Lead Fp&a Analyst

Shield AI Shield AI · Defense · San Diego, CA +2 · FP&A

Lead FP&A Analyst role focused on forecasting orders, revenue, and cash flow, preparing executive-level reports, and providing analytical support for budget tracking within the U.S. defense sector. Requires experience with government contracting dynamics and software-driven environments. Familiarity with AI/ML tools is a plus.

What you'd actually do

  1. Forecast company orders, revenue, and cash flow with accuracy and insight, incorporating government contract structures, funding profiles, and award timing.
  2. Prepare and deliver executive-level reports, clearly articulating financial performance, program health, and strategic implications.
  3. Support preparation and review of executive and board-level materials, including program-level performance reporting.
  4. Monitor and track budget performance at the Business Unit and program/contract level, highlighting key variances and actionable insights.
  5. Partner closely with program finance, program managers, business development, and operational leaders to provide forward-looking insights on contract performance and pipeline conversion.

Skills

Required

  • 5+ years of FP&A experience within the U.S. defense industry, aerospace & defense, or government contracting environment.
  • Strong understanding of government contract structures, including cost-plus, fixed-price, and time & materials.
  • Familiarity with FAR (Federal Acquisition Regulations) and financial implications of compliance in forecasting and reporting.
  • Proven expertise in top-down and bottom-up forecasting, including enterprise budgeting, cost pool planning, and management of indirect rates and wrap rates (e.g., G&A, overhead, fringe) within a program-based environment.
  • Experience supporting program finance, contract performance analysis, and backlog/pipeline forecasting.
  • Knowledge of ASC 606 revenue recognition principles and their application in forecasting and financial analysis.
  • Proficient in delivering executive management-level reporting and analysis.

Nice to have

  • Experience operating in organizations at the intersection of defense and commercial technology/software.
  • Exposure to SaaS or software business models, including knowledge of revenue recognition in software business models (ASC 606 application in SaaS, licensing, and usage-based revenue).
  • Experience with financial systems automation, data pipelines, or advanced FP&A tooling.
  • Working knowledge or hands-on experience with automation technologies, machine learning, or agentic AI tools to enhance financial analysis, forecasting, or reporting workflows.
  • Customer-facing or operational experience (e.g., restaurants, retail, etc.).
  • Demonstrated curiosity and openness to innovative, AI-enabled approaches that improve financial analysis, forecasting, reporting, and decision-making.

What the JD emphasized

  • U.S. defense industry
  • government contracting
  • government contract structures
  • FAR (Federal Acquisition Regulations)