Program Finance Partner

The Aerospace Corporation is the trusted partner to the nation’s space programs, solving the hardest problems and providing unmatched technical expertise. As the operator of a federally funded research and development center (FFRDC), we are broadly engaged across all aspects of space— delivering innovative solutions that span satellite, launch, ground, and cyber systems for defense, civil and commercial customers. When you join our team, you’ll be part of a special collection of problem solvers, thought leaders, and innovators. Join us and take your place in space.

At Aerospace, we are committed to providing an inclusive and diverse workplace for all employees to share in our common passion and aspiration – to carry out a mission much bigger than ourselves.

Job Summary

The Aerospace Corporation is seeking Program Finance Partner who will support the ATD General Manager. Specific responsibilities include baseline management, direct delivery analysis, government customer interaction, tracking of funding, annual and multi-year budgeting, development of financial forecasts (EACs) and planning scenarios, development and implementation of financial and operational metrics and reports, dashboards, and capital expenditure planning. The Program Finance Partner is responsible for improvements in financial and business processes. In this role, you will serve as a trusted financial advisor to all levels of the Division, providing the financial data, trends analysis, and predictive analytics Aerospace needs to deliver its value proposition to customers and to meet its goals. Will work closely with the Sr Program Finance Manager and Group CFO to ensure a consistent vision and implementation of financial policies, practices, and processes. 

Work Model

This position is 100% onsite located in Chantilly, VA.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Key financial business advisor to senior leaders and organization managers; significant contributor in the development of administrative strategic plans and business-related processes; implement near-term and long-range strategies
• Member of the Office of the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) organization, supporting the ATD General Manager in the National Systems Group (NSG); responsible for establishing standard corporate processes to facilitate organizational and corporate level management; provide leadership in the development of policies and procedures; develops Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) tied to Professional Technical Staff (PTS) equivalents and financial goals
• Develops financial forecasts and manages budgets of organization.  Responsible for development and maintenance of baselines and forecasts / Estimates at Completion (EACs)
• Develops and manages delivery (PTS) and financial plans and forecasts for direct and indirect (labor and non-labor) funded activities at the division and project / program level; tracks and performs analyses of various budgets and variances, drives corrective action, and maintains and reports organizational statistics / metrics to make informed business decisions; responsible for generation of accurate project / program contractual financial deliverables for customer as required as well as internal financial performance business reviews 
• Serves as the primary business interface with customers; maintains excellent working relationships with customer counterpart(s) to identify and secure contractual authorization and funding modifications; monitor funding and billing; process at-risk memos if needed
• Supports strategic projects at the NSG and corporate level 
• Informs NSG Sr Program Finance Manager, Group CFO, and ATD leadership on financial trends and reporting unit performance; recommends corrective actions to achieve financial plans 
• Utilize business tools to build localized financial analytics dashboards and provide leadership team with ad hoc analysis 
• Provides input in the development of financial and business policies and procedures 
• Assists in financial acumen training for technical managers
• Supports business transformation within the organization, including streamlining current processes to gain efficiencies   

What You Need to be Successful - Program Finance Partner

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Business, or related field  
• Six or more years of experience in financial strategy, budgeting, and forecasting  
• Strong analytical skills; proactive in analyzing data and variances to help inform future performance
• Demonstrated experience as a resourceful and creative solution finder who can develop options with a broad perspective on the potential impact to the Division, Group and Corporation
• Ability to establish rapport and build trust quickly at all levels of the organization
• Detail-oriented and passionate about producing accurate reports
• Cross-functional collaboration and leadership skills, with the ability to make critical decisions and influence others
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills - can organize complex materials and concepts in a manner that is clear, persuasive, logical and builds a consensus
• This position requires a current and active TS/SCI security clearance with SSBI and counter-intelligence polygraph, which is issued by the US government. Additional customer security requirements may apply. U.S citizenship is required to obtain a security clearance.

How You Can Stand Out

It would be impressive if you have one or more of these:

• MBA, CPA and/or advanced degree in Finance, Business, Accounting, or related field  
• Prior experience within an FFRDC environment
• Knowledge of governmental and government contractor budgeting systems and practices  
• Experience with data analytics tools such as Tableau, Power BI, and Alteryx
• Able to manage multiple tasks simultaneously and adapt to changes as needed
• Experience with data analytics tools such as Tableau, Power BI and superior Excel skills
• Ability to establish rapport and build trust quickly at all levels of the organization
• Outstanding leadership, interpersonal, and communications skills with demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with peers, customers, and leadership.  Ability to build strong and trusted working relationships with stakeholders and with geographically dispersed teams.