Lead Program Finance (R5875)

f7d8749a-72d6-407c-bf98-292ea630c73a•Dallas, TX

About The Position

Shield AI is seeking a Lead Financial Analyst to support financial planning, forecasting, and business partnership across key programs and operational areas. The role partners with Program Management, Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, Business Development, and Finance leadership. The successful candidate brings experience in financial analysis, program finance, or FP&A, works effectively in a fast-paced and evolving environment, and translates complex financial data into clear, actionable insights. This hands-on individual contributor role improves visibility into financial performance, strengthens forecasting discipline, supports Estimate at Completion (EAC) and risk/opportunity processes, and helps cross-functional teams make informed business decisions. The Lead Financial Analyst builds and maintains financial models, analyzes performance against plan, improves reporting and financial cadences, and develops scalable processes to support Shield AI’s growth.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business, Economics, or a related field.
At least 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 and practical experience applying accounting principles in a government contracting or manufacturing environment.
Familiarity with cost accounting concepts and government contract structures such as T&M, CPFF, and FFP.
Strong working knowledge of Power BI and comfort with data visualization tools.
Solid understanding of financial statements and business metrics.
Ability to work independently and collaborate cross-functionally in a fast-moving environment.
Excellent communication skills, including the ability to present complex financial data to non-financial stakeholders.

Nice To Haves

MBA or master’s degree in a related discipline.
Experience supporting operations or customer-facing teams in a manufacturing, aerospace, or technology environment.
Exposure to Microsoft Fabric, Power Query, DAX, or other data transformation and modeling tools.
Familiarity with ERP systems such as Costpoint or Oracle and planning tools such as Vena or Anaplan.
Track record of high performance, bias for action, intellectual curiosity, and attention to detail.
Passion for using data to tell a story and drive strategic decisions.

Responsibilities

Build, maintain, and scale financial models for forecasting, budgeting, and long-term planning.
Analyze data trends, develop business insights, and deliver actionable recommendations to leadership.
Partner with Program Management and Aircraft Ops teams on program health, spending trends, and headcount planning.
Develop reporting cadences and dashboards to track KPIs and business performance using tools such as Power BI and Excel.
Participate in month-end and quarter-end close, including variance analysis and executive reporting.
Assist with financial operational planning cycles, business reviews, and investment decision-making.
Support data transformation initiatives and basic modeling with analytics or data engineering teams.
Identify automation and efficiency opportunities in financial reporting and analysis.
Partner with inventory and supply chain teams to monitor material movement, usage, and cost trends.
Work with program managers to monitor actuals versus plan, flag risks and opportunities, and support EAC updates.
Ensure day-to-day operations align financially with long-term strategic goals through regular operational reviews and ad hoc analysis.