Program Finance Manager (Hardware Programs)

AeroVironment•Moorpark, CA

About The Position

The Program Finance Manager (Hardware Programs) provides strategic and operational financial support for program planning and financial operations, with an emphasis on developing sound financial plans and improving compliance and controls. The role partners with Product Management, Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, Sales, and Finance leadership to evaluate product profitability, manage budgets, analyze costs, and support decisions across the product lifecycle. It provides financial guidance in alignment with organizational goals and company policy. The position focuses on hardware program financial management, including forecasting, variance reporting, program cost control, budgets and schedules, proposal support, and analysis of product costs and profitability. It works with Cost Accounting, subcontractors, and Supply Chain to assess bills of material, component and service cost variances, supplier changes, and supply constraints, and to translate these into impacts on plans, forecasts, margins, and program performance. The role also supports audits, compliance with internal procedures and government procurement regulations, and financial policy implementation. It may occasionally require travel within the Continental U.S. U.S. Citizenship is required, and the employee must presently hold or be capable of obtaining a U.S. Security Clearance. The position requires access to information subject to ITAR and/or EAR requirements.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, or Business Administration, or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
At least 10 years of experience in relevant disciplines and at least 2 years in a leadership role.
Experience and knowledge in costing and pricing complex manufactured products and development contracts.
Experience with Government Cost accounting principles and FAR.
Knowledge of ASC-606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers.
Current expertise in MS Office, especially MS Excel (including VLOOKUPs, conditional formatting, and pivot tables), Hyperion, an ERP system such as Oracle EBS, and ProPricer.
Demonstrated awareness of and interest in business operations, including the ability to help create business strategies and objectives.
U.S. Citizenship.
Presently hold or be capable of obtaining a U.S. Security Clearance.
Provide documentation verifying U.S. person status under ITAR and/or EAR requirements.
Ability to work in an office environment.
Ability to sit and stand for long periods and to talk, hear, and use hands and fingers to operate a computer and telephone keyboard.

Nice To Haves

Experience supporting a hardware, aerospace, defense, industrial, electronics, or manufacturing product line.
An advanced degree.
Knowledge of MS Project or Fast Track.
Strong analytical, presentation, business writing, and problem-solving skills.
Ability to communicate orally and in writing with customers, program management teams, and senior management.
Ability to manage multiple critical projects simultaneously in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
Ability to consider multiple potential paths and adapt decision-making to circumstances.
Ability to inspire, motivate, and empower people to deliver organizational goals while providing value to employees.
Ability to bring organizational values to life through personality, uniqueness, and creation of a shared vision.
Ability to champion change, promote quick adaptation, and help others deal with change.
Ability to develop and maintain trusting, professional internal and external relationships.

Responsibilities

Provide monthly forecasting and variance reporting and prepare monthly financial information for Senior Management reviews of the hardware product line.
Ensure compliance with internal procedures and government procurement regulations, and monitor implementation of financial policies, including revenue recognition, timekeeping, cost, inventory, and estimating system compliance.
Provide day-to-day financial direction to product line management.
Support internal and external audits.
Review and challenge program Estimates at Complete (EACs), ensuring appropriate profit margins are recognized; identify, analyze, and monitor issues affecting profitability, growth, and productivity.
Oversee program cost control activities and participate in controlling costs and schedules on contracts requiring a validated cost/schedule control system.
Oversee preparation of program budgets and schedules and financial analyses, including funding profiles, sales outlook, and variance analysis.
Support indirect department budgeting for assigned departments, including utilization reviews and detailed variance analysis.
Support proposal activity for new captures, including negotiations, and work with the home office proposal/costing team to develop compliant price and cost volumes.
Assist in developing detailed integrated master program schedules for on-contract work, internal research and development, and new captures.
Address issues of diverse scope by evaluating multiple factors and current business trends; advise subordinates to help meet schedules and resolve technical problems.
Work with Cost Accounting to develop and maintain knowledge of bills of material, product configuration, material content, quantities, and associated costs to support financial analysis and product cost assessments.
Partner with subcontractors and Supply Chain to assess cost variances for key components and services, identify drivers, and evaluate implications for product cost and profitability.
Translate product cost variances, supplier changes, and supply chain constraints into financial and business impacts on plans, forecasts, margins, and program performance.
Make sound business impact assessments and recommendations when complete or reliable information is unavailable, using financial judgment, available data, and operational and commercial considerations.
Perform other duties as assigned.