Finance Officer

Starting Date: ASAP

Contract type: Full-time and open-ended

Salary: 15,51,147 INR, commensurate with relevant experience and skills

Location: Delhi, India

Application closing date: 31.03.2026

About the Job 

The Finance Officer – India will play a key role in supporting the financial integrity, compliance, and reporting of Better Cotton’s India operations. This role ensures that financial transactions and processes align with both Indian statutory regulations and Better Cotton’s global finance standards. The postholder will support budgeting, reporting, internal controls, payments, and audit coordination, contributing to effective country-level financial governance.

Are you purpose-led and ready to embark on a journey to shape the future of sustainable cotton? Join us at Better Cotton Initiative Finance Officer and lead a global team responsible for delivering high impact communications for the world’s largest cotton sustainability initiative – we support more sustainable farming practices and farm livelihoods for nearly 1.6 million farmers in the BCI network in 15 countries around the world.

The Challenge

Looking ahead to 2030, we are targeting reducing GHG emissions from cotton production by half, big cuts in synthetic pesticide use, improve soil health across our network, improve farm income and support women’s empowerment among farmers and farm workers. 

As Finance Officer, you will ensure accurate and timely financial reporting, compliance with statutory regulations (FCRA, TDS, GST), effective treasury management, and process improvements that strengthen operational efficiency.

Responsibilities

We are seeking a motivated Finance Officer to join our Finance & Services. In this role, you will be responsible for:

1. Financial Reporting & Compliance

• Prepare monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reports in line with Indian accounting standards and Better Cotton’s global reporting formats.
• Maintain general ledger accuracy by ensuring timely postings, reconciliations, and completion of month-end closing activities.
• Facilitate review and approval of monthly financial reports by the Finance Manager and obtain final sign-off from the Country Director.
• Coordinate with external auditors by managing documentation requirements and supporting audit processes.
• Ensure compliance with statutory requirements including FCRA, Income Tax, TDS, and GST.
• Support preparation of donor financial reports and schedules, ensuring alignment with approved grant budgets.

2. Payments, Treasury & Cash Management

• Process vendor payments, staff reimbursements, payroll inputs, and other disbursements in accordance with organisational policies and approval frameworks.
• Monitor bank balances, conduct monthly bank reconciliations, and support cash flow planning to meet liquidity requirements.
• Maintain records of staff and vendor advances and follow up on timely settlements.
• Conduct financial validation of procurement documentation prior to payment processing.

3. Systems & Process Improvements

• Support effective use of the Certinia ERP system by ensuring accurate financial postings, data integrity, and adherence to defined workflows.
• Collaborate with internal teams to identify and implement improvements that enhance system efficiency and financial processes.
• Contribute to digitisation initiatives and reduction of manual finance processes.

4. Budgeting & Forecasting

• Assist in budget reallocations and preparation of Budget vs Actual (BvA) analysis and variance explanations.
• Track programme and operational budgets to support informed spending decisions and compliance with Better Cotton’s global financial guidelines.
• Coordinate with Programme and Operations teams on budget monitoring and forecasting requirements.

5. Internal Controls & Policy Adherence

• Support adherence to Better Cotton’s financial policies, SOPs, and India-specific internal control procedures.
• Assist the Finance and Operations Manager in conducting periodic control checks, file reviews, and sample audits.
• Maintain well-organised financial documentation to ensure audit readiness at all times.

Experience

the following skills, knowledge, and experience:

Education & Experience:

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in accounting, Commerce, or Finance.

• Minimum 5 years of professional experience in nonprofit, development, or corporate finance.

• Strong working knowledge of FCRA, GST, Income Tax, and other Indian regulations.

• Proficiency in MS Excel and finance software.

Desirable:

• Professional certification (e.g. CA Inter, ICWA, CPA).

• Experience with donor-funded projects.

• Experience with ERP systems (Certinia preferred).
• Fluency in English (both written and spoken) is essential, as the role involves regular interaction with global teams and external stakeholders.

Skills & Competencies (Outcome-Driven):

• Financial Planning & Analysis: Proven ability to support accurate budgeting, forecasting, and variance analysis to ensure alignment with programmatic and operational needs.

• Attention to Detail & Compliance Orientation: Strong focus on financial accuracy, documentation, and adherence to local statutory requirements and global policies.

• Collaboration & Communication: Effective communicator with experience in working with cross-functional teams and building strong relationships across finance and non-finance colleagues.

• Problem Solving & Accountability: Takes initiative in resolving operational bottlenecks, escalating issues appropriately, and ensuring timely financial delivery.

What we offer

• Competitive salary
• Hybrid working – Two to three days/week work from office
• The opportunity to work from anywhere in the world for up to one month per year
• Flexible working, with core hours from 10 am to 4 pm local time
• Continuous learning and development
• Provident Fund Benefits
• A generous annual leave package, including paid holiday, public holidays, additional paid days off during the festive season, study and exam days, and extra discretionary leave for life events such as family weddings or moving home
• The opportunity to make your mark and make a difference.

Working arrangements

The position is full-time (40 hours per week) and will be based in Delhi. Better Cotton Initiative offers flexible working, with core hours being 10 am – 4 pm.  The position will require limited travel.

Apply now

Send us your CV (2 pages maximum) and a brief cover letter (1-page maximum) by or before 31.03.2026 via the apply now link. 

In your cover letter, please include an explanation of why your experience is specifically relevant to this role at Better Cotton Initiative. We want to see your personal style – what makes you tick and why you think your next opportunity is here with us.
Better Cotton Initiative does not use artificial intelligence or automated screening tools in its hiring process. Every application is reviewed by our Talent Acquisition team and relevant hiring managers to ensure a fair and human-led assessment experience.

Our hiring process

Initial Screening:

Applicant screening is a crucial step in our recruitment process. This stage may involve a brief phone interview or video call to evaluate your suitability for the position. During this screening, we review resumes and cover letters, and may conduct initial background checks to narrow down the pool of applicant. Internal candidates are encouraged to inform their line manager about their application to promote transparency and help facilitate a smooth transition if selected.

Interviews:

If you successfully pass the initial screening, you will be invited for interviews. The interview process at Better Cotton Initiative may include one or more rounds of interviews with various stakeholders, such as the hiring manager, team members, and potentially senior management. As an internal candidate, you may have discussions regarding your current responsibilities and how they will transition to the new position.

Assessment and Testing: 

Depending on the role, you might be required to complete assessments, technical tests, or skills evaluations to gauge your competency and suitability for the position. Internal candidates may have the option to demonstrate their existing skills through current job performance or past project outcomes.

Reference Checks: 

Once you progress further in the process, reference checks are conducted to validate your work history, skills, and qualifications, and for some roles, your education and criminal history. Internal candidates may be asked for references from current or previous supervisors within Better Cotton Initiative to provide insights into their performance and capabilities.

Offer stage:

After completing interviews, assessments, and reference checks, the hiring team evaluates your performance and fit for the role. If you are selected and your references are relevant and satisfactory, you will receive a formal job offer letter outlining the terms of employment, compensation, benefits, and any other relevant details. For internal candidates, the offer process may include a discussion about how your transition to the new role will be managed and any support needed for a smooth handover.

About Better Cotton Initiative

Better Cotton Initiative is a global not-for-profit organisation supporting the production of more equitable and sustainable cotton at farm level. We exist to catalyse the cotton farming community with partners, governments and others to continuously drive positive impact by setting standards and facilitating the supply and demand of more sustainable cotton from farm to brand. In just 15 years we have aligned more than a fifth of the world’s cotton with our standard and helped farmers and farming communities thrive. Join us in building a better, more sustainable future for cotton worldwide.

About our Values

The post holder will be expected to operate in line with our workplace values which are:  

• Trustworthy (including honest, transparent, credible) 
• As having Integrity (including responsible, authentic) 
• Positive (including problem-solving, pragmatic) 
• Engaging (including adaptable, inclusive, holistic) 
• Daring (including courageous, innovative, game-changing)  

Being you @ Better Cotton Initiative

Better Cotton Initiative is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer with a strong commitment to good practice and transparency in the management of natural, human, and financial resources.

We have a zero-tolerance approach to any attitudes or behaviours that put children or adults at risk of harm. Safeguarding incidents are acts of serious misconduct and are grounds for disciplinary action, up to and including, dismissal and referral to relevant authorities for criminal prosecution. Therefore, all offers of employment are subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks.