| Detail | For this role |
|---|---|
| Department | Finance and Accounts |
| Level | Senior management |
| Reports to | Chief Financial Officer |
| Direct reports | Senior Finance Manager, Accounts Manager, Taxation Manager |
| Experience | 12+ years in finance with 5 years leading finance teams |
General Manager Finance job description template
Copy this job description, replace the text in square brackets and post it on your careers page or a job portal.
Job title: General Manager Finance
Department: Finance and Accounts
Reports to: Chief Financial Officer
Location: [City], [office, branch or site]
About the role
A General Manager Finance heads the finance and accounts department at a company, plant or large branch. They own the monthly close, MIS, budgets, statutory compliance and audits, and manage a team of finance and accounts managers. The role sits between the CFO or Finance Director and the working managers, turning strategy into schedules, controls and reports. A good GM Finance keeps the books accurate and on time, controls cost and cash, and keeps the business well informed.
Key responsibilities
- Head the finance and accounts department and own the monthly, quarterly and annual close.
- Prepare and control the annual budget and review actual spend against it every month with department heads.
- Deliver management reports, cash flow forecasts and cost analysis to the CFO and business leaders.
- Ensure statutory compliance for GST, TDS, income tax, PF, ESI and companies act filings.
- Lead statutory, tax and internal audits and drive closure of all observations.
- Set accounting policies, controls and the delegation of authority, and enforce them across teams.
- Manage banking relationships, working capital, fund flow and payment discipline.
- Guide costing, pricing and margin discussions with sales and operations.
- Approve high value payments, provisions and write offs within the authority matrix.
- Build and appraise the finance managers and plan cover for critical roles.
Requirements
- Chartered Accountant (CA) or MBA in Finance
- Broad experience across accounts, tax and MIS
- CMA is an advantage
- 12+ years in finance with 5 years leading finance teams
KRAs and KPIs for a General Manager Finance
Key result areas for the appraisal form, each with a KPI you can measure every month or quarter.
| Key result area | How to measure it |
|---|---|
| Reporting timeliness | Monthly accounts and MIS closed by the agreed working day every month |
| Budget control | Departmental spend held within the approved budget with variances explained each month |
| Compliance | All statutory and tax filings completed by due dates with no penalty in the year |
| Audit outcome | Clean statutory audit with all observations closed before the next cycle |
| Cash and working capital | Receivable and payable days kept within the annual target |
| Team performance | Every finance manager has goals set and reviewed each quarter |
Skills and tools
Tools used day to day: SAP FICO, Oracle Financials, Tally Prime, Advanced Excel, Power BI.
Reporting line and career path
Next roles: AVP Finance, Vice President Finance, Chief Financial Officer
Interview questions for a General Manager Finance
- How do you run the annual budget process across several departments?
- What does your monthly reporting pack contain and who reads which part?
- How do you handle a department that keeps overshooting its budget?
- Describe how you led a company through a tough statutory audit.
- How do you keep enough working capital when receivables stretch?
- How do you decide which finance tasks to automate first?
Managing a General Manager Finance in ZeniaHR
Hire and manage your finance and accounts team in one place
Post the role, onboard the new hire, and track attendance, leave and KRAs in ZeniaHR. Free for your first 50 employees.
Book a free demoSee pricingFrequently asked questions
What does a General Manager Finance do?
A General Manager Finance heads the finance and accounts department. They own the close, MIS, budgets, statutory compliance and audits, manage banking and working capital, and lead the finance and accounts managers. They report to the CFO or Finance Director and turn financial strategy into schedules, controls and reports for the business.
What is the difference between a GM Finance and a Financial Controller?
A Financial Controller focuses on controllership: accurate books, controls, statutory accounts and audits. A GM Finance has a wider remit that also covers budgets, MIS, banking, costing and business partnering, and usually leads a larger team including the controller. In smaller firms one person covers both.
What qualifications does a GM Finance need?
Most GM Finance roles ask for a Chartered Accountant qualification or an MBA in Finance, with 12 or more years across accounts, tax and MIS and at least 5 years leading teams. A CMA helps for costing heavy industries. Proven audit and budget leadership matters as much as the degree.