Lead Infrastructure Engineer – FinOps

Job description

Job responsibilities

As Lead Infrastructure Engineer FinOps, you will be responsible for the technical implementation and operation of financial controls across UKHSAs cloud infrastructure. Your leadership will help shape and embed FinOps principles within the Platform Engineering team, influencing cloud usage behaviours and governance structures across the agency.

You will:

• Own the cloud cost governance approach for AWS and Azure environments, ensuring accurate distribution of service costs across the organisation.
• Collaborate with business and technical stakeholders to support consumption forecasts, budget planning, and financial reporting.
• Lead on implementation of tooling and practices that allow for near real-time cloud cost monitoring, anomaly detection, and forecasting.
• Drive the use of automation and tagging policies to support cost attribution and operational transparency.
• Ensure FinOps capabilities are embedded across Continuous Integration / Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) pipelines, cloud service design, and operational workflows.
• Work with service owners to deliver meaningful insights on consumption efficiency and architectural improvement opportunities.
• Support procurement, licence, and subscription decisions with cost-benefit analysis and capacity planning data.
• Represent Platform Engineering in transformation and governance forums, feeding into operational readiness and service improvement initiatives.
• Lead development of training, guidance, and communities of practice related to FinOps.
• Liaise with the Finance Business Partner to ensure cohesive financial strategy and compliance with reporting cycles.

Working Relationships

This role works closely with Cloud Platform engineers, Finance Business Partners, procurement colleagues, architects, and operational service leads. The role aligns with the Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework(GDaD) Infrastructure Engineering profession and contributes to digital delivery maturity across UKHSA.

Essential criteria:

A degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Cloud Engineering, or IT Financial Management. Proven experience in financial management of cloud services (AWS/Azure). Strong understanding of platform engineering principles and cloud infrastructure. Expertise in cost modelling, budget forecasting, and consumption reporting. Hands-on experience with financial dashboarding tools (e.g., Power BI, Quicksight). Strong grasp of chargeback/showback mechanisms and tagging strategies. Ability to translate cloud usage data into meaningful business insight. Experience working with finance and procurement in cloud contexts. Proven track record of supporting technical teams to optimise cloud spend. Skilled in presenting technical-financial data to diverse audiences. Experience leading cost governance within agile or DevOps-oriented teams.

Desirable criteria:

Certification in AWS, Azure, or FinOps Foundation disciplines. Knowledge Budgeting and Funding processes and digital financial governance. Experience with FinOps tooling integration (e.g., CloudHealth, Apptio, native platform tools). Understanding of the Governments Cloud First policy and UK Government Digital Standards (GDS) standards. Technical understanding of infrastructure provisioning and CI/CD pipelines. Familiarity with cost efficiency techniques such as rightsizing, reserved instances, and scaling automation. Experience with operational maturity and service improvement initiatives. Ability to contribute to technical documentation and financial policy guidance. Experience delivering change in cross-functional engineering environments. Background in supporting infrastructure transformation or commercial strategy.

Selection Process Detail

This vacancy will be assessed using a competency-based framework which will assess your qualifications, knowledge and experience and skills and abilities outlined in the essential criteria.

Stage 1: Application & Sift Competency-based assessment

You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the listed 11 essential criteria, and this will be in the form of:

• An Application form (Employer/ Activity history section on the application)
• 1000 word Supporting statement

This should outline how you consider your skills, experience, and knowledge, provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential criteria.

Please note you will not be able to upload your CV. You must complete the application form in as much detail as possible. Please do not email us your CV.

The Application form and supporting statement will be marked together.

Longlisting:

In the event of a large number of applications we will longlist into 3 piles of:

1. Meets all essential criteria
2. Meets some essential criteria
3. Meets no essential criteria

Those falling into the 'Meets all essential criteria' pile will progress to shortlisting.

Shortlisting:

In the event of a large number of applications we will shortlist on the following essential criteria:

• Proven experience in financial management of cloud services (AWS/Azure).

Desirable criteria may be used in the event of a large number of applications / large amount of successful candidates.

If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview & assessment.

Please do not exceed1000 words in your supporting statement. We will not consider any words over and above this number.

Feedback will not be provided at this stage.

Stage 2: Interview

Competency based

You will be invited to a remote interview.

Knowledge, experience, skills & abilities will be tested at interview.

You will also be asked to prepare and present a 5 to 10 minute presentation during the interview. The subject of this will be:

• FinOps methods and process on Cloud.

All individuals have to carry out the above presentation and pass the interview process successfully. This allows us to set the rate of the MPS awarded.

Interviews dates are yet to be confirmed.

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Eligibility Criteria

Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants).

Location

This role is being offered as hybrid working based at any of our Core HQs.

We offer great flexible working opportunities at UKHSA and operate using a hybrid working model where business needs allow. This provides us with greater flexibility about how and where we work, to get the best from our workforce. As a hybrid worker, you will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of your contractual working hours (approximately 3 days a week pro rata, (averaged over a month) working at one of UKHSA's core HQs (Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, andLondon).

Our core HQ offices are modern and newly refurbished with excellent city centre transport link and benefit from benefit from co-location with other government departments such as the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC).

Salary Bands

Grade 7 National: £56,185 to £66,581Grade 7 Outer London: £58,340 to £68,574Grade 7 Inner London: £60,494 to £70,566

This role attracts a Market Pay Supplement of £5,000 to £10,000.

Please note: If you are successful at interview, and are moving from another government department, NHS, or Local Authority, the relevant starting salary principles for level transfers or promotions will apply. Otherwise, roles are offered at the pay scale minimum for the grade, but in exceptional circumstances there may be flexibility if you are able todemonstrate you are already in receipt of an existing, higher salary. Pay increases are through the relevant annual pay award for the role and terms.

Security Clearance Level Requirement

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.

Successful candidates will require Basic Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) as a minimum with willingness and capability to work towards Security Check (SC) clearance.

You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 5 years to obtain Security Check (SC) clearance. UK residency less than the outlined periods may not necessarily bar you from gaining national security vetting at this higher level and applicants should contact the Vacancy Holder / Recruiting Manager listed in the advert for further advice.

Person Specification

Application Form and Supporting Statement

• Application Form and Supporting Statement

Essential Criteria

• Questions on experience, knowledge and skills

Ability

• Presentation

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website.

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants.

Employer details

Employer name

UK Health Security Agency

Address

Core HQs

Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, London (Canary Wharf)

E14 4PU

Employer's website

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-health-security-agency