Project Manager – Data Platform Optimization and Governance

Role Objective

Drive global data platform optimization programs to align with corporate strategy, maximize cost-efficiency (FinOps), and reduce operational and compliance risk.

Role Summary

We are seeking an experienced IT Project Manager to lead our Data Platform Optimization and Governance portfolio. This role serves as the operational driver for our platform strategy, managing a complex portfolio of initiatives across commercial licensing, infrastructure rationalization, and technical modernization. The Project Manager will work closely with Data Engineering, Finance, and IT Leadership to ensure that our data platforms (Snowflake, Databricks, Cloud Infrastructure) are cost-efficient, predictably priced, and compliant with global governance standards.

Key Responsibilities

1. Optimization Program Delivery

• Lead end-to-end execution of the Platform Optimization Portfolio.

• Drive implementation of FinOps recommendations in partnership with engineering teams.

• Develop and maintain the optimization roadmap, ensuring projects are delivered on time, within scope, and achieving target financial ROI.

2. Risk Reduction and Platform Governance

• Lead initiatives enforcing “Governance-as-Code,” ensuring adherence to standardized architectural patterns.

• Manage projects that mitigate platform risks, including automated access controls (RBAC), concurrency quotas, and architectural drift reduction.

3. Value Realization and Executive Reporting

• Track actual vs. forecasted financial savings of optimization initiatives.

• Build and present executive-level dashboards communicating project health, risk mitigations, and total value realized.

• Define and monitor SLOs and SLAs related to platform reliability and engineering velocity.

4. Cross-Functional Stakeholder Management

• Serve as primary liaison between Engineering teams, FinOps teams, and Business Units.

• Facilitate Agile ceremonies or operational reviews to unblock teams and resolve resource conflicts.

• Promote a culture of engineering accountability by driving transparent communication around platform costs and operational discipline.

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years of IT Project Management or Program Management experience in Cloud Infrastructure, Data Engineering, or IT Operations.

• Strong technical acumen across cloud ecosystems (AWS, Azure, GCP) and modern data platforms (Snowflake, Databricks, SQL Server).

• Experience delivering technical projects using Agile/Scrum and Waterfall methodologies; proficiency with Jira, Confluence, and PPM tools.

• Exceptional executive communication skills, with the ability to translate technical issues into clear business impacts.

• Demonstrated experience implementing ITSM processes or platform governance frameworks.

Preferred / Bonus Skills

• FinOps Certified Practitioner (FOCP) or experience managing cloud cost optimization initiatives.

• Certifications such as PMP, PMI-ACP, CSM, or ITIL v4.

• Ability to interpret reporting dashboards (PowerBI, Tableau) to independently validate project KPIs.