Finance & Admin Lead

Position
: Finance & Administration Lead

Company
:
Centre for Equity and Quality in Universal Education (CEQUE)

Location
: Mumbai, Maharashtra

Reporting to
: Chief Executive Officer

Company Description

We are a non-profit company registered under Section 8 in 2012. Our mission is to enable teachers to transform their classrooms so that every child receives quality learning. Our programs are focussed on building capacities through coaching teachers, mentoring leaders and creating assets.

Teacher Innovator Program
- our flagship initiative - upskills teachers in government schools across rural districts in innovative teaching methods. We have a team of around 93 persons out of which 78 are the program team consisting of coaches and the district managers. Our teams of coaches go to the schools, work closely with teachers and coach them on techniques to improve their teaching practice. The program works in partnership with district education departments with a focus on Reading-Writing and Math skills in children studying in grades 1-5.

We offer an inclusive work environment that encourages the growth and learning of its team members.

For more information about CEQUE visit

Role Description

The Finance & Administration Lead will lead the finance, accounting, compliance, and administrative functions of the organisation. This role will ensure financial integrity, streamline reporting, strengthen compliance, and enhance operational efficiency. The Lead will be responsible for overseeing the finance team, managing donor reporting and budgets, and serving as the single point of contact for all finance and compliance-related matters.

Key Responsibilities

Financial Management & Accounting

—     Oversee all accounting operations and ensure accurate, timely financial reporting.

—     Ensure all transactions and ledgers are properly maintained in Tally.

—     Establish processes for regular stakeholder reporting

o  Monthly MIS to senior leadership

o  Quarterly updates to the Board of Directors

o  Quarterly/yearly Utilisation certificates to Donor

—     Conduct regular reconciliations, manage payables and receivables, and ensure compliance with internal controls.

—     Monitor cash-flow and fund-flow periodically

—     Ensure all applicable statutory documents are maintained and returns files as per the statutory timelines

—     Co-ordinate internal and external audit and file reports as per timelines

—     Coordinate with external financial consultants to ensure compliance to all statutory requirements including Companies Act, Income Tax, CSR laws, GST, FCRA, Labour laws etc. for statutory filing, audits, SSE, FCRA and any other finance-related area

Donor reporting & Utilisation

—     Liaise with Fundraising team to coordinate donor reporting, utilisation statements, and compliance with donor requirements for allocations and financial reporting.

—     Assist senior management in providing budget breakups for proposals

Budgeting & Fund Management

—   
Spearhead the budgeting process along with the leadership team.

—     Monitor fund utilisation across programs to ensure budgetary adherence, statutory and donor compliance.

—     Establish internal financial MIS across teams and levels to support decision-making.

Coordination & Internal Communication

—     Act as the primary point of contact for all finance-related queries within the organisation.

—     Prioritise, assign, and track finance tasks and timelines for the team.

—     Support cross-departmental collaboration on financial processes and reporting.

Administration Management

—     Oversee all administrative functions at the head office.

—     Streamline procurement, vendor management, office operations, and facility maintenance.

Process Excellence

—     Create/Manage well-defined financial processes to enable your team to work independently without constant supervision.

—     Ensure data accuracy and integrity.

—     Optimise the use of tools/systems to reduce manual work.

Qualifications

—     Bachelor's or Master's degree in Commerce, Accounting, or Finance.

—     Minimum 8-10 years of experience in finance and accounting, preferably in the development sector or with CSR-funded organizations.​

—     Strong understanding of donor compliance, budgeting, and statutory regulations (FCRA, 80G, 12A etc.) ​

—     Working knowledge of Excel. Profiency in TALLY is essential. ​

—     Excellent attention to detail, effective data analysis skills, ability to work independently, and manage multiple deadlines.​

—     Strong interpersonal skills to collaborate with internal teams and external auditors/donors.​

—     Willingness to travel in rural areas of districts where CEQUE has a presence.

Remuneration

—     Salary range: INR 70,000 to 80,000 gross per month depending on relevant experience

—     Travel expenses will be given separately.

To apply for this position, please send your resume with a covering letter to