CIMA professionals in India: Different types of job roles available

CIMA professionals in India work across various types of job roles. This article explores the dynamic tasks performed by CIMA professionals in India.

Still not decided what you want to do? Why don’t you take up an internship to get a better idea? Hearing these types of endless queries and advice from relatives and friends since graduation has made Rahul rather edgy; and desperate to run away to a quiet place where no one can badger him with so many questions.

There are many options available but he doesn’t want to jump into anything which has limited scope of growth and opportunities. This is not only Rahul’s story but of many bright finance students today who don’t have enough knowledge on what the next best step should be after graduation. However with a little bit of research one can find there are might options available today to finance students besides CA.

One such option is the CIMA certification which offers new avenues of growth to CIMA members within the industry; in terms of diverse job roles along with diverse areas of work. In fact the CIMA professionals in India qualification has becoming increasingly popular amongst many Indian students recently.

Why is CIMA different?

While accounting qualifications largely train members to work on external audit and tax issues for private practices, a CIMA qualification propels one towards a career in business, by offering practical expertise in strategic advice, risk management and vital decision making skills. Hence CIMA professionals in India scope of work is not restricted to only finance function but in a variety of roles as advisors or business partners.

What types of roles are being offered?

Decision maker role – this entails working at or near director level and participating in discussions relevant to strategic change. Their aim is building trust while helping develop a relevant decision making process throughout the organization.
Specialist unit role – this requires working in a central finance department or likewise, while being responsible for financial processes and procedures applied throughout the organization. Their aim is to build trust between financial professionals and business leaders by educating; supporting and convincing both the financial and non-financial professional members within the organization.
The other roles for CIMA members also include – business partner roles and support staff roles. As the qualification is globally recognized, various members are also able to work in these diverse roles across various countries as well.

Peter Simons ACMA, CGMA, technical specialist at CIMA, stated that a research carried out by the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) , found that 74% of management accountants felt that a CIMA qualification strengthened their ability to move across all areas of the business!

Career options available for CIMA members

CIMA professionals in India are working in diverse roles such as – Corporate Finance Manager, Pricing Analyst, Financial Reporting Manager, Business Planning Manager, Financial Analyst, Financial Planning & Budgeting Manager, Managing Directors and CEO’s, etc.
 
As well as in diverse industries such as –

• Professional services
• Financial services
• Public sector
• FMCG
• Retail
• Media
• Telecommunication & IT
• Transport, Travel and Leisure
• Engineering, Manufacturing and Exploration

 
Case study of an aspiring CIMA member working in the FMCG Industry

• Company – Unilever
• Role: Finance business partner – simple brand
• View on financial role – Requires understanding business and not only numbers and at times decisions and made on perception and business understanding without the help of numbers.
• View on CIMA qualification – Unilever finance values CIMA as a highly revered qualification which is internationally recognized and is a must have in case you’re willing to become a manager. Since the qualification is highly respected, the company also offers conducive environment for studying the course.

 
Besides the various career options mentioned above; a recent CIMA Student Survey also substantiates the above by showing a drastic rise of students opting for the CIMA qualification recently; depicting CIMA student’s confidence about their future career opportunities.