Strategic Operations & M&A Lead | Equity & Bonus Eligible

InvestedintheMission; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus

Equity

Benefits

Job summary

Shield AI, a venture-backed defense-tech leader, seeks a senior strategist to own capital allocation, business case rigor, and M&A integration across global operations. You will build robust financial models, translate strategic priorities into execution plans, and drive cross‑functional collaboration with senior stakeholders.

A background in aerospace/defense and security clearance awareness is highly valued.

Qualifications

• Min 6+ years of experience with Bachelors, 3+ with Masters.
• Min 2+ years’ experience in a strategy consulting, corporate strategy or other high‑rigor roles.
• Strong analytical and conceptual problem‑solving abilities.
• Experience leading complex, cross‑functional transformations in fast‑paced, technology‑driven environments.
• Demonstrated ability to structure ambiguous problems and drive insight through analysis.
• Financial modeling and analytical capability (unit economics, forecasting, scenario analysis).
• Experience or strong interest in complex, technical, or regulated industries (aerospace, defense, AI, or advanced manufacturing preferred).
• U.S. citizenship required (ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance).

Responsibilities

• Build financial models and analytic frameworks for investment decisions.
• Assess TAM, margin structure, capital intensity, payback, and risk‑adjusted returns.
• Contribute to the development of enterprise‑wide capital allocation frameworks and governance processes.
• Translate strategic priorities into cross‑functional execution plans with defined KPIs and milestones.
• Lead the planning and execution of integration efforts for acquisitions, strategic investments, and other inorganic growth initiatives.
• Track and report on progress through structured operating cadences (monthly and quarterly performance reviews).
• Identify bottlenecks, analyze root causes, and recommend actionable solutions to sustain execution velocity.
• Lead cross‑functional M&A integration from diligence and pre‑close planning through Day 1, Day 100, and business‑as‑usual transition.
• Coordinate functional leaders to manage dependencies, resolve critical issues, and maintain business, customer, and mission continuity.
• Partner with Finance and business leaders to validate, track, and realize synergy, capability, and operational‑value targets.
• Build repeatable integration playbooks, tools, and lessons learned to improve speed, rigor, and value capture across future transactions.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Financial modeling

Problem solving

Collaboration across teams

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree

Job description

Shield AI, a venture-backed defense-tech leader, seeks a senior strategist to own capital allocation, business case rigor, and M&A integration across global operations. You will build robust financial models, translate strategic priorities into execution plans, and drive cross‑functional collaboration with senior stakeholders.

A background in aerospace/defense and security clearance awareness is highly valued.