Finance Associate

(for professionals with 1-2 years of experience in finance management, and a bonus if you are from travel background)

About Us

At Experience Co. (ExCo), we're redefining group travel for the modern explorer. From creative residencies to transformative adventures across 20+ countries, we curate and produce some of India's most unique travel experiences for a thriving community of artists, creators, founders, and misfits.

With payments spanning 10+ currencies and operations across three continents, ExCo relies on precision, frugality, and efficiency to ensure our financial and operational backbone is strong. We are a profitable, bootstrapped company backed by a team with over 100+ years of global experience, running events from Iceland to Japan.

We're looking for a Finance Associate to support our financial systems, streamline operations, and drive cost efficiencies. If you're a proactive problem-solver, thrive on managing multi-currency operations, and excel at building financial systems, we want to hear from you.

What You'll Do – TL;DR

As a Finance Associate, you'll support the financial backbone of ExCo. From managing multi-currency payments and optimizing forex strategies to crafting P&L reports and enforcing expense guardrails, you'll ensure every edition is profitable, every payment is seamless, and every risk is mitigated.

You'll work closely with the CFO and team leads to optimize cash flow, streamline financial operations, and build systems that scale. If you're proactive, frugal, and thrive on solving complex financial puzzles, this is your chance to make a big impact.

What You'll Do

1. Manage Multi-Currency Payments & Forex Transactions

• Handle payments across 10+ currencies, ensuring accuracy and efficiency.
• Strategically buy/sell forex to minimize risks and costs.
• Reconcile multi-currency balances and resolve discrepancies proactively.

2. Own Financial Guardrails for Editions

• Set, track, and enforce expense guardrails for every travel edition to ensure profitability.
• Collaborate with team leads to forecast, monitor, and control spending in real time.
• Connect all edition-related expenses seamlessly to the P&L.

3. Streamline Financial Operations

• Oversee accounts payable/receivable, vendor payments, and outstanding balances.
• Prepare and maintain P&L reports, cash flow summaries, and financial dashboards.
• Ensure all payments, taxes, and financial commitments are accurate and timely.

4. Optimize Cash Flow & Cost Efficiencies

• Identify opportunities for savings through better vendor terms, forex strategies, and reduced banking charges.
• Conduct regular expense audits to eliminate inefficiencies.
• Develop workflows to enhance financial transparency and control.

5. Build Strategic Relationships

• Manage relationships with banks, forex partners, and vendors to secure favorable rates and terms.
• Work closely with production managers to align operational goals with financial workflows.

6. Proactively Flag Risks & Drive Solutions

• Highlight potential risks like currency fluctuations, delayed payments, or overspending.
• Proactively propose actionable solutions to prevent disruptions.

Critical Skills for the Role

• Experience:
  1-2 years in financial operations, treasury, or accounts, preferably in travel, events, or global businesses.
• Multi-Currency Expertise:
  Skilled in managing payments and reconciliations across multiple currencies (Euro, Lira, Pesos, etc.).
• Operational Efficiency:
  Strong ability to develop systems that simplify processes and improve transparency.
• Proactive Problem-Solving:
  Thrive on taking ownership of challenges and resolving them with speed and precision.
• Frugality & Cost Management:
  A knack for spotting savings opportunities and driving cost efficiencies.
• Analytical & Collaborative:
  Comfortable working with P&L reports, dashboards, and cross-functional teams.
• Tools Savvy:
  Proficient with RazorpayX, Zoho Books, QuickBooks, or similar financial platforms.

Organisation Structure

This role reports to the CFO and collaborates closely with:

• Production Managers (PMs)
• HR and Compliance Teams

About You

Startup Fit:

• Ownership-Driven:
  You thrive in environments where you can take charge and execute with speed.
• Detail-Oriented:
  Every report, payment, and reconciliation you handle is accurate and timely.
• Multi-Tasker:
  You're comfortable managing multiple platforms and projects without compromising quality.

Culture Fit:

• Proactive Communicator:
  You articulate your ideas and solutions clearly.
• Team Player:
  You collaborate seamlessly across teams and functions.
• Frugal Innovator:
  You find ways to optimize costs while delivering high-quality outcomes.
• Problem Solver:
  You adapt quickly and bring structured solutions to complex challenges.

Goals for the Role

• Establish and streamline multi-currency payment processes and forex strategies within the first 3 months.
• Create and enforce financial guardrails for all editions, connecting all expenses to the P&L.
• Identify and implement cost-saving opportunities across financial and operational workflows.
• Ensure 100% compliance with GST, TDS, and advance tax filings while managing risk effectively.