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Senior Experience Design Lead

Northern Trust · Chicago, IL · $114,500–$194,700 a year · Full time

Posted Jul 30, 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

Walk me through a project where your research changed what the business thought it needed to build.

What they are checking: Whether their research actually shapes decisions instead of decorating ones that were already made.

Tell me about a time you designed a service experience, not just a screen. What did that involve?

What they are checking: Whether they think about the full client journey across people, process and channels, which service design requires.

How do you guide and give feedback to other designers when you are leading the work but not their manager?

What they are checking: Whether they can raise the quality of other people's work through influence rather than authority.

What would you do

How do you design for wealthy clients and institutional users whose time is scarce and who are hard to recruit for research?

What they are checking: Whether they can adapt research methods to a small, high-value audience typical of private banking and asset servicing.

You are brought into a project late, and the business and technology teams have already agreed on a solution. How do you contribute without stalling them?

What they are checking: Whether they can add value at any stage of discovery, development and delivery, as the posting describes.

A product owner wants to cut your usability fixes to hit a release date. How do you handle it?

What they are checking: Whether they can make trade-offs based on user risk and keep relationships intact when they lose some battles.

About the work

How do you decide which research method to use for a feature, say interviews, usability tests or analytics?

What they are checking: Whether they match the method to the question being asked rather than running the same study every time.

How do you make a digital experience feel distinct to Northern Trust instead of looking like every other bank app?

What they are checking: Whether they can tie design choices to the firm's own capabilities and business objectives, which the posting calls differentiating.

What accessibility standards do you design to, and how do you check them before handoff?

What they are checking: Whether accessibility is part of their regular practice, which matters for a regulated firm serving a wide client base.

How do you show the business the value of design work after something ships?

What they are checking: Whether they connect design outcomes to measurable business and client results that leaders respect.

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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. Summary The senior lead designer guides work in the Experience Design & Research practice, envisioning digital and service experiences for BU products and initiatives. Senior lead designers tactically and strategically contribute to design and business objectives at varying stages of discovery, development, and delivery in collaboration with peers and stakeholders. They lead research for specific features and services in with their peers and counterparts in business and technology teams. They are responsible for differentiating experiences reflective of Northern Trust’s capabilities and business objectives as well as client and partner needs and behaviors. Sr lead designers take responsibility for specific features or processes within a product or capability team, taking accountability for research activities or objectives with manageable risks and resource requirements. They act as a resource for colleagues with less experience. Major Duties : 1. Works to improve user experiences with technology and business collaborators 2. Guides design to meet objectives and outcomes, influences business and technology decisions with user needs in mind 3. Contributes to an open culture that enables employees’ development through direct but kind feedback, promotes diverse perspectives and fosters a sense of curiosity and optimism 4. Creates user experiences, from low-fidelity sketches to high-fidelity mockups and prototypes while applying the NT Digital Design System. 5. Provides creative direction and conducts design reviews, balancing design decisions between research, technology, and business unit objectives 6. Solves complex problems and takes new perspectives on existing solutions 7. Exercises judgment based on the analysis of multiple sources of information 8. Works within broad guidelines and policies 9. May collaborate in an agile environment or ad hoc in emerging experience projects. 10. Guides designers and researchers relative to the current project or digital product Knowledge : • Ability to put Human-Centered Design and UI/UX best practices to work within a professional setting, as demonstrated in a work portfolio • Proficiency in a range of relevant design methods and concepts, which may include low-fidelity sketching, information architecture, wireframe development, usability testing, research planning, competitive analysis • Strong design skills in multiple competency areas (visual, interaction, information architecture, product) • Able to present work and decisions effectively, through presentation and storytelling skills • Ability to recognize, predict and incorporate use cases and user interactions into design • Highly flexible, adaptable to change and comfortable with ambiguity and critique • Experience working with design systems, using and managing Figma libraries. • Effective use of collaborative/communication tools • Clear growth mindset, looking for opportunities to learn and motivated to approach challenges proactively Experience : • 9+ years demonstrated work experience delivering digital experiences • Educated in design or related field, formally or though comparable training • Design thinking and UI/UX best practices, as demonstrated in a portfolio of professional work. • Experience working with a cross-functional team or large-scale software development lifecycle, preferably in an agile environment, is desired #LI-HY #LI-CL1 Salary Range: $114,500 - 194,700 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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