Varsity Education - Chief Financial Officer

Job Description:

Designation: Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

Location: Hyderabad

Overview:

The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) is a key executive responsible for managing the financial operations, strategy, and growth planning of the company. The CFO will ensure financial sustainability, manage fundraising, drive automation in financial processes, and provide strategic insights for scaling the business. This role requires a deep understanding of startup finance, investor relations, and financial technology systems.

Key Responsibilities:

1) Financial Strategy & Fundraising:

- Develop and execute financial strategies aligned with the company's growth objectives.

- Lead fundraising efforts, including venture capital, private equity, and alternative financing.

- Maintain investor relations, ensuring timely and accurate financial reporting.

- Support M&A activities, including due diligence and financial modeling.

2) Controllership & Financial Operations:

- Oversee day-to-day financial operations, ensuring compliance with regulatory and accounting standards.

- Optimize cash flow management and working capital to ensure sustainable growth.

- Implement efficient financial reporting mechanisms to support real-time decision-making.

- Improve the month-end closing process to achieve timely and accurate financial reporting.

3) Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A):

- Build and maintain financial models to assess profitability, growth, and sustainability.

- Develop performance tracking systems for revenue, expenses, and key business metrics.

- Create dashboards for financial visibility, including revenue per user, customer acquisition cost (CAC), and lifetime value (LTV).

- Prepare annual operating plans (AOP) and monitor actual vs. budgeted performance.

4) Automation & Process Optimization:

- Leverage ERP and cloud-based financial tools to streamline accounting and reporting.

- Implement automation solutions to enhance efficiency in order-to-cash (O2C) and procure-to-pay (P2P) processes.

- Ensure seamless integration of financial systems with learning management platforms.

5) Compliance, Tax & Legal:

- Ensure statutory and regulatory compliance, including GST, corporate tax, and financial audits.

- Establish risk management policies to protect company assets and intellectual property.

- Maintain legal and litigation trackers to ensure compliance across all business functions.

6) Team Leadership & Cross-functional Collaboration:

- Build and manage a high-performing finance team aligned with startup growth needs.

- Collaborate with product, marketing, and operations teams to optimize financial efficiency.

- Develop financial training programs for non-finance stakeholders to enhance budget management.

Qualifications & Requirements:

1) Education:

- Bachelors degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or a related field.

- MBA, CA, or CPA preferred.

2) Experience:

- 12+ years of financial leadership experience, with at least 3-5 years in a high-growth startup (preferably EdTech, SaaS, or technology-driven industries).

- Proven track record in fundraising, investor relations, and financial strategy for scaling businesses.

3) Skills:

- Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities.

- Deep understanding of SaaS and subscription-based business models.

- Proficiency in financial software (e.g., Oracle, SAP, QuickBooks, or cloud-based ERPs).

- Excellent leadership, communication, and negotiation skills.

Preferred: Experience in working with EdTech platforms, digital payments, and revenue recognition for online courses.