ITSM Service Excellence Leader

About Northern TrustAs 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. Northern Trust is seeking a senior ITSM leader and ITIL expert to lead the automation, optimization, and maturation of IT Service Management function. This role is accountable for transforming how IT services are governed, executed, and continuously improved—shifting from manual, compliance-heavy processes to automated, data-driven, and resilient ITSM operations within a high-volume and time-critical environment.This is a highly visible leadership role balancing “run-the-bank” stability with “change-the-bank” transformation, operating within a dynamic, high-velocity operating model that requires strong ITIL judgment, deep automation expertise, and the ability to influence in a matrixed environment across global technology teams.What You’ll DoITSM Process Leadership & OptimizationInterface with senior executives across the organization to drive strategic outcomes and day-to-day service delivery priorities, delivering operational excellence while enabling risk reduction in a deadline-sensitive delivery model.Serve as the enterprise authority on ITIL-based processes, ensuring they are scalable, risk-aligned, and fit-for-purpose within a complex, high-throughput operational environment.Lead continuous optimization of ITSM processes, reducing friction, manual effort, and cycle time while improving quality, compliance, and delivery at pace and scale.Define and enforce clear process guardrails, decision frameworks, and risk-based controls, balancing speed with strong governance and control adherence.Manage priorities across a multi-threaded, high-demand environment, ensuring effective execution amid competing priorities and tight timelines.Automation & Intelligent EnablementDrive an automation-first strategy for ITSM practices, leveraging AI, orchestration, and workflow automation to: Reduce human dependency and errorIncrease standardization and predictabilityEnable safe, fast, and repeatable execution in a continuous delivery and improvement environmentPartner with engineering, platform, and tooling teams to embed automation directly into ITSM workflows and deployment pipelines, supporting accelerated delivery cycles with appropriate governance controls.Identify and retire low-value manual controls, replacing them with preventative and detective automated controls aligned to high-volume change and release ecosystems.Metrics, Insights & Value RealizationDefine and operationalize KPIs, KRIs, and experience metrics that measure effectiveness, risk reduction, and business value in a delivery-focused organization.Sponsor dashboard creation and automated reporting to provide real-time visibility into performance, compliance, and operational trends.Use data-driven insights to continuously refine process design while supporting rapidly evolving priorities and delivery demands.Collaboration & InfluenceAct as a trusted advisor to technology, risk, audit, and business stakeholders within a dynamic and evolving workload environment.Facilitate global forums, workshops, and working groups to drive alignment, adoption, and continuous improvement.Mentor and develop ITSM practitioners, elevating process maturity, automation capability, and execution discipline across the organization.Who You Are:You are a leader with a passion for ITSM modernization and ITIL practitioner with a drive for process excellence, intelligent automation, and scalable governance. You bring strong judgment, a systems-thinking mindset, and the ability to translate ITIL principles into modern, execution-oriented operating models.You thrive in high-performance, deadline-driven environments and are comfortable:Navigating rapidly shifting priorities and competing demandsMaintaining quality and control in time-sensitive, high-volume operationsDemonstrating agility in complex, evolving environmentsDelivering measurable outcomes at pace and scaleQualifications10+ years of IT Service Management experience, ideally within Banking or Financial Services.Deep, hands-on expertise in ITIL/ITSM, including governance, risk-based decisioning, and continuous improvement.Proven experience leading automation and optimization initiatives within fast-moving ITSM and release cadences.Strong understanding of ITIL, COBIT, ISO/IEC 20000, and regulated operating environments.Demonstrated ability to lead globally and influence outcomes without direct authority.Excellent communication, analytical, and stakeholder management skills.Preferred CertificationsITIL Certification (Intermediate or higher strongly preferred)Automation, AI/ML, or RPA-related certificationsApplicants 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) Salary Range:$137,400 - 240,400 USDSalary 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.Work AuthorizationApplicants 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 UsAs 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 good of their communities. Reasonable Accommodation Northern Trust is committed to working with and providing adjustments to individuals with health conditions and disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please email our HR Service Center at View email address on click.appcast.io, or alternatively you can discuss your individual requirements with the recruiter you are working with. SummaryLocation: Chicago, ILType: Full time