Finance Manager - Client Billing

ZS Associates · Consulting & Professional Services

Pune, India
Hybrid
Posted today
Finance & Accounting
full time

About the job

ZS is a place where passion changes lives. As a management consulting and technology firm focused on improving life and how we live it, we transform ideas into impact by bringing together data, science, technology and human ingenuity to deliver better outcomes for all. Here you’ll work side-by-side with a powerful collective of thinkers and experts shaping life-changing solutions for patients, caregivers and consumers, worldwide. ZSers drive impact by bringing a client-first mentality to each and every engagement. We partner collaboratively with our clients to develop custom solutions and technology products that create value and deliver company results across critical areas of their business. Bring your curiosity for learning, bold ideas, courage and passion to drive life-changing impact to ZS.

About the Role

ZS seeks a Finance Manager - Client Billing to lead our global Billing Centre of Excellence within the Client Accounting function in Pune. The Billing CoE owns end-to-end customer invoicing for ZS globally across services and software and supports the order-to-cash lifecycle from deal booking through delivery, billing, collection and reporting.

As Finance Manager - Client Billing, you will be accountable for timely, accurate and compliant customer invoicing across ZS globally. You will lead a team of approximately 20-22 billing professionals, build skills and capabilities, improve efficiency through process redesign and automation, and act as a trusted partner to Finance and business leaders. This role balances operational excellence with strategic transformation.

The team supports a diverse global portfolio across consulting, technology, managed services and asset-based engagements, including fixed-fee milestone, time-and-materials, subscription/software, ticket-based and expense billing. The role also spans client procurement and e-invoicing portals and country-specific statutory invoicing requirements across multiple geographies.

What You'll Do

Lead and develop the team. Coach and develop approximately 20-22 billing professionals across levels; build capability in billing models, contract and SOW interpretation, PO management, portals, e-invoicing and systems; strengthen onboarding, training, performance management, succession and backup coverage.

Own global billing delivery. Lead end-to-end invoicing from milestone monitoring, PO readiness and billing confirmation through invoice creation, submission and receipt confirmation across fixed-fee, T&M, subscription/software, ticket/consumption and expense billing models.

Manage critical billing cycles. Oversee month-end, quarter-end and year-end billing against phased targets and client-specific deadlines, including reconciliation between ERP and client portal records.

Improve working capital and cash conversion. Minimize unbilled WIP, resolve missing or incorrect POs, run disciplined escalation with business stakeholders, and partner with Accounts Receivable and Collections to address overdue balances and short payments.

Strengthen controls and audit readiness. Institutionalize documented controls; ensure invoices comply with MSAs, SOWs, PO terms, tax requirements and ZS policies; prevent revenue leakage and over-billing; and lead preparation for client, internal and external audits.

Partner across the business. Serve as the primary billing leader for Client Accountants, Finance Business Partners, Project Managers, Principals and Client Service Leaders; collaborate with Revenue Recognition, Sales and Order Management, AR/Collections, Contracting, Legal, Tax, Accounts Payable and Corporate Finance.

Drive process excellence and transformation. Standardize global billing processes, reduce touch points and individual dependency, and deliver automation and AI opportunities across PO retrieval and mapping, portal reconciliation, invoice-status confirmation, reminders and SOP generation.

Shape future-state systems. Represent billing in ERP and systems transformation programs, including SAP S/4HANA, and partner with IT, Reporting and Data teams on dashboards and reporting for missing POs, unbilled milestones, WIP and productivity.

Track and communicate performance. Define KPIs for productivity, quality, timeliness and stakeholder satisfaction; publish monthly operational reporting with clear insights and actions; and run regular governance reviews .

What You'll Bring

Qualifications and experience. CA, CMA, CPA, MBA in Finance or an equivalent qualification; approximately 14-15 years of experience in order-to-cash, billing, revenue or client accounting, preferably in professional services, consulting, IT services, global shared services or a GCC environment.

Leadership experience. At least 4-5 years leading sizeable teams of 15+ people, ideally including team leads and multi-level structures, with experience running or building a global CoE or shared-services operation.

Billing and order-to-cash expertise. Deep understanding of invoicing, order-to-cash and project financial management across fixed-fee, T&M, subscription and expense billing.

Systems and portal knowledge. Hands-on experience with SAP ECC and/or S/4HANA project systems and billing; working knowledge of client procurement portals, e-invoicing and indirect-tax requirements across geographies.

Finance and reporting capability. Understanding of ASC 606 / IFRS 15 and the relationship between billing, revenue and working capital; advanced Excel and reporting skills; exposure to Power BI, automation tools or AI agents is highly desirable.

Leadership competencies. Strong coaching, mentoring, talent-development, stakeholder-management and executive-communication skills; ability to influence without direct authority and make sound decisions with imperfect information.

Transformation mindset. Strategic thinking, structured problem-solving, change management, continuous improvement, customer-service orientation, attention to detail, and the ability to manage competing priorities in a deadline-driven environment.

What Success Looks Like

Reliable global delivery. Timely, accurate and compliant invoicing across ZS services and software engagements, including peak and year-end cycles.

Improved cash conversion. Reduced billing blockers and unbilled WIP through effective PO management, escalation and partnership with Accounts Receivable and Collections.

Stronger controls. An always audit-ready billing operation with clear controls, current SOPs and effective remediation of findings.

Scalable operations. More standardized, digitized and automated billing processes, supported by clear KPIs, dashboards and governance.

A capable, engaged team. Strong skills, accountability, sustainable workload coverage and a clear succession and leadership bench.

How you’ll grow:

Cross-functional skills development & custom learning pathways

Milestone training programs aligned to career progression opportunities

Internal mobility paths that empower growth via s-curves, individual contribution and role expansions

Perks & Benefits:

At ZS, your growth matters. We offer a comprehensive total rewards package that supports your health and well‑being, financial future, time away, and professional development. With robust skills‑building programs, multiple career progression paths, internal mobility, and a deeply collaborative culture, you’ll have the opportunity to do meaningful work, expand your capabilities, and thrive as part of a global community. For details on total rewards in India , visit ZS India office locations | Where we work | ZS .

Hybrid working model:

We are committed to giving our employees a flexible and connected way of working. A flexible and connected ZS allows us to combine work from home and on-site presence at clients/ZS offices for the majority of our week. The magic of ZS culture and innovation thrives in both planned and spontaneous face-to-face connections.

Travel:

Travel is a requirement at ZS for client facing ZSers; business needs of your project and client are the priority. While some projects may be local, all client-facing ZSers should be prepared to travel as needed. Travel provides opportunities to strengthen client relationships, gain diverse experiences, and enhance professional growth by working in different environments and cultures.

Considering applying?

At ZS, we honor the visible and invisible elements of our identities, personal experiences, and belief systems—the ones that comprise us as individuals, shape who we are, and make us unique. We believe your personal interests, identities, and desire to learn are integral to your success here. We are committed to building a team that reflects a broad variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences. Learn more about our inclusion and belonging efforts and the networks ZS supports to assist our ZSers in cultivating community spaces and obtaining the resources they need to thrive.

If you’re eager to grow, contribute, and bring your unique self to our work, we encourage you to apply.

ZS is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing equal employment and advancement opportunities without regard to any class protected by applicable law.

To complete your application:

Candidates must possess or be able to obtain work authorization for their intended country of employment. An on-line application, including a full set of transcripts (official or unofficial), is required to be considered.

NO AGENCY CALLS, PLEASE.

Find Out More At:

www.zs.com

Responsibilities