Remote FinOps Analyst: Cloud Cost Optimization & Governance

Ellucian

South Carolina

Remote

USD 70,000 - 110,000

Full time

3 days ago

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Benefits offered by this job

Health coverage

Flexible time off

401k with match

Parental Leave

Telemedicine

Education assistance

Job summary

Ellucian is seeking a FinOps Analyst to drive financial accountability and optimization across cloud investments. You will independently own FinOps initiatives, analyze consumption and spending, and partner with technical and business stakeholders to turn data into actionable decisions.

You will build dashboards, forecasts, and KPIs, support budgeting and governance, and collaborate with Cloud Engineering, R&D, Product, Finance, and Procurement to embed FinOps practices into day-to-day planning.

Qualifications

2+ years of experience in FinOps, cloud financial management, cloud operations, observability/platform operations, technology governance, technical program/project management, financial/business analysis, or a related discipline.
Hands‑on experience with Datadog, including the ability to analyze usage, consumption trends, and cost drivers across one or more Datadog capabilities.
Experience supporting or implementing technology governance practices such as resource tagging, metadata management, cost allocation, policy compliance, or ownership and accountability controls.
Working knowledge of public cloud infrastructure and services, with AWS experience particularly relevant.
Experience developing dashboards, reports, and analytical views used to communicate financial or operational performance, including consumption trends, forecasting, and optimization opportunities.
Strong Microsoft Excel and data analysis skills, with the ability to work with complex datasets and translate findings into actionable recommendations.
Familiarity with FinOps principles, cloud cost optimization, and opportunities to improve reporting or governance through automation and analytics.
Experience using AI‑powered productivity tools, such as ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, or similar solutions, to support data analysis, research, reporting, documentation, and workflow efficiency, with appropriate validation of AI‑generated outputs.

Responsibilities

Own FinOps initiatives within assigned areas of responsibility, improving visibility, accountability, governance, and optimization across cloud and technology consumption and spend.
Analyze cloud and third‑party technology usage, cost, and operational data to identify trends, anomalies, cost drivers, financial risks, and opportunities for optimization.
Identify, quantify, prioritize, and track cost optimization opportunities, partnering with technology owners and stakeholders to implement improvements and measure realized savings, cost avoidance, and business value.
Support and improve FinOps governance practices, including resource tagging, metadata standards, cost allocation, ownership, policy compliance, and controls that enable accurate financial accountability.
Monitor consumption‑based technology platforms and services, including Datadog, to understand usage patterns, evaluate cost drivers, forecast financial impact, and identify opportunities to improve efficiency and value.
Develop and maintain dashboards, reports, forecasts, and key performance indicators that provide visibility into technology consumption, optimization progress, governance compliance, and financial performance.
Support budgeting and forecasting activities by analyzing historical consumption, growth trends, business drivers, and planned technology changes to improve financial predictability.
Utilize cloud financial management, observability, analytics, and FinOps tools to support operational requirements, financial analysis, and technology optimization initiatives.
Partner with stakeholders across Cloud Engineering/Operations, R&D, Product, Finance, Procurement, and other business functions to integrate FinOps practices into day‑to‑day technology planning and decision‑making.
Investigate unexpected consumption or cost changes, collaborating with technical teams to identify contributing factors, assess financial impact, and recommend appropriate corrective actions.
Help evaluate and establish financial governance for emerging technologies and consumption models, including SaaS, observability, data platforms, and AI services as organizational needs evolve.
Identify opportunities to improve FinOps processes, controls, reporting, and operational effectiveness through automation, improved analytics, and standardized practices.
Support improvements in automated reporting, consumption monitoring, and cost anomaly detection to increase efficiency, data accuracy, and visibility into optimization opportunities.
Contribute to the continued maturity of FinOps practices by improving cost allocation, forecasting, governance, and financial accountability across technology investments.