Finance Controller
Bio Tech Start-up (at Hyderabad)
Company overview
A three-year-old biotech venture with European collaboration operating in a niche life-sciences domain and preparing for accelerated growth over the next 12–24 months. The current team is ~15, including PhDs from premier institutions, fostering a caring, process-driven, ethical, and outcome-focused culture suited to disciplined scaling.
Role summary
Partner with the Founder, CEO, CTO, and CFO to shape financial strategy, validate business models, support product-commercial translation, and lay the finance backbone to enable seed and subsequent rounds. Lead budgeting, cash stewardship, close and reporting, investor readiness, and compliance to inform leadership and board decisions in a fast-growth environment.
Core responsibilities
Own the monthly and annual close; deliver accurate and timely P&L, balance sheet, and cash flow with clear variance analysis and management commentary.
Lead budgeting, rolling forecasts, and scenario modelling aligned to milestones and capital plans.
Manage cash flow forecasting, working capital, liquidity planning, and banking relationships to protect runway and fund priorities.
Oversee AR, AP, payroll, fixed assets, and general ledger discipline with robust reconciliations and calendars.
Identify cost-saving opportunities and process efficiencies without undermining growth drivers and quality.
Compliance and controls
Design and maintain internal controls, segregation of duties, and approval workflows; proactively remediate gaps.
Coordinate statutory audits and tax filings; manage auditor interactions and drive corrective actions.
Ensure adherence to applicable reporting frameworks and local regulatory requirements as operations scale.
Drive ERP and finance-systems enhancements to strengthen controls, data integrity, and reporting quality.
Biotech-specific focus
Administer grants and subsidies : align cost capture, maintain compliant documentation, track budgets, and deliver timely funder reports.
Lead technical accounting for complex life-sciences agreements (e.g., collaborations or development arrangements) with appropriate revenue recognition documentation.
Prepare for IFRS transitions and potential listing readiness when capital markets are on the roadmap.
Strategic and investor interface
Translate financials into insights on capital allocation, pricing, and growth trade-offs for leadership decision-making.
Build investor reporting packs, KPI dashboards, and narratives that reflect performance, risk, and runway.
Support diligence and financing rounds with credible projections, sensitivity analyses, and board materials.
Risk management
Establish and maintain a financial risk register across liquidity, compliance, covenants, and concentration exposures with monitoring KPIs.
Align insurance cover, contingency plans, and financial controls with evolving risk profile and scale stages.
Team and systems leadership
Hire, coach, and develop a lean, high-calibre finance team; define service levels for cross-functional stakeholders.
Standardize calendars, policies, and templates for close, planning, and management reporting to improve cycle time and quality.
Qualifications
Chartered Accountant (CA)
mandatory ; strong command of Indian GAAP with working exposure to IFRS and transition considerations.
Minimum 12 years of relevant experience; from Pharma / Biotech / Tech Manufacturing / Agriculture / Food & Beverages manufacturing
Retired CAs are welcome.
Demonstrated experience across R&D and Operations environments, including cost controls, capex, and grant / compliance nuances.
Location and schedule
Work location : Hyderabad; it is a full-time role and work from the office. The company follows a six-day work week.
Compensation
will be competitive and aligned with experience and demonstrated expertise.
How to apply
Share the profile at resume@peepalhrassocaites.com Sub : FM Bio Tech.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for next steps as part of a structured, fair selection process.
Finance Controller • India