Senior Program Finance Analyst (R4731) - Shield AI

Job Title: Senior Program Finance Analyst (R4731)
Job Location: San Diego, California
Job Listing URL: https://jobs.lever.co/shieldai/7a027544-02b6-4f33-9f3a-e31fdacec834
Job Description: Founded in 2015, Shield AI is a venture-backed deep-tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Its products include the V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft, Hivemind Enterprise, and the Hivemind Vision product lines. With offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and the 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 Senior Program Finance Analyst with strong analytical instincts and a passion for driving business performance to join our high-performing finance team. Supporting our fast-growing Hivemind business unit, this is a high-visibility role where your insights will help inform decisions and support strategic execution.

In this fast-paced, constantly evolving environment, you’ll go beyond standard reporting—you’ll analyze data, surface insights, and proactively engage with cross-functional teams across engineering, operations, and program management to deliver meaningful financial intelligence. Your work will support program performance and contribute to the continued growth of a critical business area.

The ideal candidate brings experience in financial modeling, operational finance, and data analysis, along with a foundational understanding of US GAAP, government contracting, and hardware-oriented environments. Strong technical skills are table stakes – success in this role depends on your ability to apply them to influence decisions and drive results. If you're detail-oriented, intellectually curious, and motivated to make an impact, we want to hear from you.
What you'll do:
Own financial visibility and performance for assigned programs, including forecasting, budgeting, and long-term planning

Build and maintain financial models that support forecasting, budgeting, and program decision-making

Analyze financial and operational data to identify trends, risks, and opportunities, and communicate insights to stakeholders

Build strong relationships with Program Management and Engineering teams to ensure financial considerations are embedded in program decisions

Proactively identify financial and operational issues, surface risks early and drive them to resolution

Partner with Program Management and Engineering teams to drive program financials, including spend tracking, headcount planning, and performance monitoring

Collaborate with program managers to monitor actuals vs. plan, highlight variances, and contribute to EAC (Estimate at Completion) updates

Assist in month-end and quarter-end close processes, including variance analysis and reporting

Support financial planning cycles, business reviews, and investment analyses

Contribute to data and reporting improvements, including working with analytics teams on data transformation and modeling initiatives

Identify opportunities to improve financial processes, reporting accuracy, and efficiency

Perform ad hoc analysis to support decision-making in a dynamic, evolving environment
What success looks like:
Become a trusted partner to program and engineering leads – not just a reporting resource

Identify and surface financial risks early, and help drive resolution early before they escalate

Improve visibility into program performance where data and processes are incomplete or evolving

Be sought out for input on decisions due to your judgement and understanding of the business
Who thrives in this role:

Takes initiative without waiting for direction

Is comfortable operating with some ambiguity and building structure where it doesn’t exist

Can influence without authority and is willing to challenge assumptions when needed

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

4–5 years of experience in financial analysis, corporate finance, or FP&A

Proficiency in Excel and experience with financial modeling and data analysis

Foundational understanding of US GAAP and its application in a corporate or government contracting environment

Familiarity with cost accounting principles and government contract types (e.g., T&M, CPFF, FFP)

Familiarity with program performance management frameworks (e.g., Earned Value Management or similar methodologies)

Foundational understanding of financial statements and key business metrics

Ability to work independently with guidance, manage ambiguity, and collaborate cross-functionally in a fast-paced environment

Strong communication skills, with the ability to clearly present financial insights to non-financial stakeholders
Preferred qualifications:
Experience supporting programs or operations in a defense, aerospace, manufacturing, or technology environment

Familiarity with ERP systems (e.g., Costpoint) and financial planning tools (e.g., Anaplan, Vena)

Exposure to data tools such as Power Query, DAX, or similar technologies

Exposure to emerging technologies such as agentic AI, with interest in applying automation and intelligent systems to financial analysis and workflows

Demonstrated attention to detail, strong problem-solving skills, and a proactive, team-oriented mindset

Interest in leveraging data to generate insights and support business decision-making