ARJAN GIDWANI

*** **** ******

Hackensack, New Jersey 07601

Home 201-***-**** ad0rma@r.postjobfree.com Cell 917-***-****

Experienced Financial Executive with over 30 years of expertise in Accounting, Audit, and Finance across various sectors, including Financial Services, BPO Services, and Back Office Staffing Services. Proven track record in enhancing compliance, driving continuous process improvements, optimizing revenue, and implementing cost controls. Skilled in managing BPO operations, P&L, audits, regulatory compliance, process enhancements, budgeting, cost-saving strategies, and relationship management.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

MINDLANCE, INC., Union, NJ 2012 – May, 2023

Chief Internal Auditor / Finance Lead

Led internal audits and process improvements at a growing US Staffing firm, overseeing payroll, accounts payable, travel & expense, and sales tax functions. Provided strategic guidance for global restructuring initiatives, ensuring regulatory compliance and minimizing monetary losses. Managed onsite and offshore audit teams, facilitating effective monitoring and reconciliation of all line functions. Collaborated with stakeholders, streamlined processes, and facilitated successful client audits.

Reported directly to the CFO/VP shared services, instantiated a new internal audit organization consisting of onsite and offshore audit teams. As a result, every line function in the organization was being monitored, and audit reconciliations between Payroll and Billing yielded timely detection of errors minimizing monetary losses to the company.

Created a BPO environment structure and a corresponding US Offshore team for every line function to meet the rapid scale up of the business.

Administered a weekly payroll audit which minimized errors related to excess or short payroll payments to ~1500 technical and management personnel prior to its delivery to the Payroll processor, which prevented monetary losses or potential litigations to the organization.

Updated the Travel policy of the company to incorporate the latest guidelines in accordance with regulatory policies and changing scenarios.

Streamlined processing of consultants’ travel reimbursements by restructuring the accounts payable department following a BPO structure which not only met record retention requirements of clients, but also assured accurate repository of consultant backup documentation, and ensured timely audit of reimbursements within a 24 hour turnaround.

Monitored health insurance costs by scrutinizing monthly insurance bills to ensure accuracy of payments made thereof based on elected coverage and employee contributions.

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Initiated and brought the organization current with sales tax payments and processes via research with tax specialists and by implementing recommendations which met local, state-specific and international regulations thereby not only avoiding any penalties to the organization, but also availing of early payment discounts.

Served as the single point of contact for all client audits and remediation actions pertaining to financial markups and onboarding compliance, which entailed integrating the field with back-office operations to achieve 100% audit success and client satisfaction.

Initiated the regulatory compliance activities leading up to dissolution of an international subsidiary, and subsequent startup of the Canadian subsidiary across different provinces by liaising with Canadian employment legal experts, insurance providers, payroll processors and statutory accountants.

OCE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC., a Canon company, New York, NY 1999 - 2011

Manager, General Accounting

Managed P&L, budgets, and accounts for national and regional clients, contributing to 25% of corporate revenues. Led both US and offshore accounting teams, enhancing operational efficiency and achieving annual targets. Implemented cost-saving initiatives, improved labor utilization reporting, and orchestrated the transition of General Ledger processes to offshore locations, resulting in substantial savings.

As the Midwest Regional Finance Coordinator, prepared monthly P & L synopsis for the VP of Operations, substantiated monthly variances and recommended corrective plans to achieve annual targets and to maximize profitability. Collaborated with Operations and Pricing Manager on contract renewals which enabled 95% client retention annually.

Negotiated annual operating budgets and prepared forecasts with Regional Operations Directors for over 200 accounts, leading to decrease in variance of actual vs. budgeted contributions and headcounts to less than 10%.

Led Finance Supervisors and GL coordinators, and interfaced with 50 Area Managers and 10 National Account Managers on a biweekly basis to monitor and correct labor expenses constituting 60% of total costs.

Improved contents of a biweekly labor utilization reports to accelerate the P&L monthly deadlines from 14 to 8 working days. Streamlined and automated the distribution of these reports which yielded labor savings of $120k annually, and improved field response turnaround time by 3 days.

Oversaw the transition of the GL group and all its monthly transactional processes from New York to Manila, Philippines yielding monthly labor cost savings of $200k.

Developed and conducted training programs for coordinators and supervisors, and subsequently managed this newly formed GL Shared Services Group in Manila. Improved employee morale and bridged cultural gaps by leveraging diversity initiatives and implementing innovative recognition programs instantiated by HR.

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As Process owner for managing Fixed Assets, developed a manual which delineated policies, procedures and pertinent controls for maintenance, acquisition and disposal of fixed assets, in compliance with SOX requirements. Implemented an asset physical verification process which reduced monthly idle equipment costs from $100k to $50k.

Managed regulatory obligations for the company. Led a group of Tax Supervisors and coordinators to conduct monthly and quarterly filings of sales, payroll and corporate taxes. Converted 80% of the manual tax payments to EFT’s, which resulted in timely filings and cost savings of $60k annually.

Responded to cost financial audits as per contractual requirements which entailed retention of two big accounts contributing monthly revenues of over $100k.

Appointed as a liaison officer for a subsidiary government company owned by Océ to reconcile its accounting records with the parent company.

NAVEEN SHAH & Co., CPA’S New York, NY 1994 - 1999

Senior Accountant

Compiled, reviewed, and audited financial statements for diverse businesses. Developed internal controls, supported loan applications, and liaised with financial institutions to facilitate borrowing capabilities. Managed regulatory obligations and collaborated with auditors and clients to ensure compliance.

Developed an inventory tracking and maintenance system for clients to enable them to obtain working capital loans from financial institutions.

Liaised with banks to manage working capital limits and factored receivables.

Directly reported to the Sole Proprietor and led a staff of 7 accountants.

Assisted Bank Auditors with collateral audits

COTTON CASTLE, Long Island City, NY 1992 - 1994

Accountant

Prepared financial statements, automated ledger processes, and managed working capital. Collaborated with auditors and bankers, to ensure financial stability.

Automated the manual process of recording general ledgers through Trial Balance.

Managed working-capital including Letters of Credit and bill discounting.

EDUCATION & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Bachelor of Law (LLB), Government Law College, Mumbai, India

Chartered Accountant, Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, New Delhi, India

Bachelor of Science, Sydenham College of Commerce & Economics, Mumbai, India

Yellow Belt Training (May 2010)

Certificate for Green Environmental Studies (March 2010)

Training seminar in Change Management (August 2008)

Advanced knowledge in AS400 systems

Microsoft Dynamics ERP

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