At AQA, we’re committed to advancing education and we’re committed to our people. As the largest provider of academic qualifications in the UK, we mark over seven million GCSEs and A-levels each year and it’s our people who make this happen.

FinOps Analyst

Permanent

Manchester: £47,590 - £54,430

Hybrid Working

Do you thrive in a culture that values innovation, continuous learning and technical excellence?

Are you ready to take ownership of optimising cloud costs with your sharp analytical skills?

Are you keen to really make a difference? AQA are a charity where we aim to enable future generations to achieve their full potential. As the FinOps Analyst at AQA, you'll be at the forefront of digital transformation, using your expertise to build automated reporting, track performance and recommend improvements that directly influence the success of our services.

You’ll work closely with IT and finance teams to develop KPIs, maintain dashboards and ensure cost-effective cloud usage. Your experience with Excel, Power BI and cloud analytics will be key as you monitor budgets, communicate performance metrics and proactively identify opportunities for enhancement. You’ll also contribute to defining best practices for infrastructure tagging and ensure data integrity across our systems. If you thrive in a culture of innovation, continuous improvement and collaboration, this role is designed for you.

What’s in it for me?

• This is a brand new role at AQA, so it’s an opportunity to shape the role and make it your own within a supportive environment

• If you don’t already have Azure cloud experience, we can invest in your training

• You will have access from day one to an incredible pension scheme with employee and employer contributions jointly totalling, up to 18.5%

• 25 days annual leave, rising a day per year for your first five years with Bank Holidays and additional closure days at Christmas.

• AQA work in a smart hybrid way. This team are in the office for a minimum of two days per week or as business dictates - meetings are more productive in person, so you will need to live within a commutable distance of the Manchester office.

• You will also benefit from Private Medical Insurance and a Health Care Cash Reward Plan as well a paid volunteering days, newly refurbished office spaces with discounted eateries, as well as a gym, a games room and a yoga studio at our Manchester office.

What Do I Need to Be Successful?

• Experience with performance analysis tools, particularly Excel and Power BI.

• Strong technical knowledge of digital cloud services.

• A structured approach to problem-solving and clear communication skills to convey technical information confidently.

• Dedication for continuous improvement and implementing innovative solutions for business problems through technology..

• The ability to work collaboratively with cross-functional teams and manage multiple stakeholders effectively.

What do I do next?

Ready to shape the future of our cloud services? Please upload your most recent CV with a cover letter detailing your skills and experience for this role by 23:59 Monday 19th August.

We will be interviewing as applications come in and reserve the right to close the advert early should we find the right person so apply today.

Every application will receive a response.

#CRE23

Recruitment Agencies

We have a preferred supplier list (PSL) in place.

Unsolicited CVs will be treated as a gift. We will not be subject to or liable under your terms and conditions for agency fees.

Full Job Description

Summary

The FinOps Analyst is responsible for performance and cost analysis reporting to deliver accurate and efficient cost usage reporting and analytic insights into digital cloud services.

They will define, build, deliver and continuously develop automated reporting based on specific requirements.

Embodying a culture of trust, learning, innovation and continuous improvement, this role will champion collective ownership and technical excellence.

This role reports to the IT Test Environment Manager.Landscape
The Assessment Technology group reports directly into the Chief Executive Officer. The group operates in close partnership with the Enterprise Technology and Central Hubs departments.

The Assessment Technology group is responsible for the operational systems that deliver over 3 million GCSE and A-level results annually. It includes the technology for assessment design and production, and the full lifecycle of exams series delivery from entry to post-results services.

Team
The FinOps Analyst will work closely with the IT environments manager, release manager, business analysts, Infrastructure analysts, test analysts, and other roles internally and from suppliers, who are responsible for the delivery of planned change and software support for the strategic and mission-critical systems that underpin AQA’s core assessment proposition.
Activities

Analysis & Reporting

Assisting with development of KPI’s for cloud cost usage.
Responsible for building and maintaining automated cost reporting and dashboards to provide accurate information.
Continuously track and monitor cloud usage costs against set budgets and inform key stakeholders of regular spend against set budgets highlighting where costs are escalating.
Montior and provide recommendations for efficiencies for continuous improvement to cloud services.
Be skilled in digital performance analysis with experience of cloud analytics.
Have a good understanding of the Microsoft Office Suite with experience using Excel and Power BI/Power BI Automate.
Assist with definition and implementation of infrastructure tagging best practices to further improve existing reporting capabilities.
Responsible for communicating accurate Cloud cost estimations to stakeholders and identifying and negotiating change where infrastructure could be changed to be more cost effective.
Deliver high-quality, real-time analysis that provides meaningful and actionable insights to improve the service, proactively offering suggestions or investigating ways to improve.
Monitor and communicate cloud service performance to stakeholders and the team on a regular basis.
Maintain and setup cloud cost alerting and monitoring dashboards. Automate infrastructure change alerts to allow for real time tracking.
Ensure data integrity and proactively identify data and reporting issues and advise on opportunities for improvements.

Stakeholders
Work closely with finance business partners, product/project managers, release manager, business analysts and test team.
Provide consistent, timely, excellent communication, and wider services to customers and stakeholders.

Other Responsibilities
Assistance with administration of internal cloud cost approval process backlog.
Deputise meetings and cost authorisations in the absence of the IT Environments Manager.
Information security – taking an active part in the preservation of security, confidentiality, availability, and integrity of information assets.
Continuous professional development – responsible for ensuring own ongoing professional development to meet existing and future organisational needs.

Need to know
Experience of delivering/maintaining a performance analysis capability using a variety of analysis tools in particular Excel and Power BI.
Demonstrable technical knowledge of digital cloud services to be able to inform of best practices.
Structured thinking approach, able to communicate technical information around cloud infrastructure analysis clearly and confidently to stakeholders.
High level of curiosity, with a genuine passion for finding and implementing innovative solutions for business problems through technology.
Passion for continuous improvement in practice, to increase service quality, reliability, and dependability.
Landscape
The Assessment Technology group reports directly into the Chief Executive Officer. The group operates in close partnership with the Enterprise Technology and Central Hubs departments.

The Assessment Technology group is responsible for the operational systems that deliver over 3 million GCSE and A-level results annually. It includes the technology for assessment design and production, and the full lifecycle of exams series delivery from entry to post-results services.

Team
The FinOps Analyst will work closely with the IT environments manager, release manager, business analysts, Infrastructure analysts, test analysts, and other roles internally and from suppliers, who are responsible for the delivery of planned change and software support for the strategic and mission-critical systems that underpin AQA’s core assessment proposition.
Activities
Analysis & Reporting

Assisting with development of KPI’s for cloud cost usage.
Responsible for building and maintaining automated cost reporting and dashboards to provide accurate information.
Continuously track and monitor cloud usage costs against set budgets and inform key stakeholders of regular spend against set budgets highlighting where costs are escalating.
Montior and provide recommendations for efficiencies for continuous improvement to cloud services.
Be skilled in digital performance analysis with experience of cloud analytics.
Have a good understanding of the Microsoft Office Suite with experience using Excel and Power BI/Power BI Automate.
Assist with definition and implementation of infrastructure tagging best practices to further improve existing reporting capabilities.
Responsible for communicating accurate Cloud cost estimations to stakeholders and identifying and negotiating change where infrastructure could be changed to be more cost effective.
Deliver high-quality, real-time analysis that provides meaningful and actionable insights to improve the service, proactively offering suggestions or investigating ways to improve.
Monitor and communicate cloud service performance to stakeholders and the team on a regular basis.
Maintain and setup cloud cost alerting and monitoring dashboards. Automate infrastructure change alerts to allow for real time tracking.
Ensure data integrity and proactively identify data and reporting issues and advise on opportunities for improvements.

Stakeholders
Work closely with finance business partners, product/project managers, release manager, business analysts and test team.
Provide consistent, timely, excellent communication, and wider services to customers and stakeholders.

Other Responsibilities
Assistance with administration of internal cloud cost approval process backlog.
Deputise meetings and cost authorisations in the absence of the IT Environments Manager.
Information security – taking an active part in the preservation of security, confidentiality, availability, and integrity of information assets.
Continuous professional development – responsible for ensuring own ongoing professional development to meet existing and future organisational needs.

Need to know
Experience of delivering/maintaining a performance analysis capability using a variety of analysis tools in particular Excel and Power BI.
Demonstrable technical knowledge of digital cloud services to be able to inform of best practices.
Structured thinking approach, able to communicate technical information around cloud infrastructure analysis clearly and confidently to stakeholders.
High level of curiosity, with a genuine passion for finding and implementing innovative solutions for business problems through technology.
Passion for continuous improvement in practice, to increase service quality, reliability, and dependability.