Hiring Manager

Best Guess

Job Description

Founded in 2015, 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 and V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft. 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.

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:

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

Experience working in the Aerospace & Defence industry, ideally supporting government or defence programs

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.