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:
We build advanced autonomous systems for defense markets—complex hardware and software products that demand world-class financial modeling, rigorous strategic analysis, and the ability to turn complexity into clarity.
We seek a Senior Strategic Finance Lead with deep Aerospace & Defense (A&D) experience, a strong strategic or corporate finance background in a publicly traded company, and a proven track record architecting and owning long-range financial models. You will serve as the analytical engine of Corporate Finance: designing the company’s fully integrated long-range three‑statement and unit economics model, driving enterprise-level financial strategy, and producing investor-grade outputs that shape decisions at the C-suite, Board, and ultimately public investors.
Candidates must bring elite modeling expertise (IB/PE/HF/Equity Research), mastery of complex HW/SW unit economics, and comfort operating in a fast-paced, high‑growth environment.
What you'll do:
- Architect and maintain a fully integrated, scalable, three‑statement model grounded in unit economics, operational drivers, and industry benchmarks.
- Lead the Long Range Plan (LRP), including scenario modeling, sensitivities, and valuation frameworks.
- Translate production ramps, R&D investments, contract timing, government milestones, and GTM strategy directly into financial outcomes.
- Deliver investor-grade outputs including valuations, strategic insights, and Board-ready narratives.
- Maintain a forward-looking view of risks, opportunities, capital needs, and strategic inflection points.
- Partner with data engineering/systems teams to evolve modeling from Excel into modern cloud-based planning tools.
- Design modular, scalable model architectures; use Excel only where it provides meaningful analytical leverage.
- Integrate automation and analytics to improve clarity, reduce manual work, and increase decision velocity.
- Benchmark peers across defense, autonomy, robotics, aerospace, and industrial tech.
- Build competitor profiles, KPI benchmarks, and market analyses that inform strategy.
- Develop a point of view on unit economics, efficiency, scale, profitability, and capital allocation.
- Support M&A modeling, valuation, synergy analysis, and diligence.
- Provide strategic insights that go beyond the numbers.
- Build rolling cash flow forecasts across working capital, inventory, milestone payments, production cycles, and CapEx.
- Model government contract payment timing, production curves, and program cash profiles.
- Identify liquidity risks early and support capital allocation and financing strategies.
- Work closely with the VP FP&A, CFO, CEO, and senior leaders on forward-looking financial strategy.
- Translate engineering, program, and operations plans into financial impacts.
- Connect short-term forecasting with the long-range plan.
- Present insights that accelerate execution and elevate decision quality.
- Take full accountability for forecast accuracy, improving results with each actualized quarter.
Own and Build the Strategic Financial Model
Digitize & Scale Modeling Infrastructure
Analyze the Business Like an Investor
Lead Cash Flow & Liquidity Modeling
Partner Across the Company
Required qualifications:
- 8–10 years of experience, including significant time in investment banking, PE, hedge funds, or equity research.
- Direct strategic finance leadership experience in a publicly traded company.
- Deep A&D industry exposure (defense, aerospace, autonomy, robotics, industrial tech, or complex HW/SW).
- Proven ownership of scalable three‑statement models, LRP development, valuations, sensitivities, and unit economics.
- Exceptional Excel modeling capability; fluent in multi‑scenario three‑statement modeling, beat-and-raise frameworks, and driver-based forecasting.
- Strong GAAP proficiency and command of financial statement mechanics.
- Demonstrated ability to distill complex financial and technical information into clear insights for executives, Board, and investors.
- Thrives in fast-paced, high-growth environments with high accuracy and strong judgment.
- Systems-oriented mindset; comfortable partnering with data and systems teams.
Preferred qualifications:
- Familiarity with government contract economics, milestone‑based revenue, and program accounting.
- M&A experience including modeling, valuation, and diligence.
- Exposure to manufacturing scale, supply chain dynamics, and hardware production cycles.
Who you are:
- An analytical athlete with exceptional modeling intuition and attention to detail.
- A structured, clear thinker who simplifies complexity without losing nuance.
- Fast, accurate, and calm under pressure.
- Curious, forward-looking, and driven to understand what truly moves the business.
- A strong communicator who elevates decision quality across the company.
- Mission-driven and energized by solving complex, high‑impact problems.
Why this role matters:
You will build the strategic financial model that defines how the business is understood—internally, at the Board level, and eventually by public investors. Your work will guide product strategy, capital allocation, investments, and long-range ambitions. This is Strategic Finance at its highest level: high complexity, high visibility, high impact.
#LI-TF1
#LE
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.