Program Finance Lead (R5328)

Job Description:

What you'll do:

Build, maintain, and enhance financial models to support budgeting, forecasting, and long-range planning
Analyse financial and operational data to generate insights and provide clear, actionable recommendations to senior leadership
Partner closely with Program Management and Engineering teams to support program financial health, cost tracking, and workforce planning
Support the development and execution of Earned Value Management (EVM) or equivalent program performance frameworks
Collaborate with program managers to monitor actuals vs. plan, flag risks/opportunities, and support EAC (Estimate at Completion) updates
Participate in the month-end and quarter-end close process, including variance analysis and executive reporting
Assist with financial operational planning cycles, business reviews, and investment decision-making processes
Support data transformation initiatives and basic modeling efforts in collaboration with analytics or data engineering teams
Drive continuous process improvement by identifying automation and efficiency opportunities within financial reporting and analysis
Ensure financial alignment of day-to-day operations with long-term strategic goals through regular operational reviews and ad hoc analysis

Required qualifications:

• Experience working in the Aerospace & Defence industry, ideally supporting government or defence programs
• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business, Economics, or a related field
• 8+ years of progressive experience in financial analysis, corporate finance, or FP&A
• Advanced proficiency in Excel, financial modeling, and data analysis
• Strong understanding of IFRS/AASB/GAAP, with practical experience applying accounting principles in a government contracting
• Familiarity with cost accounting concepts and government contract structures (e.g., T&M, CPFF, FFP)
• 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

Preferred qualifications:

MBA or Master’s degree in a related discipline
Experience supporting operations or customer-facing teams in a manufacturing, aerospace, or tech environment
Experience with ERP and planning systems (e.g. SAP, Oracle, Costpoint, or comparable tools)
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