FinOps Program Manager

UCLA Health; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 109,000 - 242,000; Full time

Job summary

UCLA Health seeks a hands-on FinOps Program Manager to drive enterprise cloud financial mgmt across AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, AI, and data platforms. You will define strategy, lead cross-functional governance, and direct analytics, automation, and integrations with engineering partners.

Role spans grants, state allotments, and internal chargebacks with budgeting input and governance. The role emphasizes budgeting, cost optimization, and reporting to executive leadership.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a related field or equivalent experience
• Significant experience leading complex cross-functional technology programs and projects
• Advanced knowledge of cloud financial management (FinOps) including cost allocation, showback/chargeback, budgeting, forecasting, optimization
• Experience with Apptio Cloudability or similar cloud cost management platforms
• Expert knowledge of AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud billing and cost data
• Experience designing cost attribution models and cross-platform reporting or data integration
• Proven ability to communicate with C-suite and executive management
• Ability to build consensus and lead without direct authority

Responsibilities

• Direct FinOps projects with defined scope, plans, schedules, and risk management across engineering, finance, and research teams
• Develop FinOps strategy, policies, and standards approved through governance
• Lead cloud cost allocation, showback, and chargeback mapping to applications, departments, and funding sources such as grants
• Run cloud budgeting and forecasting with budget owners; track spend vs budget and flag variances
• Manage FinOps tooling (Apptio Cloudability) including reporting, integrations, tagging, and anomaly detection
• Identify and track optimization opportunities, cost savings, and cost avoidance for cloud commitments
• Lead cost visibility for AI consumption, Databricks, GPU, and research computing
• Report KPIs, progress, and risks to executives and lead a cross-functional FinOps community

Skills

FinOps

Cross-functional leadership

Cost optimization

Executive communication

Vendor management

Data-driven budgeting

Budget forecasting

Governance

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree (preferred)

FinOps Certification (preferred)

Job description

Salary Range: $108900.00 - 241500.00 Annually

UCLA Health is seeking a hands-on FinOps Program Manager to lead our enterprise cloud financial management (FinOps) program across public cloud (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud), AI, and data platforms. You will set the strategy and roadmap, lead the projects that deliver it, and lead a cross-functional governance workgroup that recommends policy and standards. Where commercial tooling (currently Apptio Cloudability) falls short, you will direct analytics, automation, and integrations with engineering partners.

The role works across a complex funding landscape of research grants, state allotments, and internal chargebacks. You will provide the budgeting process, data, and recommendations; budget approval and spending decisions remain with designated budget owners. This is an individual-contributor role with no direct reports.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

Responsibilities include:

• Direct FinOps projects with defined scope, plans, schedules, and risk management, leading cross-functional teams from engineering, finance, and research through delivery and handoff to operations
• Develop FinOps strategy, proposed policies, and standards, and obtain approval through established governance processes
• Lead cloud cost allocation, showback, and chargeback, mapping consumption to applications, departments, and funding sources such as grants
• Run the cloud budgeting and forecasting process with budget owners: track spend against each owner’s budget, report budget vs. actual, and flag variances early
• Manage implementation and enhancement of FinOps tooling (Apptio Cloudability), including reporting, integrations, tagging compliance, and anomaly detection
• Identify and track optimization opportunities, cost savings, and cost avoidance, and provide analysis for cloud commitments in partnership with finance and procurement
• Lead cost visibility and allocation for AI consumption (token-based services), Databricks, GPU, and research computing
• Report program KPIs, progress, and risks to executive leadership, and lead a cross-functional FinOps community of practice

Salary offers are based on a variety of factors. The University anticipates offering a salary between $140,000 - $160,000 depending on experience, qualifications, and internal equity.

Job Qualifications

Required:

• Bachelor's degree in a related area and/or equivalent experience/training
• Demonstrated experience leading complex, cross-functional technology programs and projects, including scope, schedule, budget, risk, stakeholder management, system integration, and vendor management
• Advanced knowledge of cloud financial management (FinOps): cost allocation, showback/chargeback, budgeting, forecasting, and optimization
• Experience with Apptio Cloudability or a comparable cloud cost management platform
• Expert knowledge of AWS, Azure, and/or Google Cloud billing and cost data, with the ability to turn large datasets into clear reporting
• Experience designing cost attribution models and directing cross-platform reporting or data integration initiatives
• Demonstrated ability to communicate with executive-level management on a regular basis
• Proven ability to build consensus and lead cross-functional work without direct authority

Preferred:

• Master's degree in a related discipline
• FinOps Certified Practitioner, PMP, or related certification
• Working knowledge of scripting (such as Python), SQL, APIs, or automation
• Databricks and AI platform billing; familiarity with Technology Business Management (TBM)
• Experience in healthcare, higher education, research, or grant-funded environments

As a condition of employment, the final candidate who accepts an offer of employment will be required to disclose if they have been subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct; or have filed an appeal of a finding of substantiated misconduct with a previous employer. Current/former UC employees are subject to a personnel file review.

Employment Type: Indefinite

Job #: 33818