Head Fund Accounting

Job Description – Head of Fund Accounting

Position

Head – Fund Accounting

Experience

15+ years of relevant experience in fund accounting, preferably within Alternative Investment Funds, Asset Management, Fund Administration, or Financial Services.

Qualification

Chartered Accountant (CA) – mandatory.

Role Overview

We are seeking an experienced Head of Fund Accounting to lead the fund accounting and financial reporting function for an alternative investment platform managing Category II and Category III AIFs. The role will be responsible for ensuring accurate and timely fund accounting, NAV computation, financial reporting, regulatory compliance, and coordination with fund administrators, auditors, trustees, custodians, investors, and other stakeholders.

The ideal candidate should have strong hands-on expertise in alternative fund accounting, with a deep understanding of Cat II and Cat III fund structures, fund-level accounting, portfolio valuation, NAV, investor accounting, and financial reporting.

Key Responsibilities

Fund Accounting & NAV

• Lead end-to-end fund accounting operations for Category II and Category III Alternative Investment Funds.
• Oversee accurate and timely NAV computation, capital accounting, investor allocations, and fund-level financial statements.
• Review accounting of investments, income, expenses, management fees, carried interest, performance fees, and other fund-level transactions.
• Ensure appropriate accounting treatment for various asset classes and complex investment structures.
• Establish robust controls and review mechanisms around fund accounting and NAV processes.

Financial Reporting & Compliance

• Oversee preparation and review of periodic financial statements, MIS, fund reports, and investor reporting.
• Ensure compliance with applicable SEBI AIF regulations, accounting standards, taxation requirements, and other regulatory requirements.
• Coordinate with statutory auditors, tax advisors, fund administrators, trustees, custodians, and regulatory stakeholders.
• Drive timely completion of audits and ensure closure of audit observations.

Investor & Portfolio Accounting

• Oversee investor capital calls, distributions, subscriptions, redemptions, transfers, and investor-wise accounting.
• Ensure accurate allocation of fund income, expenses, gains/losses, and other transactions among investors.
• Review portfolio valuation and ensure appropriate accounting treatment for investments and valuation adjustments.
• Support investor reporting and respond to accounting-related investor queries.

Fund Administration & Stakeholder Management

• Manage and review the performance of third-party fund administrators/service providers, where applicable.
• Establish SLAs, review processes, reconciliation frameworks, and quality controls with external administrators.
• Coordinate closely with investment, operations, treasury, tax, legal, compliance, and investor relations teams.
• Act as the key finance and accounting point of contact for fund-related matters.

Process, Controls & Team Leadership

• Build and strengthen the fund accounting function, processes, systems, and internal controls.
• Lead, mentor, and develop the fund accounting team.
• Identify opportunities for automation and process improvement across accounting, reconciliation, reporting, and NAV processes.
• Ensure strong governance, documentation, maker-checker controls, and operational risk management.

Key Requirements

• CA qualification is mandatory.
• 15+ years of overall experience, with substantial relevant experience in fund accounting.
• Strong experience in Alternative Investment Funds, particularly Category II and Category III AIFs.
• Deep understanding of fund accounting, NAV computation, investor accounting, portfolio valuation, and fund financial reporting.
• Experience managing complex fund structures and investment accounting.
• Strong understanding of SEBI AIF regulations and applicable accounting standards.
• Experience in managing internal teams and/or external fund administrators.
• Strong stakeholder management skills with the ability to work with auditors, trustees, custodians, administrators, investors, and senior management.
• Strong analytical, review, control, and problem-solving capabilities.

Preferred Background

Candidates from AIFs, private equity funds, venture capital funds, asset management companies, fund administration firms, Big 4 advisory firms, or financial services organisations with significant alternative fund accounting exposure would be preferred.

Key Competencies

• Alternative Fund Accounting
• Cat II & Cat III AIF Accounting
• NAV Computation
• Portfolio & Investment Accounting
• Investor Accounting
• Fund Financial Reporting
• Valuation & Reconciliation
• Regulatory & Statutory Compliance
• Audit & Tax Coordination
• Fund Administration
• Process & Controls
• Team Leadership
• Stakeholder Management