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:
As the Senior Director of Hivemind Program Finance, you will lead the Hivemind program finance activities of the team in support of program execution. The optimal executive leader is someone with sharp analytical instincts and a passion for driving business performance to join our high-performing finance team. In this fast-paced, constantly evolving environment, you will enhance the finance team and develop our talent—you’ll influence decisions, uncover opportunities, and partner with leaders across engineering, operations, and product to deliver actionable financial intelligence and insights. Your work will help optimize performance and steer one of our most critical business areas toward sustained growth.
Supporting our fastest-growing dynamic Hivemind business unit, this is a high-visibility, high-impact role where your insights will directly shape strategy and fuel innovation. You will lead the engagement with the program management team to support the execution of our projects to forecast and achieve the desired financial outcomes. If you want to shape the work to support a truly impactful international Finance team, come transform and lead with us!
Expectations of Leadership Position:
- Advise the Hivemind Program Management leadership on all financial matters, build synergist relationships to enable all parties to succeed financially as we execute.
- Be a collaborative thought leader and partner with Hivemind VPGM & Leadership team
- Mature the processes, policies, templates, and tools used in program finance
- Establish methods of executing assigned areas that enable sustainable growth (continuous improvement model)
- Contribute to the success of the broader finance organization (Accounting, Operations Finance, FP&A) by leading cross-functional improvements that allow Shield AI to become industry leaders
- Enhance existing framework to ensure programs achieve Orders, Revenue, EBITDA, Cash goals.
- Direct report to the Vice President of Finance, Program Finance Aircraft & Product and a member of the program finance leadership team
Required qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 10-15 progressive experience in financial analysis, corporate finance, program business management or FP&A years of related experience.
- 8 or more years of Aerospace & Defense industry experience
- Experience with some or all these areas: Financial Planning & Analysis, Program Controls, Pricing, Earned Value Management, Budgets & Rates, ERP transformations, Accounting, FAR Compliance
- Strong understanding of US GAAP, with practical experience applying accounting principles in a government contracting or manufacturing environment
- Familiarity with cost accounting concepts and government contract structures (e.g., T&M, CPFF, FFP)
- Advanced proficiency in Excel, financial modeling, AI tool suites, and data analysis
- Strong working knowledge of Power BI and comfort with data visualization tools
- 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
- Located in DC (Crystal City, Arlington, VA).
Preferred qualifications:
- Experience in a rapidly growing company or with integration post M&A
- Provided financial support to a Manufacturing and/or software focused business
- Demonstrated skillset in executing non-conventional USG procurements and modeling associated financials
- MBA or Master’s degree in a related discipline
- Experience supporting operations or customer-facing teams in a manufacturing, aerospace, or tech domestic and international environments
- Exposure to Microsoft Fabric, Power Query, DAX, or other data transformation and modeling tools
- Familiarity with ERP systems (e.g., Costpoint) and planning tools (e.g., Anaplan) and Oracle ERP/EVM/MRP systems
- 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
- Working knowledge of accounting, demonstrated ability to lead projects that blend and bridge the lines between program finance and other financial functions
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Full-time regular employee offer package:
Pay within range listed + Bonus + Benefits + Equity
Temporary employee offer package:
Pay within range listed above + temporary benefits package (applicable after 60 days of employment)
Salary compensation is influenced by a wide array of factors including but not limited to skill set, level of experience, licenses and certifications, and specific work location. All offers are contingent on a cleared background and possible reference check. Military fellows and part-time employees are not eligible for benefits. Please speak to your talent acquisition representative for more information.
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Shield AI is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know.
