Specialist, Business Strategy

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

Benefits offered by this job

Retirement benefits

Health benefits

Paid time off

Parental leave

Life and disability insurance

Other voluntary benefits

Discretionary bonus program

Job summary

Northern Trust is seeking a Specialist, Business Strategy to partner with Wealth Client Group leadership, translating growth objectives into actionable plans, priorities, and resource decisions. The role shapes multi-year strategy, budgets, and initiatives to scale the business and maximize client value.

The position requires a strong balance of strategic thinking, financial discipline, and execution focus, with a proven ability to influence across stakeholders and deliver measurable outcomes.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in strategy, business enablement, consulting, transformation, asset management, wealth management, intermediary distribution, or related leadership roles.
• Bachelor's degree is required.
• Understanding of sales, distribution, product commercialization, and financial drivers in asset or wealth management.
• Strong strategic execution skills with the ability to evaluate business performance, develop recommendations and connect to measurable outcomes.
• Ability to influence and coordinate across stakeholders, business partners, and cross-functional teams.
• Strong leadership, organizational, written and verbal communication skills.
• Proven experience in using data to identify trends that will drive business results.

Responsibilities

• Support development of Wealth Client Group's multi-year growth strategy.
• Translate growth objectives into practical business plans, milestones, ownership models, and measures of success.
• Develop recommendations to advance client acquisition, asset growth, strategic account engagement, and product prioritization.
• Evaluate staffing models, advisor coverage, territory design, sales support needs, capability gaps, and resource allocation against business objectives.
• Support leadership decisions around prioritization, budget considerations, investment requirements, trade-offs, and sequencing of strategic initiatives.
• Develop business cases for technology, automation, data, reporting, and enablement investments that improve scale, visibility, and operating leverage.
• Identify opportunities to improve sales effectiveness through better tools, reporting, training, workflow simplification, and follow-through on high-value opportunities.
• Analyze market, competitor, industry, advisor, and client trends to identify growth opportunities and potential gaps.
• Provide concise updates and recommendations to leadership on progress, decisions needed, risks, and expected business value.

Skills

Strategy experience

Leadership

Communication skills

Data-driven decisions

Influence across stakeholders

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree

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.

Job Profile Summary

The Specialist, Business Strategy role will sit within Wealth Client Group and serve as a strategic partner to business leadership, helping translate growth objectives into clear priorities, resource decisions, and execution plans. The role will work across Wealth Client Group to assess business performance, staffing needs, revenue opportunities, budget considerations, and operational trade-offs to help the team scale effectively and focus on the highest-impact opportunities.

The position requires a strong balance of strategic thinking, financial discipline, business judgment, and execution focus.

Key Responsibilities

• Support development of Wealth Client Group's multi-year growth strategy and annual strategic priorities.
• Translate growth objectives into practical business plans, milestones, ownership models, and measures of success.
• Develop recommendations to advance client acquisition, asset growth, strategic account engagement, and product prioritization.
• Evaluate staffing models, advisor coverage, territory design, sales support needs, capability gaps, and resource allocation against business objectives.
• Support leadership decisions around prioritization, budget considerations, investment requirements, trade-offs, and sequencing of strategic initiatives.
• Develop business cases for technology, automation, data, reporting, and enablement investments that improve scale, visibility, and operating leverage.
• Identify opportunities to improve sales effectiveness through better tools, reporting, training, workflow simplification, and follow-through on high-value opportunities.
• Analyze market, competitor, industry, advisor, and client trends to identify growth opportunities and potential gaps.
• Provide concise updates and recommendations to leadership on progress, decisions needed, risks, and expected business value.

Experience and Skills Profile

• 10+ years of experience in strategy, business enablement, consulting, transformation, asset management, wealth management, intermediary distribution, or related business leadership roles. This should include proven experience in the area to assess the business and drive strategy that allows for business enablement, transformation and future growth.
• Bachelor's degree is required.
• Understanding of sales, distribution, product commercialization, and financial drivers in asset or wealth management.
• Strong strategic execution skills with the ability to evaluate business performance, develop recommendations and connect to measurable outcomes.
• Ability to influence and coordinate across stakeholders, business partners, and cross-functional teams.
• Strong leadership, organizational, written and verbal communication skills.
• Proven experience in using data to identify trends that will drive business results.

Salary Range

$114,700 - 194,900 USD

Salary range is a good faith estimate of base pay.

• 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
• other voluntary and well-being benefits
• discretionary bonus program that may include an equity component

Work Authorization

Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S. without the need for employment-based visa sponsorship now or in the future. Northern Trust will not sponsor applicants for U.S. work visa status for this opportunity (no sponsorship is available for H-1B, L-1, TN, O-1, E-3, H-1B1, F-1, J-1, OPT, CPT or any other employment-based visa).

Working with Us

As a Northern Trust partner, you will be part of a flexible and collaborative work culture, which has a strong history of financial strength and stability. Movement within the organization is encouraged, senior leaders are accessible, and you can take pride in working for a company committed to an inclusive workplace and assisting the communities we serve. Philanthropy is deeply rooted in Northern Trust's history and is an essential element of our culture. Employees around the world give their time and talent to work for the greater g