Financial Operations Manager

We are looking for a Finance & Operations specialist to manage FinOps operations for a key Client project in Canberra. This role is a full time and permanent position. As this role works with a Federal Government Client, candidates will need to have an active NV1 AGSVA clearance.

The FinOps Manager is responsible for delivering and operating a comprehensive FinOps capability aligned to contracted outcomes for the NCIS cloud environment. The role is accountable for establishing financial transparency, enforcing governance, and driving continuous cost optimisation across Microsoft Azure services.

Acting as the interface between finance, technology, and delivery stakeholders, this role ensures cloud investments are effectively managed, governed, and optimised in line with agreed contractual deliverables, measurable outcomes, and FinOps maturity uplift targets.

Key Responsibilities

1. Contract Delivery & Reporting

• Deliver all contracted FinOps services in accordance with agreed timelines, scope, and quality standards
• Produce and maintain a Monthly FinOps Report including:
  • Azure cost management insights
  • Resource utilisation analysis
  • Cost drivers and trends
  • Optimisation opportunities and actions
• Ensure reporting is accurate, timely, and requires minimal rework through effective stakeholder consultation

2. FinOps Discovery & Maturity Assessment

• Conduct FinOps discovery activities to baseline current cloud consumption, billing data, and usage patterns
• Assess current state FinOps maturity across governance, financial management, and optimisation practices
• Validate and utilise the FinOps Maturity Assessment and Uplift Implementation Plan
• Identify gaps between current and target state, providing clear recommendations and prioritised actions

3. FinOps Governance & Controls

• Establish and operationalise a FinOps governance framework aligned to contractual requirements
• Define and implement:
  • Roles and responsibilities within the Technical Hub
  • Cloud tagging strategy for cost allocation and data management
  • Financial governance policies and guardrails
  • Budget baselines aligned to organisational objectives
• Develop and track key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure governance effectiveness
• Ensure compliance with financial controls, audit requirements, and policy standards

4. FinOps Execution & Cost Optimisation

• Deliver sustained cost optimisation initiatives across the Azure environment, including:
  • Rightsizing of cloud resources
  • Reservation and savings plan optimisation
  • Identification and elimination of waste
• Monitor and report on optimisation outcomes, including realised vs expected savings
• Provide detailed cloud consumption reporting, including cost centre visibility and chargeback/showback models

5. Implementation of FinOps Maturity Uplift

• Lead execution of the FinOps Maturity Uplift Implementation Plan as agreed with the buyer
• Ensure services are implemented effectively and demonstrate measurable improvement in FinOps maturity
• Embed FinOps practices into operational processes, delivery lifecycles, and engineering workflows
• Drive continuous improvement aligned to evolving business and technology needs

6. Stakeholder Engagement & Advisory

• Engage regularly with client stakeholders to:
  • Present financial insights and reporting outcomes
  • Review cost performance and optimisation initiatives
  • Support decision-making through data-driven recommendations
• Act as a trusted advisor translating technical cost drivers into business-level impacts
• Support commercial discussions, planning, and value realisation tracking

7. Integration with Delivery & Operations

• Work closely with delivery, architecture, and engineering teams to embed FinOps practices across:
  • Design and architecture decisions
  • Release planning and forecasting
  • Operational run-state activities
• Ensure cost considerations are incorporated throughout the delivery lifecycle

Required Experience

• Proven experience delivering FinOps or cloud financial management services in a contracted or client-facing environment
• Strong understanding of Azure cost structures, consumption models, and optimisation techniques
• Experience establishing governance frameworks, financial controls, and reporting mechanisms
• Ability to analyse cloud usage data and translate insights into actionable recommendations
• Demonstrated experience working across finance, engineering, and delivery stakeholders

Preferred Experience

• Experience in large-scale cloud or enterprise environments
• Exposure to government or regulated environments (desirable)
• Familiarity with FinOps frameworks and maturity models
• Experience implementing chargeback/showback models and cost allocation strategies
• Consulting or managed services delivery experience

Key Competencies

• Strong commercial and financial acumen
• Structured problem-solving and analytical capability
• Stakeholder engagement and influencing skills
• Delivery focus with accountability for outcomes
• Ability to balance governance with operational efficiency
• Continuous improvement mindset