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Lead - Technology Risk and Control Self Assessment

Northern Trust · Chicago, IL · $83,100–$141,300 a year · Full time

Posted Sep 21, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

Tell me about a time you improved a risk program's methodology. How did you get people to adopt it?

What they are checking: Ability to drive continuous enhancement of a program across many teams, not just write a new standard.

Tell me about a time you had to tell a senior technology leader their area had a serious control gap.

What they are checking: Courage and tact in raising risk upward when the message is unwelcome.

What would you do

You'd lead the Technology RCSA program across Global Technology. How do you keep a self-assessment from becoming a box-checking exercise?

What they are checking: Whether they can make first-line teams think honestly about their risks rather than copying last year's answers.

A technology leader rates their controls as effective, but you see recurring incidents in their area. How do you handle that?

What they are checking: Using data to challenge a self-rating constructively without turning the first line against the program.

Audit and Risk Management both want changes to the RCSA template, and their requests conflict. What do you do?

What they are checking: Managing competing oversight stakeholders while keeping the program usable for technology teams.

How do you keep up with emerging technology risks, such as cloud, AI or third-party exposure, and bring them into the assessment?

What they are checking: Whether the program evolves with the technology rather than assessing yesterday's risks.

About the work

Walk me through how you'd run an RCSA for a critical application, from scoping to the final rating.

What they are checking: Fluency with inherent risk, control design and effectiveness, residual risk and how evidence supports each rating.

Explain the three lines of defense and where this team sits in it.

What they are checking: Clear understanding that this is first-line risk work, and how it differs from Risk Management and Audit oversight.

What makes a technology control well designed, in your view? Give me an example of a weak one.

What they are checking: Whether they can tell a preventive, testable, owned control from a vague statement of intent.

How would you use RCSA results to tell leadership where Global Technology's biggest risks are?

What they are checking: Ability to aggregate assessments into themes and trends that drive investment decisions.

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The full job description

As published by Northern Trust.

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. Role Summary: The Technology Risk & Control team plays a critical role in strengthening Northern Trust's First Line of Defense by promoting effective risk management practices, enhancing control environments, and supporting the delivery of resilient, secure, and compliant technology services. The Lead, Technology Risk & Control Self-Assessment (RCSA) will be responsible for leading the execution and continuous enhancement of the Technology RCSA Program across Global Technology. This role will partner closely with Technology leaders, Risk Management, Compliance, and Audit to drive consistent risk identification, assessment, monitoring, and reporting practices while promoting a strong risk and control culture. The successful candidate will provide subject matter expertise, governance oversight, and strategic guidance to support effective management of technology risks and controls, ensuring alignment with enterprise risk management frameworks, regulatory expectations, and business objectives. Major Duties: • Lead the execution and ongoing maturity of the Technology Risk & Control Self-Assessment (RCSA) Program across Global Technology. • Drive consistent identification, assessment, monitoring, and reporting of technology risks and controls, ensuring alignment with Enterprise Risk Management standards and regulatory expectations. • Partner with Technology leaders, Control Officers, Risk, Compliance, and Audit teams to strengthen risk visibility, control effectiveness, and remediation outcomes. • Provide effective challenge and risk advisory support to stakeholders on risk assessments, control design, control effectiveness, and risk treatment strategies. • Facilitate governance forums and risk reviews to evaluate technology risk exposures, emerging risks, and alignment with established risk appetite and tolerance thresholds. • Develop and enhance risk reporting, metrics, dashboards, and management information that support informed decision-making by senior leadership. • Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on enhancing assessment methodologies, strengthening data quality, improving reporting capabilities, and increasing overall risk management maturity. • Promote risk awareness and accountability through stakeholder engagement, training, and consistent application of RCSA standards and practices. • Support executive and governance committee reporting by providing insights into key risk themes, trends, control effectiveness, and emerging areas of concern. • Serve as a trusted partner and subject matter expert on technology risk management practices across Global Technology. Knowledge, Skills & Experience: • Strong knowledge of technology risk management, operational risk, controls, governance, and Risk & Control Self-Assessment (RCSA) methodologies. • Understanding technology risk domains including cybersecurity, infrastructure, cloud computing, technology operations, software development, resilience, and data management. • Familiarity with industry frameworks and standards including NIST, ISO 27001, COBIT, ITIL, and regulatory expectations applicable to financial services. • Demonstrated ability to influence stakeholders, provide constructive challenge, and build strong partnerships across multiple levels of the organization. • Excellent analytical, problem-solving, communication, and presentation skills with the ability to translate complex risk topics into meaningful business insights. • Experience leveraging data analytics, reporting tools, and emerging technologies to improve risk management processes and reporting effectiveness. • Proven ability to lead cross-functional initiatives and drive continuous improvement in a complex, highly regulated environment. Qualifications: • Bachelor’s degree in information technology, Cybersecurity, Information Security, Risk Management, or a related discipline. • Prior experience in Technology Risk or a related field. • Experience within the financial services industry is preferred. • Professional certifications such as CISSP, CISA, CRISC, CGEIT, or equivalent are preferred. Salary Range: $83,100 - 141,300 USD 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. 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 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 MyHRHelp@ntrs.com , or alternatively you can discuss your individual requirements with the recruiter you are working with.

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