Senior Manager, Program Finance (R5319)
$150,000–$200,000 year
On-siteDallas, Texas, United States
Job Summary
Lead financial execution, forecasting, and business partnership across key defense programs by improving visibility into program performance and strengthening forecasting discipline. Drive EAC and risk/opportunity processes while partnering directly with Program Management, Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, and Executive Leadership to make better business decisions. Build processes where they do not exist, improve reporting and financial cadences, and develop a team capable of supporting Shield AI's continued growth. This hands-on leadership role requires balancing financial rigor with the speed of a high-growth company in an ambiguous environment. You will translate operational inputs into clear financial insights, present performance to senior leadership, and manage complex fixed-price production programs.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Business, Economics, or a related field
- 8+ years of relevant experience in program finance, finance leadership, FP&A, pricing, or related aerospace/defense finance roles
- Experience supporting defense, aerospace, government contracting, or complex engineering/manufacturing programs
- Strong understanding of program financial management, including EACs, forecasting, variance analysis, risk/opportunity tracking, and program performance reporting
- Experience partnering directly with Program Managers and cross-functional teams to drive financial outcomes
- Strong understanding of contract types, especially fixed-price programs, and how contract structure impacts financial strategy, risk, and execution
- Advanced Excel and financial modeling skills
- Ability to translate operational, technical, and program inputs into clear financial insights and recommendations
- Experience presenting financial performance, risks, and recommendations to senior leadership
- Proven ability to operate independently, prioritize effectively, and drive results in ambiguous or fast-changing environments
- Experience leading, mentoring, or developing finance team members
Desired Qualifications
- MBA, CPA, or advanced degree in a related field
- 10+ years of experience in defense, aerospace, or government contracting finance
- Prior experience managing a program finance team or leading finance support across a portfolio of programs
- Experience with pricing, proposals, BOEs, and new business capture support
- Experience with manufacturing, supply chain, production finance, or hardware-based programs
- Experience building or improving finance processes in a high-growth or less mature environment
- Familiarity with ERP, planning, and reporting tools such as Costpoint, SAP, Oracle, Power BI, or similar systems
- Experience supporting fixed-price production programs with material, labor, margin, and cash flow complexity
- Familiarity with government contracting requirements, including FAR/DFARS, earned value concepts, and cost accounting principles
- Active or prior security clearance
Hiring someone like this?
Get your role in front of qualified candidates on Sorce.