Senior Lead, Technology Risk and Control

ntrs; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Northern Trust seeks a Senior Lead, Technology Risk and Control to guide the Technology Risk Treatment program and strengthen risk governance across technology towers. You will influence risk acceptance practices, produce high-quality risk assessments, and partner with risk, technology, and audit leaders to enhance the firm’s risk posture globally.

The role emphasizes leading governance forums, delivering clear risk insights, and driving continuous improvement in risk management disciplines.

Qualifications

• Advanced, broad-based expertise in technology and cybersecurity risks and controls across resiliency, information security, SDLC, ITSM, governance, SaaS, cloud, AI and emerging technologies.
• Strong written and verbal communication to explain risk concepts to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Experience developing and delivering management materials for governance forums and senior leaders.
• Hands-on experience with enterprise GRC/IRM platforms (e.g., ServiceNow) including control hierarchy design and reporting.

Responsibilities

• Own and drive the Technology Risk Treatment process with control officers and stakeholders to identify and track risk acceptances.
• Provide guidance to technology and business partners seeking risk acceptances and ensure remediation options are explored.
• Analyze impact, likelihood, controls, and produce clear risk assessments and severity ratings for senior review.
• Define metrics and KPIs to monitor program performance and ongoing risks.
• Lead governance forums, document discussions, and track follow-up actions to resolution.
• Prepare committee decks and artifacts; support meeting outcomes and action follow-through.
• Coach team members and drive quality, consistency and professional development.
• Identify and lead continuous improvement across processes and knowledge management.
• Collaborate with Technology, 2LOD Risk and 3LOD Audit to share best practices.

Skills

Technology risk

Cybersecurity

Risk governance

Communication

Project management

Tools

ServiceNow

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.

Summary

The Northern Trust Technology Risk and Control function enables Global Information Technology to operate with a strong and sustainable first line of defense, fostering a deeply embedded control-aware culture, delivering compliant and secure technology capabilities, protecting clients, and meeting global regulatory expectations.

The Senior Lead, Technology Risk and Control role is responsible for leading the Technology Risk Treatment practice, which is a key component of the T echnology R isk T reatment and Issue Management program . Specifically, t his role is accountable for e nsuring the appropriate use and effective operation of the firm's risk acceptance process for the Technology organization . This includes providing ongoing direction , guidance , and challenge to a wide range of constituents across all Technology towers, facilitating and producing high-quality risk assessments , operating governance forums with senior leadership to review and challenge assessments , and maintaining and monitoring the risk acceptance inventory.

As a member of the Technology Risk & Control team, this role acts as an advisor to technology, risk, and executive stakeholders, drives strategic initiatives, and plays a critical role in shaping the firm's overall technology risk management posture globally.

Responsibilities

• Own and drive the T echnology R isk T reatment process , providing trusted leadership and guidance, working with control officers , control owners , and stakeholders to identify, assess, document, and track enterprise technology risk acceptances .
• Provide effective guidance and challenge to a wide array of Technology and business partners who seek risk acceptances to ensure remediation options are fully explored .
• Thoroughly analyze the impact, likelihood, and mitigating controls associated with gaps, and author clear, well-supported risk assessments , severity ratings , and recommended risk treatment options for review by senior leadership.
• Define and produce metrics and KPIs /KRIs that assist in program operation s and management visibility of performance and ongoing risks.
• Lead risk treatment governance forums , ensuring materials are accurate, discussions are well-documented, and follow-up actions are clearly tracked to resolution .
• Prepare committee decks, meeting artifacts, and supporting documentation; assist with coordination and follow-through on meeting outcomes and action items.
• Provide guidance, coaching, and subject matter leadership to team members, setting expectations for quality, consistency, and professional development.
• Identify, prioritize, and lead continuous improvement and maturity initiatives across team processes, documentation, and knowledge management, ensuring sustained enhancements are embedded .
• Collaborate with peers across Technology, Risk (2LOD) , and Audit (3LOD) functions , s har ing knowledge and best practices to support team effectiveness and consistency.
• Actively influence decision making and behaviors across technology teams to reduce risk exposure and strengthen the overall technology risk management culture .

Knowledge and Skills

• Advanced, broad-based expertise in technology and cybersecurity risks and controls, with the ability to apply judgment across complex risk areas including resiliency, information security, SDLC, ITSM, operations, governance, SaaS, cloud, AI, and emerging technologies.
• Highly effective written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex risk and control concepts clearly and concisely to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Demonstrated capability to develop, review, and deliver management level materials, including summaries, analyses, and recommendations for governance forums and senior stakeholders.
• Hands on experience with enterprise GRC /IRM platforms (e.g., ServiceNow), including control hierarchy design, data quality considerations, workflow integration, and reporting.
• Self-directed and outcome oriented, capable of independently driving initiatives, prioritizing competing demands, and proposing well-reasoned paths forward.
• Strong project and program management skills, including planning, coordination, execution tracking,