Lead Program Finance Analyst (Hivemind Program)

About the role

Shield AI, a venture-backed defense-tech company, is looking for a Lead Program Financial Analyst to join its growing Hivemind Program Finance organization. This is a high-impact leadership role supporting one of the company's largest and most strategic programs, where you will influence financial strategy, enable informed decision-making and help mature the Program Finance organization through scalable processes, reporting tools and mentoring.

Key responsibilities

• Serve as the lead finance partner for a strategic program throughout its lifecycle
• Partner with Program Management, Engineering, Contracts and other stakeholders to support financial execution and business decisions
• Lead program forecasting, Estimate at Completion (EAC), financial planning and variance analysis, identifying risks and opportunities
• Develop financial models, dashboards and reporting tools that improve visibility into program performance
• Drive continuous improvement by standardizing processes, improving reporting and implementing scalable financial tools
• Introduce and implement industry best practices for program financial management
• Mentor junior Program Finance team members and partner with finance leadership on strategic initiatives and special projects
• Prepare executive-level reporting on financial performance, risks and recommendations
• Support program startup, contract execution and financial planning for new program efforts

Required profile

• U.S. citizenship and ability to obtain and maintain a Department of Defense Secret security clearance
• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Business, Economics or a related field
• 7+ years of progressive finance experience at a U.S. government contractor in Program Finance, Project Finance, FP&A or a related role
• Experience with complex government contracts (FFP, CPFF, T&M, Cost Reimbursable) and leading EAC, forecasting and financial planning
• Experience in aerospace, defense, autonomous systems or other complex technology development programs
• Preferred: MBA or Master's degree, active Secret or Top Secret clearance, mentoring experience

Required skills

• Financial modeling, analytical and problem-solving skills
• Advanced Microsoft Excel and financial reporting solutions
• Knowledge of FAR, CAS and revenue recognition principles
• Preferred: Microsoft Fabric, Power Query, DAX, ERP systems (e.g. Costpoint) and planning tools (e.g. Vena, Anaplan)