Senior FP&A Analyst - Manufacturing & Strategic Expansion

Performance Drone Works (PDW) is building the next generation of tactical robotic systems used across defense, national security, and public safety missions. We are building a new center of engineering excellence to design our new category of tactical robotic systems and the industrial capacity to deliver them, bringing decisive airpower into the hands of every operator. We are not here to make promises; we are here to deliver real systems with real capabilities for real missions.  

You will join a team of operators, engineers, and builders who solve hard problems with humility and focus. We design and produce multi-mission aerial systems that operators trust to perform in real-world conditions, reliably, repeatedly, and at scale. Our approach is grounded in operator-centered design, rapid iteration from field use, and U.S.-based manufacturing. We operate by a clear set of values: Mission First, Aim Farther, Own It, Win Together. This is how we build advantage and how we help protect our service members, our communities, and our country. 

Now, we are seeking a Senior FP&A Analyst to help develop and provide ongoing ownership of PDW's integrated manufacturing model as the company scales its existing operations and evaluates expansion into five to seven additional product and mission verticals. Reporting to the Manager of FP&A, this individual will partner with Operations, Supply Chain, Engineering, Product and Program leaders, Go-to-Market, Accounting, and People Operations to translate demand and launch plans into revenue, production, capacity, COGS, gross margin, investment, working-capital, and cash requirements.

This is a forward-looking FP&A, modeling, and business partnership role rather than a technical accounting or controllership position. The successful candidate will be comfortable building detailed operational models, establishing repeatable frameworks for new verticals, reconciling model outputs to actual results, and converting complex manufacturing tradeoffs into executive-ready recommendations in a rapidly scaling hardware environment.

What You’ll Do

• Own and continuously improve an integrated, driver-based manufacturing model for PDW's existing operations and expansion into 5 to 7 additional product verticals.
• Translate demand forecasts, program schedules, and launch plans into production-volume, ramp-rate, throughput, capacity, and resource scenarios by product and vertical.
• Build revenue forecasts by product, program, customer, and vertical using unit volume, price, mix, backlog, delivery schedule, and launch-ramp assumptions, with revenue timing aligned to applicable contract terms and accounting policies.
• Model product and vertical-level COGS and unit economics, including material and bill-of-material costs, direct labor, manufacturing overhead, yield, scrap, rework, freight, warranty, and outsourced production assumptions.
• Develop gross-margin forecasts and bridges that isolate the effects of volume, price, mix, material usage and purchase price, labor efficiency, yield, overhead absorption, warranty, and other cost drivers.
• Connect revenue and manufacturing plans to headcount, facilities, tooling, equipment, capital expenditures, inventory, working capital, and cash requirements, and integrate the outputs into PDW's budget, forecast, and long-range plan.
• Build repeatable model templates and assumption standards for new verticals so opportunities can be evaluated consistently while preserving the operating differences of each product, market, and launch plan.
• Support stage-gate investment decisions and business cases for new verticals, capacity additions, make-versus-buy choices, automation, supplier strategies, and facility expansion through scenario, sensitivity, return, and breakeven analysis.
• Partner with Operations, Supply Chain, Engineering, Product and Program leaders, Go-to-Market, and Accounting to validate model inputs, challenge assumptions, identify dependencies, and maintain a clear source of truth.
• Lead the manufacturing inputs to annual planning and quarterly forecasts, including revenue, production, COGS, gross margin, headcount, OpEx, CapEx, inventory, working capital, and cash-flow assumptions.
• Establish a recurring actual-to-model review cadence; explain revenue, COGS, and gross-margin performance through volume, price, mix, usage, labor-efficiency, purchase-price, yield, and overhead variances and use results to recalibrate forward assumptions.
• Develop dashboards and operating metrics for revenue, COGS, gross margin, backlog conversion, throughput, capacity utilization, labor hours, yield, scrap, supplier performance, inventory, overhead absorption, unit cost, and cash conversion.
• Partner with Accounting during the monthly close to reconcile source data and understand accruals, inventory movements, capitalization, reclasses, and cost trends that affect forecast and model accuracy.
• Prepare executive-ready analyses that clearly communicate key assumptions, risks, constraints, sensitivities, and recommended actions for manufacturing and vertical-expansion decisions.
• Improve planning tools, data structures, documentation, and reporting processes so the manufacturing model remains scalable, auditable, and decision-useful as PDW grows.

Requirements 

• 3-6 years of relevant experience in FP&A, corporate finance, strategic finance, operations finance, investment banking, or a related analytical role, preferably with exposure to hardware or manufacturing.
• Bachelor's degree in finance, accounting, economics, business, engineering, or a related field, or equivalent relevant professional experience.
• Advanced Excel and financial modeling skills, including the ability to build flexible driver-based models, scenario and sensitivity analyses, and integrated P&L, balance sheet, and cash-flow outputs.
• Strong understanding of the operational drivers of revenue, COGS, and gross margin in a manufacturing business, including volume, price, mix, materials, labor, overhead, capacity, capital investment, inventory, and working capital.
• Experience supporting budgeting, forecasting, variance analysis, and recurring performance reporting in a dynamic business environment.
• Ability to structure ambiguous problems, develop supportable assumptions with incomplete data, and translate complex analysis into practical decisions.
• Comfort working directly with technical and non-finance stakeholders and translating financial concepts into practical operating guidance.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to produce concise executive-ready materials and present issues in a structured, credible way.
• High attention to detail, strong follow-through, and the ability to operate independently with a high degree of ownership in a fast-changing environment.
• A collaborative, low-ego operating style and willingness to dig into the details while keeping sight of the broader business context.
• Must be eligible to obtain and maintain a U.S. Secret security clearance or higher, as required. 

Preferred 

• Experience in aerospace and defense, advanced hardware, robotics, electronics, or another complex manufacturing environment.
• Experience building or maintaining revenue, COGS, gross-margin, manufacturing, capacity, unit-economics, or new-product-introduction models.
• Working knowledge of standard costing, cost accounting, overhead absorption, inventory accounting, or supply-chain finance.
• Experience evaluating new products, programs, business lines, or vertical launches using business cases, scenario analysis, and stage-gate investment frameworks.
• Exposure to ERP, manufacturing resource planning, procurement, HRIS, business intelligence, or FP&A systems; NetSuite and Power BI experience are a plus.
• Experience developing operating dashboards and partnering with leaders through a monthly or quarterly business review cadence.

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Ability to sit, stand, bend, reach, and move about regularly throughout the day and lift/carry up to 25 pounds. Must have manual dexterity to operate standard office equipment such as computers, printers, and phones. Must be physically capable of walking between office and production areas and attending off-site meetings as needed.

Work Environment

This position typically operates in standard office and manufacturing environments and may require occasional travel to PDW, supplier, or other business locations. Visits to production areas may involve exposure to noise, outdoor weather, or non-climate-controlled environments and may require personal protective equipment (PPE). This is a fast-paced role requiring cross-departmental collaboration as well as independent ownership. Standard work hours are 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m., with occasional overtime as operational needs require.


Benefits

PDW values our team, and we offer a compensation package reflective of your experience and capabilities. Benefits include:

• Comprehensive BCBS medical, dental, and vision coverage; 80% sponsored by the company.
• Safe Harbor 401(K) with company match.
• Paid Parental Leave.
• On-site gym at Huntsville, AL & Denver, CO locations.
• Employer provided life insurance.
• Robust Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
• A work environment that encourages teamwork and innovation.
• Competitive salary, generous paid time off (PTO), and flexible leave options.

EEO Statement

PDW is an equal opportunity employer that upholds all federal and state non-discrimination laws. We ensure a fair and unbiased evaluation for employment for all qualified candidates regardless of race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, marital status, medical condition, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. 

This position will have an annual salary and benefits. The salary range provided is a guideline rather than a fixed limit. Individual pay is determined by factors including geography, job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.