Shield AI is looking for Senior Program Finance Analyst in Washington, DC. This local job opportunity with ID 3662141688 is live since 2026-05-04 14:14:01.

Senior Program Finance Analyst

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 reportingyou'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 qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Business, Economics, or a related field
• 45 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

$87,000 - $130,000 a year