Lead, Program Finance (R5328)

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:

We’re looking for a Finance Lead with sharp analytical instincts and a passion for driving business performance to join our high-performing finance team. Supporting our fastest-growing Hivemind business unit, this is a high-visibility, high-impact role where your insights will directly shape strategy and fuel innovation.

In this fast-paced, constantly evolving environment, you won’t just crunch numbers - you’ll influence decisions, uncover opportunities, and partner with leaders across engineering, operations, and product to deliver actionable financial intelligence. Your work will help optimize performance and steer one of our most critical business areas toward sustained growth.

The ideal candidate brings deep experience in financial modeling, operational finance, and data analysis, as well as a solid grasp of IFRS/GAAP, government contracting, and both hardware and software businesses. If you're energized by complexity, motivated by results, and ready to make a real impact, we want to hear from you.

What you'll do:

• Build, maintain, and enhance financial models to support budgeting, forecasting, and long-range planning
• Analyse financial and operational data to generate insights and provide clear, actionable recommendations to senior leadership
• Partner closely with Program Management and Engineering teams to support program financial health, cost tracking, and workforce planning
• Support the development and execution of Earned Value Management (EVM) or equivalent program performance frameworks
• Collaborate with program managers to monitor actuals vs. plan, flag risks/opportunities, and support EAC (Estimate at Completion) updates
• 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
• Ensure financial alignment of day-to-day operations with long-term strategic goals through regular operational reviews and ad hoc analysis

Required qualifications:

• Experience working in the Aerospace & Defence industry, ideally supporting government or defence programs
• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business, Economics, or a related field
• 8+ years of progressive experience in financial analysis, corporate finance, or FP&A
• Advanced proficiency in Excel, financial modeling, and data analysis
• Strong understanding of IFRS/AASB/GAAP, with practical experience applying accounting principles in a government contracting
• Familiarity with cost accounting concepts and government contract structures (e.g., T&M, CPFF, FFP)
• 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
• Experience with ERP and planning systems (e.g. SAP, Oracle, Costpoint, or comparable tools)
• 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

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Our international teammates receive a comprehensive total rewards package aligned to your country office location. For full details on compensation and benefits, please consult your talent acquisition partner.