Head of FAO Operations (US FAO & Payroll)

Job Description

Position: Head of FAO Operations (US FAO & Payroll)

Location: Hyderabad, India

Company: FAO Business Unit, CogentHub

Job Type: Full-Time, Work from Office

Experience: 20+ years in US FAO

About the Role:

CogentHub is seeking a highly experienced and strategic leader to head our FAO (Finance & Accounting Outsourcing) operations for US clients from our Hyderabad office. This leader will be responsible for managing end-to-end FAO operations, with a strong focus on US finance, and accounting processes. The ideal candidate should be an industry veteran with deep subject matter expertise, exceptional critical thinking skills, strong leadership capabilities, and a proven track record in client engagement, business expansion, and operational excellence. Additionally, the candidate should have expertise in setting up and standardizing FAO processes to align with international best practices and industry benchmarks.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership & Business Growth:

• Lead the FAO operations for US clients, ensuring seamless service delivery and operational efficiency.
• Develop and implement business strategies that enhance service quality, client satisfaction, and profitability.
• Drive process improvements, automation, and best practices to maximize efficiency and scalability.
• Play a key role in acquiring new clients, expanding services, and managing existing client relationships to enhance revenue.
• Leverage best-in-class financial technologies to streamline FAO workflows and reduce operational overhead.
• Implement multi-layered audit frameworks to ensure financial integrity and reduce risks.
• Optimize client-specific chart of accounts and cost-center structures to enhance financial visibility.
• Spearhead scalability efforts by integrating financial operations with cloud-based platforms to handle growth efficiently.
• Design and establish standardized FAO processes that comply with global financial regulations and industry standards.

Operational Excellence:

• Oversee end-to-end US FAO operations, including Accounts Payable (AP), Accounts Receivable (AR), General Ledger (GL), Taxation, and Financial Reporting.
• Ensure adherence to US GAAP, SOX compliance, tax regulations, and other relevant statutory requirements.
• Optimize processes for efficiency, accuracy, and compliance, while leveraging automation and digital transformation.
• Set up performance benchmarks and KPIs for the FAO teams to measure productivity and service excellence.
• Establish end-to-end General Ledger, Financial Reporting, and Compliance processes in alignment with international standards.
• Implement automated financial reporting that integrates with ledger transactions and scanned invoice images.
• Set up structured financial statement formats for accurate and transparent reporting.
• Drive budget comparison, trend reporting, and real-time financial insights using integrated dashboards.
• Develop a robust process framework that aligns with international FAO best practices, ensuring scalability and efficiency.

Client & Stakeholder Management:

• Serve as the key point of contact for US onshore teams, providing strategic insights and expert consultation.
• Negotiate contract terms, service agreements, and operational SLAs to ensure profitable and sustainable engagement.
• Proactively address conflicts and provide viable solutions to mitigate risks and improve client experience.
• Develop customized financial dashboards and reports tailored to client needs, ensuring actionable business insights.
• Oversee third-party system integrations, ensuring seamless financial reconciliation and error-free transactions.
• Collaborate with onshore finance leaders and compliance teams to maintain alignment with US GAAP, SOX, and tax regulations.
• Implement data security best practices to protect client financial information and ensure compliance.
• Ensure transparent and effective communication with onshore stakeholders and leadership teams.

People Leadership & Development:

• Build, mentor, and develop a high-performing FAO team, fostering a culture of excellence and continuous improvement.
• Drive talent acquisition, training, and succession planning for critical roles within FAO operations.
• Implement a structured performance management framework to drive accountability and excellence across teams.
• Cultivate an inclusive and dynamic work environment that aligns with CogentHubs core values and business objectives.
• Set up an FAO Center of Excellence (COE) to drive training, standardization, and process automation.
• Lead teams handling Accounts Payable, Revenue Management, Fixed Assets, and Sales & Payroll Taxes, ensuring performance consistency.
• Implement AI-driven payroll and financial reconciliation solutions to enhance employee efficiency.
• Standardize performance metrics for FAO employees, ensuring alignment with productivity benchmarks.
• Train and guide teams on international FAO frameworks and global compliance standards.

Compliance & Risk Management:

• Ensure full compliance with US tax, and financial regulations, reducing legal and financial risks.
• Collaborate with compliance and risk management teams to uphold the highest standards in financial operations.
• Establish a robust internal audit framework to mitigate financial, operational, and reputational risks.
• Enforce automated risk mitigation frameworks for bank reconciliations, fixed asset management, and financial audits.
• Maintain structured tax compliance workflows to reduce regulatory risks.
• Integrate real-time fraud detection and exception reporting in FAO processes.
• Establish multi-country tax handling procedures, enabling CogentHub to expand services across geographies.
• Ensure FAO process documentation aligns with international audit standards, improving transparency and governance.

Required Qualifications & Skills:

Education & Certification:

• Bachelors or Masters degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or a related field.
• CPA, CMA, CFA, or equivalent professional certification is preferred.

Experience:

• 20+ years of experience in FAO operations, with a strong focus on US Payroll, AP, AR, and GL.
• Extensive experience working exclusively in US FAO operations, with in-depth knowledge of US financial compliance and regulations.
• Proven ability to lead large-scale finance & accounting teams in a global outsourcing environment.
• Experience in negotiating contracts, managing client expectations, and driving revenue growth.
• Strong expertise in designing and implementing standardized FAO processes aligned with international financial regulations and compliance frameworks.
• Experience in optimizing client-specific financial structures, including chart of accounts and cost-center frameworks, to enhance transparency and decision-making.
• Proficiency in utilizing advanced financial technologies to streamline FAO workflows, automate processes, and improve financial reporting accuracy.
• Expertise in implementing multi-tiered audit and risk management frameworks to uphold financial integrity, ensure compliance, and mitigate risks.
• Proven track record of scaling FAO operations effectively by integrating financial processes with cloud-based platforms, enabling seamless expansion and flexibility.
• Demonstrated expertise in leading large-scale FAO transformations, ensuring alignment with best-in-class industry practices and governance models.

Technical & Functional Expertise:

• Strong knowledge of US GAAP, SOX compliance, tax laws, and payroll regulations.
• Expertise in ERP and financial platforms such as SAP, Oracle, Workday, NetSuite, or similar.
• High proficiency in automation tools, AI-based finance solutions, and process optimization.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to resolve complex operational challenges.
• Experience in designing FAO workflow structures that enhance productivity and minimize risk.
• Design and implement standardized FAO processes in compliance with global financial regulations and industry benchmarks.
• Optimize client-specific financial structures, including chart of accounts and cost-center frameworks, to enhance transparency and decision-making.
• Utilize advanced financial technologies to streamline FAO workflows, automate processes, and improve financial reporting accuracy.
• Implement multi-tiered audit and risk management frameworks to uphold financial integrity, ensure compliance, and mitigate risks.
• Scale FAO operations effectively by integrating financial processes with cloud-based platforms, enabling seamless expansion and flexibility.

Leadership & Soft Skills:

• Exceptional critical thinking and intellectual capabilities, with a data-driven approach to decision-making.
• Outstanding leadership, stakeholder management, and team-building skills.
• Excellent negotiation, communication, and conflict-resolution skills.
• High adaptability to work in a fast-paced and evolving FAO landscape.
• Ability to engage and influence senior executives, both onshore and offshore.

Compensation & Benefits:

• Highly competitive salary as per market standards and performance-based incentives.
• Executive benefits package including health insurance
• Relocation assistance for the right candidate willing to move to Hyderabad.
• Continuous learning and development opportunities.
• A leadership role in one of the fastest-growing FAO business units in India.

Why Join CogentHub?

• Work with a global leader in outsourced FAO services, managing end-to-end financial operations for US clients.
• Lead a high-impact team and drive the next phase of growth in CogentHub’s FAO business.
• Opportunity to collaborate with top industry experts and leverage cutting-edge financial technologies.
• Be part of an organization that values innovation, excellence, and continuous learning.