Cloud FinOps Architect

The Cloud FinOps Architect is the technical engine of the MSI FinOps team, bridging the gap between high-level financial targets and engineering execution. Unlike traditional financial roles, this position requires a deep engineering background to provide architectural and code-level optimization insights. You will work directly with our FinOps Champions to identify and implement technical changes that drive our $\sim$$15M annual savings goal. You will also oversee the technical “how” of governance through scripting and automation, ensuring cost-efficiency is baked into the Motorola Solutions software development lifecycle.

Key Responsibilities & Time Distribution

Technical Optimization & Advisory (40%)

• Conduct deep-dive architectural reviews of high-spend services to identify inefficiencies.
• Provide specific code-level and infrastructure recommendations, such as refactoring for serverless, right-sizing containerized environments, and optimizing storage tiering logic.
• Advise engineering teams on cost-efficient design patterns during the initial design phase to prevent “technical debt” in the cloud bill.

FinOps Champions Program Engagement (30%)

• Act as the primary technical partner for the cross-MSI network of FinOps Champions.
• Translate high-level savings targets into actionable technical backlogs for engineering squads.
• Provide the “technical proof” and benchmarks needed for teams to adopt and prioritize optimization recommendations.

Governance Automation & Scripting (20%)

• Oversee and develop scripts (e.g., Python, Bash) and Infrastructure as Code (Terraform) for automated governance.
• Build and maintain technical “guardrails” that prevent cost leaks before they occur.
• Automate the detection and remediation of orphaned resources, unoptimized snapshots, or inefficient architectural patterns.

Executive Technical Reporting (10%)

• Translate complex technical optimization successes into business value metrics for Senior Leadership.
• Provide technical feasibility assessments for long-term cloud financial commitments and strategic procurement decisions.

Basic Requirements

• Technical Background: 5+ years of experience in Software Engineering, Cloud Architecture, or DevOps.
• Cloud Depth: Expert-level understanding of AWS, Azure, or GCP services and how architectural choices (e.g., Microservices vs. Monolith, SQL vs. NoSQL) impact billing.
• Coding & Scripting: Proficiency in at least one programming language (e.g., Python, Go) and hands-on experience with Infrastructure as Code (Terraform, CloudFormation).
• Analytical Skills: Ability to parse complex billing data and correlate it with application performance and architectural bottlenecks.
• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related technical field

Desired Qualifications & Attributes

• Professional Certification: Professional-level Cloud Architect certification (e.g., AWS Solutions Architect Professional).
• Modern Infrastructure Expertise: Deep knowledge of Kubernetes (K8s) cost management, pod right-sizing, and cluster optimization.
• FinOps Leadership: FinOps Certified Practitioner (FOCP) with experience scaling technical governance across large, decentralized engineering organizations.
• Strategic Influence: The ability to challenge engineering “status quo” with data-driven architectural alternatives that save money without sacrificing performance or reliability.
• The “Bridge”: An innate ability to explain a $100k “code fix” to a developer and a 10% “margin improvement” to a CFO in the same conversation.