Head of Finance India en Smiths Group

Every minute of every day, Smiths Detection’s threat detection and security screening technology helps to protect people and infrastructure, making the world a safer place. 

Smiths Detection, part of Smiths Group is a global leader in the development, manufacture and management of security and detection solutions designed to make the world a safer place. Our technology provides threat detection and screening solutions for customers in our key markets: aviation, ports and borders, defence, and urban security.

Our expertise spans 21 global offices, seven manufacturing sites and five R&D centres, with a global network of 3,000 dedicated colleagues contributing towards over 40 years at the frontline of advances in safety and security.  

Careers here are defined by variety and innovation—offering the chance to work on advanced solutions while developing your expertise every day.

The Head of Finance India is the top finance role in the fast-growing India market of Smiths Detection. The role is a key member of the India leadership team, reporting to Finance Director, Global Financial Services (Division) along with business partnering with the India Market Head.

There are four key areas of responsibility:

• Financial Leadership.  Oversight and financial responsibility for India. Support India leadership team in the general management and communication with Smiths Detection employees across India
• Commercial Business Partner.  Deputise for the India Market Head.  Advise on shaping commercial strategy, communicate and present financial results and plans to Smiths Detection management and other stakeholders, Conduct Commercial / Market Review on monthly basis.
• Responsibility for Finance Shared Service Centre (SSC) that provides Accounts Payable services for now, with ambitions to grow this in future.
• Operational expansion business partner.  Business partner for manufacturing expansion to enable Smiths Detection to commercially grow in the India market.

Duties:

The Head of Finance is the lead finance business partner for the India’s commercial team, with ownership for financial reporting, financial analysis, business insight and strategic planning. This will include driving the strategic plan, rolling forecast and annual budget preparation, as well as supporting the team with on major bids and program & service contracts. The role is also responsible for financial and other assessments of capital expenditure and investment proposals.

The primary task is to have full financial responsibility by overseeing all financial all planning and analysis activities, maintaining strong Internal Controls and is an enabler and advisor to add insight, challenge and help shape the business. 

The role has complete responsibility for the financial stewardship of the accounting & financial operations for the region. This includes two separate areas:

• For the India region - production of the financial reports, maintenance of the accounting records, controls and budgets in order to ensure that the reported results comply with company policies and international financial reporting standards.
• Delivery on global requirements

The role will be a member of the India Leadership Team (ILT) with accountability for local site and wider employee engagement activities across India, and should also act as a role model to their finance team by exemplifying high motivation and standards, collaboration, and be an agent for positive change. A key focus will be developing and growing the talent in the finance team

Areas of focus:

1. Financial Leader

• Responsibility for Detection India Financial Leadership.
• Communicate and present financial results and plans to Smiths Detection management and other stakeholders, Conduct Commercial / Market Review on monthly basis.
• Provide financial leadership for India reporting on order intake, revenue, profitability & cash – both the historic & forecast position, ensuring finance is represented appropriately on all key project boards and decision-making panels.

2. Business Partner

• Act as a strategic and trusted business partner to the India commercial team, collaborating closely to provide financial insights and guidance that supports decision-making and growth.
• Lead the financial value assessment and review of all commercial activities for the India region: bids, tenders, program & service contracts, execution and delivery to budget, deep dive management & operations reviews. Ensure close commercial interaction between the finance function and the regional leadership, in order to understand, influence & ultimately approve commercial activities, business decision-making and risk management to secure anticipated margins.  Review cost sheets and review packs and present them to Divisional SLT alongside the Market Head.
• Business Case responsibility for the verification of major capital expenditures requests, benefit assumptions and post completion reviews
• Contribute proactively and creatively to the development of business strategies, consistent with Smiths Detection objectives & strategy, and convert these strategies into executable plans, including tools such as benchmarking. This includes demand and resource allocation processes, advice on pricing and managing cash / customer credit, and profitability or channel to market value assessment. Assess on a regular basis whether the region has sufficiently aligned its resources in order to achieve its strategic and commercial objectives.

3. Finance Shared Services

• Oversee SSC and future evolution. Improve customer satisfaction, ensure robust service delivery, and identify and implement process improvements. 
• Implement process improvement for the existing Accounts Payable team.
• This role will be key to building a reputation for high quality delivery and success, supporting career paths of team members and improving structures and processes to make the SSC a function that businesses are keen to work.

4. Operational Expansion in Bangalore

• Business Partner the operational expansion in Bangalore.  Create controls and rigour, establish processes for new areas, working with global teams to understand the business need and build up presence in India where needed.
• Recruit for a locally based Operations Accountant to advise and support locally, and monitor, account for and report on the relevant items. 
• Support the Global Operations Finance Director.

5. Finance Stewardship and Team Management

• Drive financial priorities on working capital, pricing or margin improvement and cost saving targets, ensuring the senior management team are provided with quality navigation,
• forecasting and business planning information that focuses decision making to maximise profit and cash.  Ensure focus on targets to drive process changes to optimise outcomes, including inventory.
• Ensure that a robust internal control framework, consistent with Group policies, is in place for financial reporting and to protect company assets and Intellectual Property. Fully support the modernisation & improvement of the controls in accordance with the global framework.
• Run the Detection India finance team and provide finance advisory services to Detection India, applying Smiths values and setting a tone of continuous improvement.   Supervise, manage, and develop finance team members.  Proactive talent coaching and succession planning, to ensure that the finance team develops the skills, experience and expertise to drive business forward.

6. Accounting & Financial Operations

• Financial Reporting responsibility (both internal and external) for timely & accurate month, interim and year end close activities for each entity and reporting area with separate filings in the region across Gurgaon, Delhi, Pune and Bangalore. Ad hoc reporting such as Treasury (Bonds & Guarantees, Hedging, FX, and Cash Pooling), IFRS, India GAAP, Tax and Compliance. 
• Understand and explain results, produce management KPI reports and ensure required functions are provided with quality navigation, forecasting and business planning tools and procedures that focus on decision making to maximise revenue, profit and cash.
• Preparation and management of the entity planning and forecasting process and annual budgets (in co-ordination with Sales, Service, Program, HR) and ensuring timely submission into Onyx. Ownership of financial information within strategic plan, working closely with Market Head. Understand and explain commercial drivers and financial impacts in the monthly Market Reviews, annual Strategic Plan and Budget processes to senior leadership.

7. Compliance and Process Improvement

• Drive process and system improvements and create a continuous improvement culture to aid transparency and decision-making.
• Responsibility for establishing, implementing, and maintaining financial reporting systems and processes to comply with local regulations and divisional policies.  Ensure the companies within the region are compliant with accounting, tax (both direct and indirect) regulations (filings, assessments) and act as a leader for compliance activities within the market, alongside the Market Head and working closely with Legal and HR.
• Ensure that there is an effective risk management process in place to mitigate key problems and issues and fulfil all statutory reporting & filing requirements for the legal entities in the region.

8. Management within Global and Cross-Functional Team

• Audit: Primary responsibility for managing the Indian entities' relationship with external and internal auditors, and tax advisors.
• Treasury: manage portfolio of bank guarantees, hedging and basic cash management.
• Tax: Implement recommended tax structures including VAT and lntrastat reporting, for all entities and Israel & Irish Branches within the region, including Irish RCT compliance.
• Policies & Procedures: Ensure the business is compliant with all of Smiths Group and Smiths Detection policies and procedures, such as delegation of authority, expense procedures, capex applications, foreign exchange, etc. Complying with and promoting all relevant legal requirements & Smiths policies and procedures, including business ethics, data protection and health & safety.

Technical Knowledge and Skills:

• Chartered Accountant with at least ten years of managerial experience and at least three years of experience in a similar role.
• Experience of working with Big 4 auditing firms advantageous.
• Strong technical financial accounting & reporting skills with specific focus on IFRS, India GAAP and tax compliance and revenue recognition requirements.
• Significant financial experience with accounting under complex arrangements and for long-term contracts involving deployment of technology solutions, manufacturing and related after-market service.
• Experience working with an ERP (such as SAP) and a consolidation system such as Oracle or Hyperion Financial Management.
• Proficient in use of Excel spreadsheets, Outlook and Word.
• Knowledge & practical experience of financial & tax issues for the region.
• Experience providing commercial advice and supporting business proposals.

Key attributes:

• Methodical work practices.
• Meticulous attention to detail with superb organizational skills
• The ability to make effective, timely decisions in a complex global market, by sourcing and analysing critical information. 
• The understanding and recognition of the organisations commercial environment and positioning themselves, their role and their actions in order to support the organisations commercial success.
• The ability to engage, challenge and work effectively with others.
• The ability to build an effective network of relationships both internally and externally, understanding their customers’ needs.
• Willing and able to identify and support change and continuous improvement in own and wider business environment.
• Demonstrates the required functional and/ or technical knowledge and skills to achieve the highest level of accomplishment.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.

Planning and Decision Making:

• Financial and accounting decision making for India region in line with Detection's DoA.
• Ability to deputise for regional Head of Market. Approve contracts for signing or further internal approval. Assume Head of Market DOA when they are unavailable.
• Agree overall Budget of the region including resource allocation and headcount.
• This is a leadership role and key member of the India Leadership Team.

Impact and Scope: 

• This role has key responsibility to manage the financial performance of a fast-growing and changing market, with a number of challenging contracts.
• Requirement to design for change in a fast-moving environment with competing priorities.
• The scope of the role is managerial as well as technical, requiring significant revenue recognition and accounting expertise.
• High impact in the areas of finance, commercial and working capital management. 
• Error may lead to incorrect revenue recognition, credit risk, exposing to risky conditions in contract or ineffective control.

Key Internal and External Relationships: 

• Global Finance team.
• Commercial team especially Head of Market, and including Sales, Legal, Programme and Service.
• Market leadership team and functional heads within the India region.
• Local project teams.
• Key customers with significant contracts.
• External auditors.
• Tax consultants.
• Internal auditors.
• Internal advisors – legal, tax, treasury etc.

We believe that different perspectives and backgrounds are what make a company flourish. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment regardless of color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, economic status, disability, age, or any other legally protected characteristics. We are proud to be an inclusive company with values grounded in equality and ethics, where we celebrate, support, and embrace diversity.

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