Job Description

The role

As a Senior Cloud FinOps Analyst, you will play a key role in driving our FinOps practice at NEXT, with a primary focus on Microsoft Azure. You will help design and implement the financial governance policies, processes, and frameworks that ensure our cloud investments deliver maximum value and efficiency. Working alongside cross-functional engineering, DevOps, finance, and procurement teams, you will champion financial accountability and help shape the way we manage, optimise, and forecast our cloud footprint. To help you get started and succeed, NEXT offers a collaborative, supportive environment where you can develop your skills, share best practice, and help build a mature, forward-thinking cloud financial culture.

What You'll Take On:

• Develop FinOps Frameworks: Help create and roll out practical cloud cost management policies, processes, and best practices across our cloud teams to support effective financial governance.
• Drive Cost Optimisation: Identify and act on savings opportunities across Azure services through resource optimisation, rightsizing, and utilisation tracking to ensure maximum efficiency.
• Collaborate Cross-Functionally: Partner closely with Cloud Engineers, DevOps, Finance, and Procurement to integrate FinOps principles into everyday workflows and promote transparent cloud usage.
• Build Clear Dashboards & Reports: Design, manage, and maintain scalable Power BI dashboards and tabular data models to deliver clear spend visibility, trends, and actionable insights to key stakeholders.
• Lead Forecasting & Budgeting: Work with finance and product teams to establish Azure cloud budgets, track consumption, and produce accurate forecasts to keep spend aligned with financial goals.
• Promote Financial Awareness: Conduct interactive training sessions and workshops to equip teams with the skills and knowledge needed to take ownership of their cloud spend.
• Assess FinOps Maturity: Carry out periodic assessments of our FinOps maturity to identify areas for improvement and continuously evolve our cloud financial management practices.

What You'll Bring:

• FinOps Certification: A recognised FinOps Foundation certification (such as FinOps Certified Practitioner) and a strong understanding of core FinOps principles and value realisation.
• Azure & FinOps Tooling Expertise: Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Azure services (including Azure Cost Management, Reserved Instances, and Azure Advisor) alongside familiarity with tools like Infracost.
• Data Analysis & Visualisation: Advanced proficiency in Power BI, Google Sheets, tabular data modelling, and semantic models to transform complex spend data into clear, actionable reports.
• Automation & Scripting Skills: Proficiency with scripting tools like PowerShell to build custom reporting and automate routine cost monitoring tasks.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with a knack for working alongside technical and non-technical teams to align spending with operational goals.
• Analytical & Organised Mindset: Great attention to detail, strong problem-solving capabilities, and a practical approach to building financial governance and budget forecasts.
• #LI-LE1 #LI-Hybrid

You know Next, but did you know we’re a FTSE-100 retail company employing over 44,000 people across the Next group. We’re the UK’s 2nd largest fashion retailer and for Kidswear we’re the market leader. At the last count we have over 450 stores, plus the Next Online and it’s now possible to buy on-line from over 80 countries around the world! So we’ve gone global!