Business Strategy Specialist

About Northern Trust:

Northern Trust, a Fortune 500 company, is a globally recognized, award-winning financial institution that has been in continuous operation since 1889.

Northern Trust is proud to provide innovative financial services and guidance to the world’s most successful individuals, families, and institutions by remaining true to our enduring principles of service, expertise, and integrity. With more than 130 years of financial experience and over 22,000 partners, we serve the world’s most sophisticated clients using leading technology and exceptional service.

Turn strategy into executable change. Enable delivery at scale.

The Business Strategy Specialist plays a critical role in enterprise-wide transformation initiatives by supporting the design, documentation, and implementation of strategic change. This role, based within the Chief Transformation Office, serves as a critical leader in the working groups for front-line change and will work closely with Transformation Executives, Program Managers, and cross functional partners to translate strategic direction into clear requirements, execution plans, and implementation ready artifacts. This role is accountable for driving forward day-to-day progress across complex initiatives by applying strong business analysis, structured problem solving, and execution discipline in a fastmoving, transformation driven environment.

We are recruiting for three Business Strategy Specialists who will each focus on the following pillars:

Business Strategy Specialist – Personalization

Supports the design and implementation of enterprise-wide personalization strategies by documenting requirements, analyzing current state processes, and supporting operating model changes across client personas. Partners with business, product, and technology teams to translate persona-based strategies into executable plans and implementation artifacts.

Business Strategy Specialist – AI Enabled Business Transformation

Supports AI enabled transformation initiatives by documenting use cases, supporting requirements definition, and assisting with implementation planning for AI driven tools and capabilities. Partners with business, data, and technology teams to help translate AI concepts into practical, deployable solutions.

Business Strategy Specialist – Channel and Platform

Supports transformation initiatives related to enterprise-wide channels and platforms by gathering requirements, documenting workflows, and coordinating design and delivery activities. Works across business and technology partners to ensure channel and platform changes are clearly defined, sequenced, and ready for implementation.

What You’ll Do

• Support large‑scale transformation initiatives by translating strategic objectives into detailed requirements, analyses, and execution materials.
• Partner closely with Transformation Executives to advance initiative design, planning, and implementation across assigned areas of focus.
• Conduct current state and future state analysis of processes, operating models, workflows, and capabilities.
• Develop and maintain high quality documentation, including business requirements, process flows, operating model artifacts, and implementation plans.
• Coordinate with Program Managers, Technology, Data, Operations, and Risk partners to support solution design and delivery readiness.
• Identify risks, dependencies, gaps, and implementation considerations, escalating issues and recommendations as appropriate.
• Support governance forums by preparing materials, analyses, and decision support content for senior stakeholders.
• Apply structured analytical judgment to solve complex problems and recommend practical, scalable solutions.

What You Bring

• Strong business analysis and problem-solving capabilities with the ability to translate strategy into executable outcomes.
• Proven ability to operate effectively across business, technology, data, and operational partners without direct authority.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to document complex concepts clearly and concisely.
• High adaptability and comfort working in ambiguous, fast paced transformation environments.
• Financial services experience required.

Experience & Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
• 10+ years of experience in business analysis, strategy execution, transformation, consulting, or related roles within financial services.
• Experience supporting large, cross functional initiatives or enterprise scale change programs.
• Demonstrated success delivering high-quality analysis and execution support in complex, regulated environments.

Location: Chicago, New York, or Boston (hybrid)

Salary Range:

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.

Working with Us:

As a Northern Trust partner, greater achievements await. You will be part of a flexible and collaborative work culture in an organization where financial strength and stability is an asset that emboldens us to explore new ideas.

Movement within the organization is encouraged, senior leaders are accessible, and you can take pride in working for a company committed to assisting the communities we serve! Join a workplace with a greater purpose.

We’d love to learn more about how your interests and experience could be a fit with one of the world’s most admired and sustainable companies! Build your career with us and apply today. #MadeForGreater

Reasonable accommodation

Northern Trust is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please email our HR Service Center at [email protected].

We hope you’re excited about the role and the opportunity to work with us. We value an inclusive workplace and understand flexibility means different things to different people.

Apply today and talk to us about your flexible working requirements and together we can achieve greater.