FinOps Program Lead — Cloud Cost Strategy & Optimization

MoneyLion; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Plaid is seeking a senior FinOps professional to optimize engineering spend across cloud, AI/ML, and data platforms. You will partner with engineering and product teams to embed cost awareness into roadmaps and decisions, while building forecasting models and actionable dashboards for executives.

You will lead cost optimization initiatives, implement FinOps practices, and champion cost ownership across cross-functional teams to balance cost, performance, and velocity.

Qualifications

• Strong foundation in cost analysis, forecasting, budgeting, and variance management.
• Comfort working directly with data, including writing SQL to explore datasets and answer ad hoc questions.
• Experience building clear, high-quality dashboards and BI artifacts for engineers and leaders.

Responsibilities

• Monitors and analyzes engineering spend across cloud, AI/ML, data platforms, and SaaS, identifying trends and optimization opportunities.
• Builds and maintains forecasts for engineering spend, partnering with Finance and engineering leaders to understand drivers and risks.
• Partners with engineering, product, and TPMs to incorporate cost considerations into roadmaps and execution plans.
• Leads cost optimization initiatives, such as rightsizing and workload efficiency improvements, with engineering ownership.
• Creates and maintains dashboards and reporting that make spend understandable and actionable for engineers and executives.
• Implements FinOps practices and processes, including showback/chargeback models and unit economics.

Skills

Cost analysis

Forecasting

Budgeting

Variance management

SQL

Dashboards

Communication

Tools

AWS Cost Explorer

GCP Billing

Azure Cost Management

CloudHealth

Cloudability

Job description

Plaid is seeking a senior FinOps professional to optimize engineering spend across cloud, AI/ML, and data platforms. You will partner with engineering and product teams to embed cost awareness into roadmaps and decisions, while building forecasting models and actionable dashboards for executives.

You will lead cost optimization initiatives, implement FinOps practices, and champion cost ownership across cross-functional teams to balance cost, performance, and velocity.