Lead Program Finance (R5875)

Shield; Dallas (TX); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus

Benefits

Equity

Job summary

Shield AI seeks a Lead Financial Analyst to drive FP&A, budgeting, forecasting, and program finance across key programs. You’ll partner with Program Management, Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, and Finance leadership to translate complex numbers into actionable insights.

This hands-on contributor will build scalable models, enhance reporting cadences, and support EAC updates while collaborating across fast-paced teams to enable data-driven decisions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Business, Economics, or related field
• 5+ years of progressive experience in financial analysis, corporate finance, or FP&A
• Advanced proficiency in Excel, financial modeling, and data analysis
• Strong understanding of US GAAP in government contracting or manufacturing environments
• Familiarity with cost accounting concepts and government contract structures (e.g., T&M, CPFF, FFP)
• Power BI knowledge and data visualization skills
• Independent contributor with cross-functional collaboration ability
• Excellent communication for presenting complex data to non-financial stakeholders

Responsibilities

• Build, maintain, and scale financial models for forecasting, budgeting, and long-term planning
• Analyze data trends to develop insights and actionable leadership recommendations
• Provide financial support on program health, spend trends, and headcount planning with PM and Aircraft Ops
• Develop reporting cadences and dashboards to track KPIs and performance using Power BI and Excel
• Participate in month-end and quarter-end closes, variance analysis, and executive reporting
• Support financial planning cycles, reviews, and investment decision processes
• Assist with data transformation and basic modeling with analytics teams
• Drive process improvements for automated financial reporting and analysis
• Collaborate with inventory and supply chain to monitor movement and cost trends
• Monitor actuals vs. plan with program managers and support EAC updates
• Ensure alignment of operations with long-term strategic goals via regular reviews

Skills

Financial analysis

Forecasting

Data visualization

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication

Education

Bachelor's/MBA

Tools

Power BI

Excel

Costpoint/Oracle ERP

Job description

Shield AI is a venture-backed defense-tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Its products include Hivemind autonomy software, V-BAT and X-BATaircraft, and Aechelon simulation and synthetic reality technologies. With offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, Shield AI’s technology actively supports operations worldwide. For more information, visit www.shield.ai. Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and YouTube.

Job Description:

Shield AI is seeking a Lead Financial Analyst to support financial planning, forecasting, and business partnership across key programs and operational areas. This role will partner closely with Program Management, Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, Business Development, and Finance leadership.

The ideal candidate has strong experience in financial analysis, program finance, or FP&A; thrives in a fast-paced and evolving environment; and can translate complex financial data into clear, actionable insights. This individual will improve visibility into financial performance, strengthen forecasting discipline, support EAC and risk/opportunity processes, and help cross-functional teams make informed business decisions.

This is a hands‑on individual contributor role. The Lead Financial Analyst will be expected to build and maintain financial models, analyze performance against plan, improve reporting and financial cadences, and develop scalable processes that support Shield AI’s continued growth.

What you'll do:

• Build, maintain, and scale financial models used for forecasting, budgeting, and long‑term planning
• Analyze data trends to develop business insights and deliver actionable recommendations to leadership
• Partner closely with Program Management and Aircraft Ops teams to provide financial support on program health, spend trends, and headcount planning
• Develop reporting cadences and dashboards to track KPIs and business performance using tools like Power BI and Excel
• Participate in the month‑end and quarter‑end close process, including variance analysis and executive reporting
• Assist with financial operational planning cycles, business reviews, and investment decision‑making processes
• Support data transformation initiatives and basic modeling efforts in collaboration with analytics or data engineering teams
• Drive continuous process improvement by identifying automation and efficiency opportunities within financial reporting and analysis
• Partner with inventory and supply chain teams to monitor material movement, usage, and cost trends
• Collaborate with program managers to monitor actuals vs. plan, flag risks/opportunities, and support EAC (Estimate at Completion) updates
• Ensure financial alignment of day‑to‑day operations with long‑term strategic goals through regular operational reviews and ad‑hoc analysis

Required qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business, Economics, or a related field
• 5+ years of progressive experience in financial analysis, corporate finance, or FP&A
• Advanced proficiency in Excel, financial modeling, and data analysis
• Strong understanding of US GAAP, with practical experience applying accounting principles in a government contracting or manufacturing environment
• Familiarity with cost accounting concepts and government contract structures (e.g., T&M, CPFF, FFP)
• Strong working knowledge of Power BI and comfort with data visualization tools
• Solid understanding of financial statements and business metrics
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and collaborate cross‑functionally in a fast‑moving environment
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to present complex financial data to non‑financial stakeholders

Preferred qualifications:

• MBA or Master’s degree in a related discipline
• Experience supporting operations or customer‑facing teams in a manufacturing, aerospace, or tech environment
• Exposure to Microsoft Fabric, Power Query, DAX, or other data transformation and modeling tools
• Familiarity with ERP systems (e.g., Costpoint/Oracle) and planning tools (e.g., Vena/Anaplan)
• Track record of being a high performer with a bias for action, intellectual curiosity, and attention to detail
• Passion for using data to tell a story and drive strategic decisions

$110,000 - $170,000 a year

#LI-TF1

#LD

Full‑time regular employee offer package:

Pay within range listed + Bonus + Benefits + Equity

Temporary employee offer package:

Pay within range listed above + temporary benefits package (applicable after 60 days of employment)

Salary compensation is influenced by a wide array of factors including but not limited to skill set, level of experience, licenses and certifications, and specific work location. All offers are contingent on a cleared background and possible reference check. Military fellows and part‑time employees are not eligible for benefits. Please speak to your talent acquisition representative for more information.

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Shield AI is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We are committed toequal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know.