Data Architect – Securities Services

Location: Chicago, IL

Time Type: Full time

Job Description

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.

We are seeking an experienced Data Architect to lead the data architecture strategy for our Securities Services organization. This role will be responsible for designing and governing the enterprise data landscape across key business domains including Custody, Settlements, Entitlements, Reconciliations, Regulatory Reporting, and Asset Servicing.

The successful candidate will partner with business, product, engineering, and architecture teams to establish scalable data models, data products, governance frameworks, and integration patterns that enable modernization, real-time processing, analytics, and cloud adoption. The role will play a critical part in transforming legacy platforms into a modern, event-driven and data-centric ecosystem

Key Responsibilities

• Define and maintain the target-state data architecture for the Securities Services portfolio.
• Develop enterprise, domain, and canonical data models that support strategic business capabilities.
• Establish data architecture standards, design principles, and governance frameworks.
• Drive Data Mesh, data product, metadata, lineage, and data quality strategies across business domains include working with COO/AS CDO.
• Design scalable integration patterns leveraging event-driven architecture, APIs, and cloud-native technologies.
• Partner with business and technology stakeholders to align data strategy with business priorities and modernization initiatives.
• Ensure data platforms support operational, analytical, regulatory, and client reporting needs.
• Lead data architecture reviews and provide guidance on strategic programs, platform investments, and solution designs.
• Promote reuse, simplification, and standardization of data assets across the enterprise.
• Support regulatory, risk, audit, security, and compliance requirements through robust data controls and governance practices.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information System, Engineering, or a related discipline.
• 10+ years of experience in Data Architecture, Information Architecture, Data Management, or related roles.
• Strong knowledge of Securities Services, Custody, Settlements, Accounting, Reconciliations, Asset Servicing, or Capital Markets operations.
• Expertise in data modeling, data governance, metadata management, reference/master data, and data quality frameworks.
• Experience designing cloud-based data platforms, data lakes/lakehouses, and event-driven architectures.
• Strong understanding of modern integration patterns including APIs, messaging, and streaming technologies.
• Proven ability to influence senior business and technology leaders and drive enterprise-wide architectural decisions.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Data Mesh and domain-driven data architectures.
• Experience with Azure cloud technologies, Databricks, Kafka, Solace, and modern data platforms.
• Familiarity with financial services regulatory and data management requirements.
• Experience supporting large-scale transformation and modernization programs.

Success Measures

• Adoption of standardized data models and architecture patterns across Securities Services.
• Improved data quality, lineage, governance, and transparency.
• Increased reuse of data products and reduced duplication of data assets.
• Simplified integration landscape and reduced operational complexity.
• Successful enablement of real-time and analytics-driven business capabilities.
• Delivery of a scalable and strategic data foundation supporting business growth and modernization objectives.

This role offers the opportunity to shape the future data ecosystem for a large-scale Securities Services organization and drive the transformation toward a modern, data-driven operating model.

Salary Range:

$137,400 - 233,600 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.