Audit Specialist: Risk & Control Transformation Lead

ACCA Careers; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 115,000 - 195,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401k plan

Pension benefits

Health insurance

Discretionary bonus

Job summary

Northern Trust is seeking a senior audit professional to lead validation work focused on operational risk and control transformation. You will partner with audit teams to plan, challenge, and deliver comprehensive coverage for regulatory aligned programs.

The role requires 10+ years of experience in risk management within financial services, with strong analytical and communication skills to present findings to senior leaders.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of extensive operational risk management experience.
• Experience applying audit, risk, or control principles within financial services or similarly regulated environment.
• Deep understanding of regulatory expectations and how they inform audit coverage and control evaluation.
• Strong analytical, organizational and problem-solving abilities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, able to present insights to senior stakeholders.
• Professional certification or advanced qualification in accounting, audit, information systems, risk or business administration.

Responsibilities

• Lead audit validation work focused on operational risk and control transformation.
• Partner with audit teams to plan, challenge, and deliver high-quality audit coverage.
• Interpret regulatory expectations, risk themes, and industry practices to guide control assessment.
• Analyze risk and control information to identify issues, insights, and practical improvements.
• Prepare clear reporting for senior leaders on audit observations and control effectiveness.
• Advise on testing approaches, issue development, and audit reporting quality.
• Coordinate with business and risk stakeholders to understand change activity and emerging risks.
• Support team capability through knowledge sharing and coaching.

Skills

Operational risk management

Audit principles

Regulatory expectations

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Professional certification

Education

Professional certification (accounting/audit/info systems/risk/business administration)

Job description

Northern Trust is seeking a senior audit professional to lead validation work focused on operational risk and control transformation. You will partner with audit teams to plan, challenge, and deliver comprehensive coverage for regulatory aligned programs.

The role requires 10+ years of experience in risk management within financial services, with strong analytical and communication skills to present findings to senior leaders.