Shield AI

Builds autonomous aircraft for defense

Lead Program Finance

Corporate Finance & FP&AConfirmed live in the last 24 hours

Full-timeDallas, TX, USAIn-person

About the Job

Requirements

A bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Business, Economics, or a related field is required.
At least 5 years of progressive experience in financial analysis, corporate finance, or financial planning and analysis is required.
Advanced proficiency in Excel, financial modeling, and data analysis is required.
A strong understanding of U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, with practical experience applying accounting principles in a government contracting or manufacturing environment, is required.
Familiarity with cost accounting concepts and government contract structures, including time and materials, cost-plus-fixed-fee, and firm-fixed-price, is required.
Strong working knowledge of Power BI and comfort with data visualization tools are required.
A solid understanding of financial statements and business metrics is required.
The ability to work independently and collaborate cross-functionally in a fast-moving environment is required.
The ability to present complex financial data to non-financial stakeholders is required.

Responsibilities

Build, maintain, and scale financial models for forecasting, budgeting, and long-term planning.
Analyze data trends to develop business insights and deliver actionable recommendations to leadership.
Partner with Program Management and Aircraft Operations teams to provide financial support on program health, spending trends, and headcount planning.
Develop reporting cadences and dashboards to track key performance indicators and business performance using tools such as Power BI and Excel.
Participate in month-end and quarter-end close processes, including variance analysis and executive reporting.
Assist with financial 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.
Identify automation and efficiency opportunities within financial reporting and analysis to drive continuous process improvement.
Partner with inventory and supply chain teams to monitor material movement, usage, and cost trends.
Collaborate with program managers to monitor actuals against plan, flag risks and opportunities, and support Estimate at Completion updates.
Ensure day-to-day operations are financially aligned with long-term strategic goals through regular operational reviews and ad hoc analysis.

Desired Qualifications

An MBA or master's degree in a related discipline is preferred.
Experience supporting operations or customer-facing teams in a manufacturing, aerospace, or technology environment is preferred.
Exposure to Microsoft Fabric, Power Query, DAX, or other data transformation and modeling tools is preferred.
Familiarity with enterprise resource planning systems such as Costpoint or Oracle, and planning tools such as Vena or Anaplan, is preferred.

Salary Range: 110000 to 170000 (Currency: USD) (Pay period: per-year-salary)

Shield AI is a venture-backed defense-tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Its products include Hivemind autonomy software, V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft, and Aechelon simulation and synthetic reality technologies. With offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, Shield AI’s technology actively supports operations worldwide. For more information, visit www.shield.ai. Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and YouTube.

Job Description:

Shield AI is seeking a Lead Financial Analyst to support financial planning, forecasting, and business partnership across key programs and operational areas. This role will partner closely with Program Management, Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, Business Development, and Finance leadership.

The ideal candidate has strong experience in financial analysis, program finance, or FP&A; thrives in a fast-paced and evolving environment; and can translate complex financial data into clear, actionable insights. This individual will improve visibility into financial performance, strengthen forecasting discipline, support EAC and risk/opportunity processes, and help cross-functional teams make informed business decisions.

This is a hands-on individual contributor role. The Lead Financial Analyst will be expected to build and maintain financial models, analyze performance against plan, improve reporting and financial cadences, and develop scalable processes that support Shield AI’s continued growth.

What you'll do:

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 Program Management 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 financial 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

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

Required qualifications:

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

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, 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

Preferred qualifications:

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., Costpoint/Oracle) and planning tools (e.g., Vena/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

#LI-TF1

#LD

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.

About the Company

Shield AI

Builds autonomous aircraft for defense

Shield AI builds autonomous aircraft and flight software for military and allied defense customers, with a focus on operations where conventional remote control breaks down. Its Hivemind AI pilot handles decisions during a mission, while the V-BAT aircraft gathers intelligence and locates targets. Aircraft makers use its software tools to develop and test their own autonomy, and its Aechelon business supplies visual and sensor simulation for pilot training. The company earns money from aircraft sales, autonomy software and contracted engineering and operational services. Shield AI was founded in 2015 and is headquartered in San Diego, California.

Company size: 1,001-5,000
Company stage: Series H
Total funding: $4.8B
Headquarters: San Diego, CA
Founded: 2015

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