Lead Program Financial Analyst (R3450)

Founded in 2015, Shield AI is a venture-backed defense technology company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent, autonomous systems. Its products include Hivemind Enterprise—EdgeOS, Pilot, Commander, and Forge—as well as V-BAT and Sentient Vision Systems (wide-area motion imaging software). With offices in San Diego, Dallas, Washington, D.C., Abu Dhabi (UAE), Kyiv (Ukraine), and Melbourne (Australia), Shield AI’s technology actively supports U.S. and allied operations worldwide.  For more information, visit www.shield.ai. Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn, X and Instagram.    

We are seeking a highly motivated Lead Financial Analyst to join our dynamic finance team supporting the Customer Success and Aircraft Operations business areas. This is a high-impact role designed for an analytical and results-driven individual who thrives in a fast-paced, ever-evolving environment. You will play a critical part in driving operational insights, optimizing performance, and shaping the financial strategy of one of our fastest-growing business units.

As a strategic partner to cross-functional teams, you'll leverage your analytical skills, business acumen, and financial expertise to drive clarity and decision-making. The ideal candidate will have a strong foundation in financial modeling, data analysis, and operational finance, along with an understanding of US GAAP as it relates to government contracting and hardware-centric business.

• 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 Customer Success 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 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
• Track and report on operational metrics such as throughput, utilization, and on-time delivery, linking them to financial outcomes
• Provide analysis and financial support for capacity planning, production schedules, and cost optimization efforts
• 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

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business, Economics, or a related field
• 3+ 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

• 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., NetSuite, SAP) and planning tools (e.g., Adaptive Insights, 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
• Experience with Costpoint or similar systems

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 to equal 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.