Assistant Manager - Financial Controls and Compliance

Assistant Manager – India Control Management Level G EQ Retirement Solutions is transforming the retirement and pensions markets with leading administration and technology solutions. With over 1200 employees globally, 189 years of knowledge and 11 million pension scheme members and policyholders, we are here to help people plan for a confident financial future by delivering innovative, reliable and customer-focused retirement services. Our teams are driven by a shared commitment to excellence, collaboration and making a real impact to the lives of our clients and customers. Role Overview Assistant Manager – India Control The Assistant Manager – India Control is responsible for supporting the maintenance of a robust financial control, compliance, and governance framework across the India Finance organisation. Working under the leadership of the Head of Shared Services, the role ensures effective execution of statutory compliance, tax filings, payroll controls, balance sheet governance, audit activities, and entity-level financial controls. The role acts as a key coordinator between Finance, Shared Services, external auditors, tax authorities, regulatory bodies, payroll providers, and business stakeholders to ensure that the organisation meets its statutory, financial, and compliance obligations. The position also supports accurate financial reporting, strengthens internal controls, and contributes to continuous improvement initiatives that enhance governance, reduce risk, and improve operational effectiveness. The successful candidate will demonstrate strong technical accounting and compliance knowledge, excellent attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a controlled and timely manner. They will be proactive, analytical, and committed to maintaining high standards of accuracy, integrity, and compliance. Core Duties/Responsibilities The successful candidate will be responsible for the following: Financial Controls & Compliance Support the Head of Shared Services in maintaining a robust financial control and governance framework across India operations. Perform control monitoring, compliance reviews, and risk assessments, supporting remediation of identified control gaps. Ensure adherence to company policies, accounting standards, delegated authorities, and regulatory requirements. Contribute to governance, business continuity, and risk management initiatives. Tax & Statutory Compliance - India Ensure compliance with IFRS and local statutory accounting requirements, supporting accurate financial reporting and governance. Manage GST refund claims and export incentive submissions, ensuring timely recovery of eligible benefits. Oversee TDS and GST payments, ensuring accurate calculations and timely remittance to authorities, as well filing of returns. Manage SEZ and STPI compliance filings, ensuring adherence to applicable regulations and reporting obligations. Coordinate secretarial compliance-related payments and statutory filings in partnership with Company Secretaries and external advisors. Maintain controls over MSME reporting requirements, including preparation, validation, and timely filing of MSME returns. Support tax audits, regulatory reviews, and compliance assessments, ensuring timely resolution of queries and findings. Monitor regulatory developments and maintain up-to-date knowledge of local accounting, tax, and statutory requirements. Audit & Regulatory Management Coordinate internal and external audits, including preparation of supporting documentation and management of audit actions. Support compliance reviews, regulatory inspections, and governance assessments. Liaise with auditors, advisors, and key stakeholders to ensure timely resolution of audit and compliance matters. Balance Sheet Controls & Financial Integrity Perform balance sheet reviews, reconciliations, and control account monitoring to ensure financial integrity. Support Month-End, quarter-end, and year-end close activities, including intercompany and cost allocation processes. Investigate and resolve accounting exceptions, reconciliation issues, and control weaknesses. Budget, MIS & Treasury Support Support budgeting and forecasting activities. Monitor and analyse cash variances and treasury-related transactions. Provide financial analysis and management information reporting. Partner with FP&A and business teams to support decision-making through accurate financial insights. Payroll Accounting & Controls Review payroll calculations and related accounting entries for India region. Perform payroll reconciliations and balance sheet substantiation. Investigate and resolve payroll-related queries and exceptions. Ensure payroll processes comply with company policies and statutory requirements. Continuous Improvement & Operational Excellence Drive process improvements, control enhancements, standardisation, and automation initiatives. Support Finance transformation and Shared Services improvement programmes. Promote a culture of compliance, accountability, operational excellence, and continuous improvement. Skills, Knowledge & Experience The successful candidate will demonstrate the following experience skills and behaviours: EXPERIENCE: 5-8 years of progressive experience in Finance, Accounting, Controls, Audit, Compliance, Payroll, or Shared Services operations. Proven experience managing statutory audits, tax compliance, regulatory filings, and financial controls. Experience in payroll accounting, reconciliations, journal preparation, and Month-End close activities. Demonstrated ability to identify risks, strengthen controls, and drive process improvements within a finance environment. Experience working within a multinational organisation or Shared Services environment would be advantageous. EDUCATION/QUALIFICATIONS: MBA (Finance) or Postgraduate qualification in Finance, Accounting, or Business Management or CA \ CMA inter or equivalent Strong working knowledge of Indian accounting standards, taxation, statutory compliance, payroll accounting, and financial controls. SKILLS: Fluent English: written and spoken. Proven Leadership abilities and team working Excellent organizational, communication and planning skills Professional, credible individual with an ability to influence peers, superiors and subordinates Adaptable with an ability to change direction and priorities if required Achievement orientation: Driven by goals and deadlines Ability to work well with people across the organisation. Ability to understand the detail behind processes. We are committed to equality of opportunity for all staff and applications from individuals are encouraged regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and marriage and civil partnerships. Please note any offer of employment is subject to satisfactory pre-employment screening checks. Experience Level Mid Level