Cloud FinOps Senior Analyst

Block•Los Angeles, CA

13h

About The Position

Block is one company built from many blocks, all united by the same purpose of economic empowerment. The blocks that form our foundational teams — People, Finance, Counsel, Hardware, Information Security, Platform Infrastructure Engineering, and more — provide support and guidance at the corporate level. They work across business groups and around the globe, spanning time zones and disciplines to develop inclusive People policies, forecast finances, give legal counsel, safeguard systems, nurture new initiatives, and more. Every challenge creates possibilities, and we need different perspectives to see them all. Bring yours to Block. The Role The Cloud Economics team is Block's center of excellence for cloud financial management. Our mission is to promote cloud cost efficiency across Block with initiatives and programs in cost visibility, allocation, optimization, and forecasting. As Block continues its cloud transformation journey, this role will shape how we manage cloud costs for years to come. We are seeking a FinOps Analyst to join our Cloud Economics team within EngOps. As an experienced FinOps practitioner, you will unlock efficiency in spend and usage across Block's multi-cloud environment. You'll leverage analysis skills to review cloud spend data, identify cost reduction opportunities, and work closely with the Cloud Economics Technical Lead, cloud architects, DevOps teams, and finance professionals to ensure cloud spending aligns with business objectives and financial goals

Requirements

5+ years of experience in FinOps, cloud cost analysis, financial analysis, or related roles
Hands-on experience with cloud platforms (AWS, GCP) and deep understanding of cloud billing models
Strong analytical and SQL skills
Experience with cloud cost management tools (e.g. AWS Cost Explorer, 3rd-party tooling)
Proficiency with data visualization tools (e.g. Looker) for dashboard creation and reporting
Familiarity with tagging strategies, cost attribution, and usage-based billing models
AI-curious mindset: Natural inclination to explore how AI/ML can enhance FinOps processes, automation, and decision-making
Experience in ML modeling for spend and usage
FinOps Certified Practitioner or equivalent FinOps Foundation certification
Cloud platform certifications (e.g. AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner)
Background in large-scale, multi-cloud environments and complex organizational structures
Experience with cloud migration projects and enterprise-level cost optimization initiatives
Programming and scripting experience beyond SQL (Python, PowerShell, etc.)
Familiarity with Infrastructure-as-Code tools (Terraform, CloudFormation)
Experience in high-growth technology companies or financial services
Experience with AI/ML tools for data analysis (e.g., ChatGPT, Claude, Jupyter notebooks, scikit-learn)
Demonstrated curiosity in exploring emerging technologies and their applications to FinOps challenges
Experience applying generative AI for data analysis, report generation, or process automation
Detail-oriented and data-driven: Exceptional attention to detail with strong analytical thinking and problem-solving capabilities
Proactive problem solver: Ability to identify inefficiencies and propose practical, actionable solutions
Cross-functional collaborator: Comfortable working in complex, multi-stakeholder environments with competing priorities
Excellent communicator: Strong written and verbal communication skills with ability to translate complex concepts for diverse audiences
Continuous learner: Commitment to staying current with FinOps practices, cloud technologies, and industry trends
Results-focused: Track record of delivering measurable outcomes and driving organizational change

Responsibilities

Perform trend analysis, cost anomaly detection, and root cause investigation through analysis of cloud spend and usage across AWS, GCP and other cloud platforms (e.g. Snowflake)
Apply machine learning models and new AI tools to introduce predictive models for resource utilization, optimization opportunities, and anomaly detection
Create detailed financial models for forecasting and tracking cloud costs based on usage patterns and business growth
Identify underutilized resources and develop cost optimization strategies including rightsizing, reserved instances, and savings plans
Create and maintain tagging and cost allocation frameworks to support chargeback and forecasting models
Curiously and continuously explore new opportunities for applied AI in cloud cost optimization
Partner closely with both platform and product engineering teams to identify and address inefficient workloads, data pipelines, and usage patterns
Identify cross-team opportunities to improve pricing models and licensing arrangements
Collaborate with finance, procurement, and engineering teams on budgets, cloud vendor management, and contract negotiations
Communicate technical findings effectively to both financial and non-technical audiences
Develop and maintain executive-level dashboards and reports that provide insights into cloud efficiency and ROI
Create automated reporting solutions using tools such as Looker or similar platforms
Integrate AI/ML tools to automate actionable insights from complex cloud billing datasets
Build comprehensive KPI frameworks to measure FinOps maturity and cloud cost optimization success
Present findings and strategic recommendations to stakeholders across all organizational levels
Apply AI to automate routine analysis and reporting; reserve hands-on work for strategic and high-impact exercises