 4 firm (Deloitte, EY, KPMG, PwC) or mid-tier audit firm — ideally in the Assurance or Finance Advisory practice

▸ Post-Big 4 experience in a high-growth SaaS, technology, or multi-entity corporate environment

▸ Exposure to multi-currency consolidation and multi-GAAP reporting environments

▸ Familiarity with SaaS financial metrics and unit economics

CORE COMPETENCIES
Technical Accounting Cost Governance Budgeting & Forecasting
Variance Analysis MIS Reporting Ind AS / IFRS
Advanced Excel NetSuite ERP Stakeholder Communication