Senior principal, tech PM

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.

Portfolio: Corporate Applications Technology

Role Overview

The Senior Principal, Technical Program Manager is responsible for leading delivery and execution across a large, complex Corporate Applications Technology portfolio, including Finance, Risk & Compliance, Marketing, Human Resources, ServiceNow, and Enterprise Technology Tools.

This role provides senior program leadership to ensure predictable execution of high‑impact initiatives, strong stakeholder alignment, and disciplined risk and issue management across multiple domains. The individual will operate as a portfolio‑level program leader, partnering closely with business and technology leadership to drive outcomes, improve delivery maturity, and shape team operating models and culture.

Core Responsibilities

Program Execution & Delivery

• Lead enterprise‑scale, multi‑workstream programs with complex dependencies across platforms, teams, and regions.
• Own integrated program plans, milestones, dependencies, financials, and delivery outcomes.
• Ensure disciplined execution using the appropriate delivery approach (Agile, hybrid, waterfall), aligned to program risk and complexity.
• Drive transparency and delivery predictability through strong planning, tracking, and reporting.

Stakeholder & Governance Leadership

• Act as a primary program interface for senior business and technology partners.
• Lead executive and senior‑level governance forums, including steering committees and delivery reviews.
• Provide clear, concise communication on progress, risks, decisions, and trade‑offs.

Risk, Issue & Dependency Management

• Proactively identify and manage program‑level risks, issues, and cross‑initiative dependencies.
• Drive timely escalation and resolution in alignment with enterprise risk and control expectations.
• Partner with architecture, security, risk, and compliance teams to ensure delivery meets required standards.

Portfolio & Operational Management

• Support portfolio planning, prioritization, and capacity management across Corporate Applications.
• Contribute to demand intake, investment governance, and roadmap alignment across functional areas.
• Track and communicate delivery health, financials, and capacity at a portfolio level.

Team Leadership & Delivery Culture

• Provide leadership and direction to program and project management resources across the portfolio.
• Establish clear roles, operating rhythms, and accountability models across delivery teams.
• Foster a culture of execution discipline, ownership, transparency, and continuous improvement.
• Coach and mentor delivery leaders, contributing to overall program management maturity within Corporate Applications Technology.

Required Experience & Qualifications

• 12+ years of experience in technology program or project management, including leadership of large, complex initiatives.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross‑functional, enterprise‑scale programs in a regulated environment.
• Strong experience in program governance, financial management, risk management, and executive reporting.
• Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders and drive alignment across business and technology partners.
• Deep understanding of Agile and traditional delivery models and how to apply them effectively.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent relevant experience.

Preferred Experience

• Background in financial services or other highly regulated industries.
• Prior responsibility spanning multiple functional portfolios, not a single application or product.
• Experience supporting portfolio management and investment governance processes.
• PMP, PgMP, SAFe, or similar certifications.

Leadership Profile

• Operates comfortably at the senior leadership level with strong executive presence.
• Brings calm, structured leadership to complex delivery challenges.