Cloud Finance Lead
About the role
Northern Trust, a Fortune 500 company, is a globally recognized, award-winning financial institution with over 130 years of financial experience and over 22,000 partners. The Cloud Finance Lead is a strategic finance leader responsible for driving financial planning, cost governance, forecasting accuracy, and analytical insight across the organization's cloud portfolio.
Responsibilities
Lead monthly/quarterly cloud forecasting, variance analysis, and long-range planning across multiple cloud providers.
Maintain and enhance cloud cost models, demand forecasting methodologies, and productivity assumptions.
Partner with Technology Finance and CIO organizations to align cloud demand with enterprise budget constraints and strategic priorities.
Translate complex cloud usage patterns into clear financial impacts for non-technical stakeholders.
Build and maintain frameworks for cloud cost governance, including spend controls, tagging hygiene, and savings accountability.
Identify cost-optimization opportunities such as reserved instances, rightsizing, storage optimization, and platform consolidation.
Operationalize optimization recommendations with FinOps, Cloud Engineering, and Infrastructure teams.
Ensure expense governance aligns with architectural policies and funding protocols.
Evaluate cloud migration proposals and prepare financial business cases including: cost-to-migrate, run-rate cloud expense versus on-prem costs, TCO benefits, contract and licensing implications, model sensitivities, risks, and capital/expense impacts.
Partner with Procurement on cloud-related vendor negotiations and renewals.
Create executive-level reporting on cloud KPIs, consumption trends, efficiency metrics, and spend drivers.
Develop and maintain dashboards to support transparency across CIO organizations and Steering Committees.
Monitor and report progress relative to cloud productivity targets and demand reduction initiatives.
Partner with Cloud Engineering, Architecture, Security, and Product teams to understand upcoming migrations, platform requirements, and financial implications.
Provide guidance to BU partners on cloud forecasting, cost drivers, and financial accountability.
Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Engineering, or related field.
10-15+ years of experience in FP&A, Technology Finance, or related financial leadership roles.
CPA, CFA, MBA, or FinOps Certification.
Strong understanding of cloud economics (Azure, AWS, Snowflake, etc.) or a willingness to rapidly learn.
Demonstrated ability to interpret complex technical concepts into financial outcomes.
Advanced financial modeling, forecasting, and analytical skills.
Experience interacting with senior leaders and influencing cross-functional decision-making.
Preferred
Knowledge of FinOps principles and cloud governance frameworks.
Experience with cloud reporting tools (e.g., Apptio/Cloudability/Flexera, native CSP cost management tools).
Prior work supporting cloud migrations, modernization initiatives, or technology portfolios.
Working Model
We have a balanced hybrid working model to ensure you get the flexibility you need, and the successful candidate will spend their time between working in the office and working from home.
Salary Range
$114,700 - 194,900 USD
Benefits
Retirement benefits (401k and pension)
Health and welfare benefits (medical, dental, vision, spending accounts and disability)
Paid time off
Parental and caregiver leave
Life & accident insurance
Other voluntary and well-being benefits
Discretionary bonus program that may include an equity component
Success Measures
Forecast accuracy across cloud consumption and productivity targets.
Improved financial transparency and cost discipline within cloud spending.
Timely, high-quality insights enabling leadership decision-making.
Effectiveness of cloud cost optimization efforts and governance processes.
Strength of cross-functional relationships and trust in the cloud finance function.