Workforce Optimization Lead

Northern Trust • Chicago, IL

1d

About The Position

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. Position Overview We are seeking a highly qualified Workforce Optimization Lead to help advance the optimization of our Technology supplier base and refine our external labor strategy. This position, situated within the Technology organization, collaborates closely with Technology teams, Procurement, and Finance to align external labor initiatives with organizational objectives, minimize supplier fragmentation, and implement process enhancements that strengthen efficiency and compliance. In addition, the role may help work on other project across our team to help optimize our Technology investments. The selected candidate will be responsible for facilitating quarterly reviews with key suppliers, managing contractor offboarding procedures, and ensuring comprehensive reporting and governance across all external labor activities. The role requires an experienced strategic thinker with demonstrated expertise in program management, vendor management, and superior oral and written communication skills.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, Technology Management, or related field required.
• Minimum of 7 years in vendor management, procurement strategy, or technology operations
• Proven experience working with cross-functional teams (Technology, Procurement, Finance) to execute large-scale supplier or workforce initiatives
• Experience managing external labor and supplier relationships in a complex, multi-site environment
• Strong understanding of technology supplier and external labor market
• Familiarity with financial analysis and risk mitigation related to supplier and workforce planning
• Exceptional presentation, oral and written communication skills
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex programs and deliver results on time and within

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree preferred
• Background in management consulting is preferred

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement supplier footprint optimization strategy for Technology
• Set targets, metrics, and reporting to track progress and results
• Partner with senior tech leaders to create team roadmaps for supplier optimization
• Monitor roadmap progress and coordinate with stakeholders to achieve objectives
• Partner with Procurement to represent IT Strategic Spending in external labor RFP processes, ensuring objectives are aligned with business priorities
• Collaborate with Tech Finance to document productivity related to external labor
• Lead and coordinate quarterly strategy review meetings with designated external labor suppliers
• Streamline and oversee the processes of the External Labor Oversight Group, including scheduling, action tracking, and approval management
• Monitor and implement medium- and long-term optimization initiatives as requested by the External Labor Oversight Group
• Manage annual furlough process with Procurement
• Define reporting requirements to monitor Technology external labor headcount and spending trends
• Deliver clear, concise, and effective communications to stakeholders, including executive leadership
• Contribute external labor content, as needed, to monthly workforce overviews

Benefits

• 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.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level