Cloud FinOps SME – Enterprise Data Platform (Databricks)
Location: san Jose, CA
Role
The Cloud FinOps Subject Matter Expert (SME) will be responsible for driving cloud financial management (FinOps) for the enterprise Data Cloud platform built on Databricks across AWS and Azure. This role will monitor and optimize cloud consumption, provide cost transparency, develop forecasting models, and collaborate with engineering teams to improve platform efficiency and resource utilization.
The role will also establish governance practices, enable cost accountability across teams, and provide actionable insights into platform utilization and cost drivers. The position will report to the Director of Enterprise Data Platform.
What You Will Do
• Monitor, analyze, and optimize cloud spending across Databricks workloads, AWS, and Azure services
• Develop and maintain cloud cost visibility dashboards and usage analytics to provide transparency into platform consumption and spending
• Partner with Data Engineering, Platform Engineering, and Product teams to implement cost-efficient cloud architecture and workload strategies
• Implement and manage cost allocation frameworks (tagging, workspace mapping, business units, products) to track unit economics such as cost per customer, workload, or data pipeline
• Develop and maintain cloud consumption forecasting models and support budgeting and financial planning cycles
• Establish and promote FinOps governance policies and best practices, including cluster usage guidelines, auto-scaling, instance optimization, and idle resource management
• Identify and drive cost optimization initiatives such as cluster right-sizing, workload scheduling, storage lifecycle policies, and reserved capacity planning
• Collaborate with Finance teams to support showback and chargeback reporting and improve cost accountability across engineering teams
• Analyze Databricks platform utilization patterns and recommend improvements to cluster configurations, job orchestration, and resource usage
• Work with cloud service providers on demand planning, reserved instances, savings plans, and capacity reservations
• Identify opportunities for automation and process improvement in cloud cost management and reporting
• Track and report FinOps KPIs, optimization initiatives, and realized savings
Qualifications
To be successful in this role you have:
• 6–10 years of experience in cloud cost management, FinOps, platform operations, or technical program management
• Strong understanding of public cloud services and pricing models (AWS and/or Azure)
• Experience working with data platforms such as Databricks, Apache Spark, or large-scale analytics environments
• Experience developing cost analytics, forecasting models, and financial reporting dashboards
• Knowledge of cloud cost optimization techniques including rightsizing, autoscaling, workload scheduling, and reserved capacity planning
• Experience implementing cost allocation models and tagging strategies for cloud resource tracking
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to translate cloud usage data into financial insights and optimization recommendations
• Experience collaborating with engineering, finance, and product teams in a cross-functional environment
• Experience using data analysis tools such as SQL, Python, or BI platforms for reporting and analytics
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to present insights to both technical and non-technical stakeholders
Nice to Have
• FinOps Foundation FinOps Certified Practitioner certification
• Experience working with Databricks cost optimization and cluster management
• Familiarity with cloud cost management tools such as CloudHealth, Cloudability, or native cloud cost management platforms
• Experience building cost dashboards using BI tools such as Power BI, Tableau, or Looker
• Knowledge of enterprise data platform architecture
Soft Skills
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities
• Excellent communication and cross-team collaboration skills
• Ability to influence engineering teams toward cost-efficient design and operational practices
• Proactive, self-driven mindset with strong ownership
• Organized with strong attention to detail and documentation skills
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
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