Cloud FinOps Lead

Leicester, England, United Kingdom

1/27/2025

Job Description

Let’s talk numbers. When it comes to UK retail, it’s hard to find a bigger name. We sell thousands of items an hour and are expanding our e-commerce business by the second. For anyone in Tech, this is the place to learn. To grow. And to thrive.

The Cloud FinOps Lead will be instrumental in designing, implementing, and maintaining policies, processes, and frameworks for cloud financial management. The successful candidate will help the organisation maximise return on cloud investments, driving efficiencies and optimising usage while fostering a culture of financial accountability across cloud teams. You will drive financial accountability and cloud optimization as we expand our Cloud footprint. This is an exciting opportunity to shape and lead a new practice, enabling NEXT to derive maximum value from our cloud investments.

About The Role

In this role, you will develop and implement FinOps frameworks, including policies, processes, and best practices, to ensure effective cloud financial management aligned with organisational goals. Responsibilities include identifying cost-saving opportunities, optimising resources, and tracking utilisation for efficiency. Collaboration with cloud engineers, DevOps, finance, and procurement teams is key to integrating FinOps principles and promoting responsible cloud usage. You will also create financial dashboards, provide insights and forecasts to senior stakeholders, and foster a culture of cloud financial responsibility through training. Additionally, you will manage Azure cloud service budgets, negotiate with vendors, and conduct regular FinOps maturity assessments to drive continuous improvement. Key accountabilities include ensuring budget alignment, report accuracy, policy compliance and leading initiatives to enhance cloud financial management in line with industry best practices.

About The Team

Infrastructure & Cloud Services are at the forefront of everything from Cloud to Networking, Data Centres to virtual servers/servers (Windows and Linux) as well as desktops, Licensing and mobile phones! Every piece of infrastructure at Head office, in the stores, the warehouses, for the website or the contact centre are supported by this area. Central services such as Microsoft Azure, GSuite and GCP, file services, Citrix, Active Directory (and much more) are all provided and supported by this area.

About You

• Microsoft Azure: Advanced knowledge and experience in Microsoft Azure cloud services, including Azure Cost Management, Reserved Instances, and Azure Advisor.
• Cloud Cost Management Tools: Familiarity with cloud cost management and monitoring tools such as Azure Cost Management, Infracost, or other FinOps tooling.
• FinOps: Experience with implementing cost-saving initiatives, generating detailed cost reports, and conducting regular reviews with stakeholders to align cloud spending with financial goals and operational efficiency.
• Automation & Scripting: Proficiency in automation and scripting tools (e.g., PowerShell) to create custom reports and automate repetitive tasks related to cost monitoring and management.
• FinOps Certification: Certification from the FinOps Foundation (e.g., FinOps Certified Practitioner) is required to ensure a solid understanding of FinOps principles, processes, and tools.
• Data Analysis and Visualization: Advanced proficiency in data analysis and visualisation tools, such as Microsoft Power BI and Google Sheets, to build complex data models and impactful visualisations for a wide range of audiences and requirements
• Azure Cost Management: Expertise in Azure-specific cost management tools and features, including billing management, budgeting, and pricing strategies.
• Policy and Governance: Ability to design, implement, and enforce cloud financial governance policies and processes to ensure financial accountability across cloud projects.
• Cloud Performance Optimization: Familiarity with performance optimization practices, such as instance rightsizing, workload optimization, and auto-scaling in Azure.
• Budgeting and Forecasting: Skilled in cloud budgeting and forecasting techniques, with a proven track record of cost reduction and budget adherence.
  
  

About Us

You know Next, but did you know we’re a FTSE-100 retail company employing over 35,000 people across the UK and Ireland. We’re the UK’s 2nd largest fashion retailer and for Kidswear we’re the market leader. At the last count we have over 500 stores, plus the Next Online and it’s now possible to buy on-line from over 70 countries around the world! So we’ve gone global!

About The Team

• 25% off most NEXT, MADE*, Lipsy*, Gap* and Victoria's Secret* products (*when purchased through NEXT)
• Company performance based bonus
• Sharesave scheme
• On-site Nursery available; OFSTED outstanding in all areas
• 10% off most partner brands & up to 15% off Branded Beauty
• Early VIP access to sale stock
• Access to fantastic discounts at our Staff Shops
• Restaurants with great food at amazing prices
• Access a digital GP and other free health and wellbeing services
• Free on-site parking
• Financial Wellbeing - Save, track and enhance your financial wellbeing
• Apprenticeship - Grow and develop on the job whilst gaining a qualification
• Direct to Work - Discount online and instore, collect your items the next day for free from your place of work or local store
• Support Networks - Access to Network Groups to empower and celebrate each other
• Wellhub - Discounted flexible monthly gym memberships, with apps, PT sessions and more
  
  

Conditions apply to all benefits. These benefits are discretionary and subject to change.

We aim to support all candidates during the application process and are happy to provide workplace adjustments when necessary. Should you need support with your application due to a disability or long-term condition, feel free to get in touch with us by email headoffice_careers@next.co.uk (please include 'Workplace Adjustments' in the subject line), or call us on 0116 284 2486 and leave a voicemail.