Client Onboarding Specialist

ntrs; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 61,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401k and pension

Healthcare benefits

Paid time off

Parental leave

Life & disability insurance

Job summary

Northern Trust, a global leader in wealth management and banking services, seeks a Client Onboarding Specialist to coordinate onboarding events, manage timelines, and align cross-functional teams. You will guide meetings, provide status updates, and ensure a white-glove client experience from onboarding through transition to the service team.

The role emphasizes risk awareness, policy adherence, and continuous process improvement, serving institutional clients with professionalism and precision.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience.
• 3+ years of financial services, operations, onboarding, client service, or project management experience.
• Strong organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to manage competing priorities while maintaining accuracy and professionalism.
• Exceptional attention to detail and commitment to accuracy.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to collaborate effectively across multiple teams and functions.
• Strong problem-solving and critical-thinking skills.
• Demonstrated ability to lead meetings, deliver presentations, and communicate effectively with clients and senior stakeholders.
• Strong executive presence and professionalism when interacting with institutional clients and internal business partners.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary coordinator for assigned client onboarding and asset transition events.
• Develop and manage onboarding plans, milestones, and implementation timelines.
• Coordinate activities among Client Advisors, Portfolio Advisors, Operations, Legal, Risk, Compliance, and external parties.
• Facilitate onboarding meetings and provide timely status updates to clients and internal stakeholders.
• Manage multiple onboarding projects simultaneously while ensuring deadlines and service expectations are met.
• Monitor onboarding progress and proactively address risks, delays, and obstacles.
• Deliver a high-touch, white-glove onboarding experience that reflects Northern Trust's commitment to service and expertise.
• Lead onboarding kickoff meetings, introducing the onboarding process, establishing expectations, and outlining key milestones for clients and stakeholders.
• Present onboarding plans, timelines, and progress updates in a clear, professional, and engaging manner.
• Build credibility and confidence with clients by serving as a knowledgeable and trusted resource throughout the onboarding journey.
• Maintain frequent, clear, and professional communication with clients and internal stakeholders throughout the onboarding process.
• Anticipate client needs and respond to inquiries with urgency, professionalism, and a client-centric mindset.
• Navigate complex situations while maintaining composure and a solutions-oriented approach.
• Ensure a seamless transition of the client relationship to the ongoing service team upon completion of onboarding.
• Ensure adherence to onboarding policies, procedures, controls, and documentation requirements.
• Review onboarding documentation for completeness and accuracy.
• Identify potential operational, procedural, or regulatory risks and elevate concerns appropriately.
• Maintain a strong focus on quality while balancing competing priorities and deadlines.
• Identify opportunities to improve onboarding processes, efficiency, and client experience.
• Document lessons learned and recommend practical solutions to recurring challenges.
• Utilize dashboards, reporting tools, and tracking mechanisms to monitor progress and identify trends.
• Contribute to the ongoing development of onboarding best practices and operational procedures.

Skills

Organizational skills

Communication skills

Problem-solving

Collaboration across teams

Executive presence

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience

Job description

About Northern Trust

As a global leader in innovative wealth management, asset servicing, asset management and banking services, Northern Trust (Nasdaq: NTRS) is proud to guide the world's most successful individuals, families, corporations and institutions.

Since 1889, we have aligned our efforts with our three guiding Principles That Endure: Service, Expertise, and Integrity. Together, they reflect the three cornerstones of business conduct which we strive to instill in our employees, whom we call partners, and to provide to our clients and the communities we serve worldwide.

With more than 135 years of financial experience and over 24,000 partners, we serve the world's most sophisticated clients using leading technology and exceptional service.

Foundation & Institutional Advisors (FIA) is a dedicated national practice within Northern Trust that serves nonprofit organizations, private foundations, public charities, endowments, healthcare organizations, religious institutions, and ERISA clients with at least $10 million in investable assets. We are seeking a driven, proactive, and intellectually curious Client Onboarding Specialist to join our team.

Core Responsibilities

Client Onboarding & Project Coordination

• Serve as the primary coordinator for assigned client onboarding and asset transition events.
• Develop and manage onboarding plans, milestones, and implementation timelines.
• Coordinate activities among Client Advisors, Portfolio Advisors, Operations, Legal, Risk, Compliance, and external parties.
• Facilitate onboarding meetings and provide timely status updates to clients and internal stakeholders.
• Manage multiple onboarding projects simultaneously while ensuring deadlines and service expectations are met.
• Monitor onboarding progress and proactively address risks, delays, and obstacles.

Client Engagement & Onboarding Experience

• Deliver a high-touch, white-glove onboarding experience that reflects Northern Trust's commitment to service and expertise.
• Lead onboarding kickoff meetings, introducing the onboarding process, establishing expectations, and outlining key milestones for clients and stakeholders.
• Present onboarding plans, timelines, and progress updates in a clear, professional, and engaging manner.
• Build credibility and confidence with clients by serving as a knowledgeable and trusted resource throughout the onboarding journey.
• Maintain frequent, clear, and professional communication with clients and internal stakeholders throughout the onboarding process.
• Anticipate client needs and respond to inquiries with urgency, professionalism, and a client-centric mindset.
• Navigate complex situations while maintaining composure and a solutions-oriented approach.
• Ensure a seamless transition of the client relationship to the ongoing service team upon completion of onboarding.

Risk Management & Quality Control

• Ensure adherence to onboarding policies, procedures, controls, and documentation requirements.
• Review onboarding documentation for completeness and accuracy.
• Identify potential operational, procedural, or regulatory risks and elevate concerns appropriately.
• Maintain a strong focus on quality while balancing competing priorities and deadlines.

Process Improvement & Operational Excellence

• Identify opportunities to improve onboarding processes, efficiency, and client experience.
• Document lessons learned and recommend practical solutions to recurring challenges.
• Utilize dashboards, reporting tools, and tracking mechanisms to monitor progress and identify trends.
• Contribute to the ongoing development of onboarding best practices and operational procedures.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience.
• 3+ years of financial services, operations, onboarding, client service, or project management experience.
• Strong organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to manage competing priorities while maintaining accuracy and professionalism.
• Exceptional attention to detail and commitment to accuracy.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to collaborate effectively across multiple teams and functions.
• Strong problem-solving and critical-thinking skills.
• Demonstrated ability to lead meetings, deliver presentations, and communicate effectively with clients and senior stakeholders.
• Strong executive presence and professionalism when interacting with institutional clients and internal business partners.

Salary Range

• $60,700 - 100,100 USD

Salary range is a good faith estimate of base pay.

Northern Trust provides a comprehensive benefits package including 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, and other voluntary and well-being benefits.

Northern Trust also provides a discretionary bonus program that may include an equity component.