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Finops Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Staff FinOps AI Governance Lead

Santa Clara, CA · On-site

$19 - $23/hr

Team Join FinOps Governance team that is part of the Global Cloud Services organization. You'll apply your expertise in AI cost management and data-driven optimization to lead programs that bring ...

Staff FinOps AI Governance Lead

Santa Clara, CA · On-site

$19 - $23/hr

Team Join FinOps Governance team that is part of the Global Cloud Services organization. You'll apply your expertise in AI cost management and data-driven optimization to lead programs that bring ...

Team Join FinOps Governance team that is part of the Global Cloud Services organization. You'll apply your expertise in AI cost management and data-driven optimization to lead programs that bring ...

Join the Global Cloud Services organization's FinOps Tools team, which is building ServiceNow's next-generation analytics and financial governance platform. Our team owns the full modern data stack:

Join the Global Cloud Services organization's FinOps Tools team, which is building ServiceNow's next-generation analytics and financial governance platform. Our team owns the full modern data stack:

Join the Global Cloud Services organization's FinOps Tools team, which is building ServiceNow's next-generation analytics and financial governance platform. Our team owns the full modern data stack:

Platform Engineer

San Jose, CA · On-site

$125K - $181K/yr

You'll also drive FinOps to control and forecast spend, and partner on SecOps to harden our environments and keep them compliant-enabling teams to ship quickly and safely. What You'll do: * Bachelor ...

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Finops information

See California salary details

$11

$21

$30

How much do finops jobs pay per hour?

As of Jul 18, 2026, the average hourly pay for finops in California is $21.07, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $18.03 and $23.27 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

Is FinOps a good career path?

FinOps is a growing field focused on managing cloud financial operations, combining skills in finance, cloud platforms, and data analysis. It offers opportunities for career advancement, especially with certifications like the FinOps Certified Practitioner, and is in demand as organizations seek cost optimization in cloud environments.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the Finops position, and why are they important?

To thrive as a FinOps professional, you need a robust understanding of cloud financial management, budgeting, and data analysis, typically supported by experience in finance, cloud computing, or IT operations. Familiarity with cloud cost management tools like AWS Cost Explorer, Azure Cost Management, and certifications such as FinOps Certified Practitioner are highly valued. Strong collaboration, communication, and problem-solving skills enable effective partnership across engineering, finance, and business teams. These competencies are critical for optimizing cloud spending, increasing cost transparency, and ensuring alignment between technical and financial objectives.

What is FinOps' salary?

The salary for a FinOps (Financial Operations) professional typically ranges from $70,000 to $130,000 annually, depending on experience, location, and company size. Entry-level roles may start lower, while experienced specialists with certifications can earn higher salaries, especially in tech-driven environments that emphasize cloud cost management and financial analysis.

What are FinOps jobs?

FinOps jobs involve managing and optimizing cloud financial operations, including budgeting, cost analysis, and resource allocation. Professionals in this field often use tools like cloud cost management platforms and require skills in finance, cloud computing, and data analysis.

What jobs pay $500,000 a year in the US?

In the field of Finops, senior roles such as Finops Managers or Directors with extensive experience and specialized skills can reach or exceed $500,000 annually, especially in large organizations or tech companies. High compensation often includes bonuses, stock options, or profit sharing, and requires strong financial analysis, cloud cost management expertise, and certifications like AWS or Azure. Such roles are typically part of executive or leadership teams and demand significant industry experience.

What are the main responsibilities of a FinOps professional on a day-to-day basis?

On a daily basis, a FinOps professional monitors cloud usage and costs, analyzes spending trends, and creates actionable reports for cross-functional teams. They work closely with engineering, finance, and procurement departments to optimize cloud resource utilization and implement cost-saving strategies. Typical tasks also include forecasting budgets, managing cloud vendor relationships, and driving process improvements for financial accountability. FinOps roles are dynamic, combining analytical tasks with stakeholder engagement to ensure cloud investments align with business goals.

What is a FinOps job?

A FinOps job focuses on cloud financial management, helping organizations optimize cloud costs while maintaining performance and efficiency. FinOps professionals collaborate with finance, engineering, and operations teams to ensure cost transparency, budget accountability, and efficient resource utilization. They analyze cloud spending, implement cost-saving strategies, and drive best practices for financial governance in cloud environments. This role requires a mix of financial analysis, technical understanding, and cross-team communication skills.

What are the most commonly searched types of Finops jobs in California? The most popular types of Finops jobs in California are:
What job categories do people searching Finops jobs in California look for? The top searched job categories for Finops jobs in California are:
What cities in California are hiring for Finops jobs? Cities in California with the most Finops job openings:
Infographic showing various Finops job openings in California as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 93% Full Time, 3% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 77% Physical, 8% Hybrid, and 15% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $43,817 per year, or $21.1 per hour.
Staff FinOps AI Governance Lead

Staff FinOps AI Governance Lead

ServiceNow

Santa Clara, CA • On-site

$19 - $23/hr

Full-time

Medical, Retirement

Posted 22 days ago


Job description

Company Description
It all started when engineer Fred Luddy wrote code that automated a tedious task for his coworker, Phyllis. She cried tears of joy. That moment inspired Fred to build a company that could do that for everyone-freeing people from busywork so they could focus on meaningful work. Today, ServiceNow is the AI control tower for business reinvention. Our ServiceNow AI platform brings together any AI, any data, and any workflow- helping 85% of the Fortune 500® work smarter, faster, and better. We're building an AI-native culture where technology and talent are unstoppable together. And we're just getting started.
Join us to put AI to work for people.
Job Description
Team
Join FinOps Governance team that is part of the Global Cloud Services organization.
You'll apply your expertise in AI cost management and data-driven optimization to lead programs that bring accountability and control to ServiceNow's AI investments. Working closely with engineering teams building AI-powered skills and experiences, cloud finance leadership, and provider relationships with Azure, AWS, GCP, Anthropic and OpenAI, you'll be the connective tissue between technical usage and financial discipline.
About the role
We are looking for a Staff FinOps AI Governance Lead to drive financial accountability and optimization across ServiceNow's AI spend. This senior individual contributor role combines deep AI infrastructure literacy, data-driven governance, and cross-functional program leadership to ensure our AI investments are managed with the same rigor as our cloud infrastructure. The ideal candidate understands the economics of LLMs as well as they understand engineering and will thrive operating independently while engaging VP-level stakeholders with confidence and clarity.
What you get to do in this role:
  • Define, track, and systematically review AI cost and usage KPIs; identify anomalies and outliers that signal potential waste, misuse, or optimization opportunities.
  • Design and operate an anomaly detection framework to surface suspiciously high AI usage across models and skill teams, and engage engineering collaboratively to investigate and remediate.
  • Quantify, prioritize, and propose cost optimization opportunities-evaluating levers such as PTU vs. pay-as-you-go trade-offs, model tiering, context reduction, and caching-and drive them to measurable outcomes.
  • Design preventive governance controls so that cost anomalies and overruns, once identified, are systematically prevented from recurring.
  • Define and implement AI spend guardrails in coordination with cloud and LLM providers: set up budgets, configure alerts, manage commitment structures, and ensure contractual rate accuracy.
  • Coordinate the AI FinOps governance program across engineering, finance, and cloud provider relationships-maintaining a clear operating model with documented standards and a regular review cadence.
  • Prepare and deliver VP-level reporting and presentations on AI cost trends, optimization progress, and forward-looking forecasts, translating technical data into clear financial narratives.
  • Operate as a self-starter and self-sufficient program owner: define scope, manage stakeholders, and drive workstreams to completion with minimal direction.

Qualifications
To be successful in this role you have:
  • Strong working knowledge of LLM pricing models, multi-cloud AI services (AWS Bedrock, Azure OpenAI, GCP Vertex AI), and AI cost optimization levers.
  • Proficiency in data analysis using SQL and/or Python to build KPI frameworks, identify usage anomalies, and communicate findings through data visualization.
  • Hands-on experience with multi-cloud cost governance across AWS, Azure, and GCP, including budget management, alerting, tagging, and billing API familiarity.
  • Proven cross-functional collaboration skills with engineering teams-ability to communicate cost impact, influence technical decisions, and drive efficiency improvements.
  • Outstanding communication and executive presentation skills; comfortable preparing and delivering briefings to VP-level audiences on complex technical and financial topics.
  • Self-directed and highly organized, with the ability to manage multiple concurrent workstreams independently in a fast-paced environment.
  • Bachelor's degree in a quantitative field (Computer Science, Engineering, Finance, Mathematics, or related).

Nice to have:
  • Experience with AI optimization techniques: model routing strategies, prompt engineering, context length management, batch inference, and caching.
  • Familiarity with provider-level budget and commitment tools: Azure Cost Management, AWS Budgets, GCP Billing controls, and provider credit management.
  • Understanding of agentic AI cost patterns including per-agent token attribution, multi-agent cost multiplication, and RAG workflow cost implications.
  • Experience with GenAI gateway or LLM proxy platforms for token metering, rate limiting, and cost attribution.
  • Prior involvement with FinOps Foundation working groups or industry communities on AI cost management standards.

JV20
For positions in this location, we offer a base pay of $176,100 - $308,200, plus equity (when applicable), variable/incentive compensation and benefits. Sales positions generally offer a competitive On Target Earnings (OTE) incentive compensation structure. Please note that the base pay shown is a guideline, and individual total compensation will vary based on factors such as qualifications, skill level, competencies, and work location. We also offer health plans, including flexible spending accounts, a 401(k) Plan with company match, ESPP, matching donations, a flexible time away plan and family leave programs. Compensation is based on the geographic location in which the role is located and is subject to change based on work location.
Additional Information
Work Personas
We approach our distributed world of work with flexibility and trust. Work personas (flexible, remote, or required in office) are categories that are assigned to ServiceNow employees depending on the nature of their work and their assigned work location. Learn more here. To determine eligibility for a work persona, ServiceNow may confirm the distance between your primary residence and the closest ServiceNow office using a third-party service.
Equal Opportunity Employer
ServiceNow is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, gender identity, veteran status, or any other category protected by law. In addition, all qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with legal requirements.
Accommodations
We strive to create an accessible and inclusive experience for all candidates. If you require a reasonable accommodation to complete any part of the application process, or are unable to use this online application and need an alternative method to apply, please contact globaltalentss@servicenow.com for assistance.
Export Control Regulations
For positions requiring access to controlled technology subject to export control regulations, including the U.S. Export Administration Regulations (EAR), ServiceNow may be required to obtain export control approval from government authorities for certain individuals. All employment is contingent upon ServiceNow obtaining any export license or other approval that may be required by relevant export control authorities.
From Fortune. ©2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All rights reserved. Used under license.

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About ServiceNow

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

At ServiceNow, our technology makes the world work for everyone, and our people make it possible. We move fast because the world can't wait, and we innovate in ways no one else can for our customers and communities. By joining ServiceNow, you are part of an ambitious team of change makers who have a restless curiosity and a drive for ingenuity. We know that your best work happens when you live your best life and share your unique talents, so we do everything we can to make that possible. We dream big together, supporting each other to make our individual and collective dreams come true. The future is ours, and it starts with you. With more than 7,400+ customers, we serve approximately 80% of the Fortune 500, and we're proud to be one of FORTUNE's 100 Best Companies to Work For® and World's Most Admired Companies® 2022.

Industry

It services

Company size

5,001 - 10,000 Employees

Headquarters location

Santa Clara, CA, US

Year founded

2004