Avanti Fellows - Director - Finance (10-22 yrs)

Job Description

Director- Finance

Position Summary:

We are looking for an experienced Director of Finance (Finance Director) to oversee all financial aspects of business and drive the organization's financial strategy and planning. You will be responsible for assessing the financial performance of the organization as well as possible risks. A strategic thinker and effective leader who can make the most profitable decisions.The goal is to guide the organization towards profitability and long-term success.

The role involves the following tasks, functions and responsibilities:

- Drive the financial planning of the organization by analyzing its performance and risks.

- Retain constant awareness of the organization's financial position and act to prevent problems

- Set up and oversee the organization's finance system

- Set targets for and supervise all accounting and finance personnel (management accountants, internal auditors etc.)

- Oversee all audit and internal control operations.

- Develop the corporate fundraising strategy and manage relationships with partners and investors.

- Prepare timely and detailed reports on financial performance on a quarterly and annual basis.

- Conduct analysis to make forecasts and report to the leadership team.

- Ensure adherence to financial laws and guidelines.

Requirements and Skills:

- BSc/BA in accounting, finance or relevant field; MSc/MA is a plus

- CPA/CA qualified or other relevant qualification is a plus

- Proven experience as director of finance or similar role

- In-depth knowledge of corporate finance and accounting principles, laws and best practices

- Solid knowledge of financial analysis and forecasting

- Proficient in the use of MS Office and financial management software

- An analytical mind with a strategic ability

- Excellent organizational and leadership skills

- Outstanding communication and interpersonal abilities

The incumbent would gain access to:

- An empathetic, highly informed and supportive team/leadership.

- Flexible remote working environment with calendar/agenda autonomy.

- One of the country's best leave policies.

- A safe, non-discriminatory work environment with employees well-being as our priority.

Salary: Details would be discussed during 1-1 interactions.

Location: India based fully remote with periodic domestic travel.

Apply now: Please share your application via this Application Form. Ideal resume would be a one pager and only shortlisted candidates would be contacted.

About Avanti Fellows

Avanti runs the largest system-wide interventions for Math and Science learning in government schools in India. Avanti uses the power of blended-learning, technology, and peer-instruction to create programs that are able to deliver consistent outcomes in low-resource settings. Our work spans nine Indian states impacting over 8 lakh students through large system-wide interventions in Haryana and the Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya Schools.

Avanti's JNV Program: This program supports students at the Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya Schools (JNVs) to prepare for high-stakes college entrance exams. The JNVs are a network of 635 rural "magnet-schools" where >400,000 of India's most gifted rural, low-income students are provided free residential education. Students going through the Avanti JNV program are twice as likely to be able to secure a position in professional colleges. 60% of students in Avanti supported schools clear the national engineering exam, compared to a national average of 34%.

Avanti's Sankalp Program: Over the past 2 years, Avanti has been running a large system change project in Haryana. The project covers 219 intervention schools, where teachers are being provided with technology and content to teach Mathematics and Science in Grade 9-12.

Avanti's Sandbox Project: This project consists of a carefully selected set of 40 schools spread across Delhi and Haryana which will be the base for our research and innovation initiatives. The objectives are to- i) inform product and program development, ii) rapidly test hypotheses and iterate program components, and iii) derive learnings to enable scaling of tested programs.

Avanti's Ghar Pe School Program: During COVID-19, Avanti has been coordinating a multi-state at-home learning intervention for low-income students called GharPeSchool. Avanti has also developed a new web-based platform that allows educators to add multiple-choice questions in the middle of any YouTube video to create a single learning item called a Plio.

Organizational Culture: Avanti Fellows has a team of just over 130+ professionals led by Akshay Saxena and Vandana Goyal. The leadership team has a 50:50 gender split with professionals from diverse educational and professional backgrounds. In addition, the organization offers a plethora of personal and professional development opportunities, including participation in international events in the education space and connecting with experts in the industry.

Our Values:

Agility

We are flexible. We keep it simple. When circumstances change, we respond quickly and effectively.

Accountability

We think and make decisions by asking ourselves, "What would I do if this was my organization?". We take full ownership of our actions and our results.

Ambition

We have the courage to set audacious goals for students' life outcomes.

Impact for the Child

Achieving meaningful life outcomes for students is at the center of what we do. We do this by seeing life through their perspective, working relentlessly to help them achieve progress and financial security.

Learning Orientation

We believe we can improve ourselves continuously. We learn by seeking feedback from students, teachers and other stakeholders, analyzing data and reflecting on our own experiences. We learn from our successes and failures. We reach out to others for help when needed.

Core Competency

- Definition

- Collaboration

- Helps colleagues as needed, views responsibilities as shared

- Growth mindset

Views growth as important for personal and professional development; seeks out opportunities to expand skills, even if change is required; demonstrates curiosity and eagerness to learn

Ownership

Effectively manages own work, and work of teams when relevant, ensuring delivery of high-quality work

Workload management

Effectively manages own work, and work of teams when relevant, ensuring delivery of high-quality work

Adaptability

Breaks down a work task/project into process steps and executes them effectively, adjusting course as needed

Communication

Uses effective written and oral communication with internal staff, teams, and community served in the language(s) used most frequently by the organization; demonstrates empathy and listening

Leadership competency

Definition

Decision- making

Effectively structures and facilitates decision-making processes; makes decisions effectively and responsibly to improve organizational health and impact

Strategic thinking

Considers the future of the organization proactively and responsively; weighs diverse inputs to inform strategies; identifies innovative opportunities when relevant

Manages with data

Understands data; analyzes data and identifies insights and implications

Team Building

Builds strong relationships with teams and colleagues; fosters effective teams and collaborative interactions

Strategic Resource Management

Makes and communicates decisions that effectively balance tradeoffs between financial sustainability and impact the organization is able to achieve (depth/ breadth)

Results Driven

Makes and executes strategic plans to enhance intended impact, adjusting course as needed