Global Director - Vulnerability Management & Security Configuration

About Northern Trust

Northern Trust is a globally recognized leader in wealth management, asset servicing, asset management, and banking services, serving some of the world's most successful individuals, families, corporations, and institutions since 1889. With over 135 years of financial expertise and a workforce of more than 24,000 partners, Northern Trust prides itself on its guiding principles of Service, Expertise, and Integrity.

Role Summary

The organization seeks a Global Director for Vulnerability Management and Security Configuration to establish and drive enterprise-wide strategies aimed at minimizing technology risks spanning infrastructure, cloud, and AI-based environments. This pivotal leadership role will transition traditional vulnerability management practices into modern, AI-enabled, risk-focused approaches that utilize automation, prioritized threat contextualization, and advanced analytics to mitigate attack surfaces on a large scale. It demands a hands-on engineering-led leader capable of engaging effectively with executive leadership and technical teams alike.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and oversee the global vision and strategy for vulnerability management and security configuration across infrastructure (both on-premises and cloud), endpoints, and platform systems.
• Drive the transformation from conventional to AI-assisted capabilities, incorporating risk-based prioritization, automation-driven remediation, and threat-informed decision-making aligned with CTEM principles and corporate risk goals.
• Manage and expand a comprehensive global vulnerability management program covering asset discovery, risk prioritization, remediation actions, and governance.
• Establish security configuration and continuous compliance monitoring, incorporating risk models based on threat intelligence, exploit potential, asset significance, and exposure.
• Enforce corporate-wide policies and standards for vulnerability remediation and security configuration.
• Define and uphold enterprise hardening baselines, implement ongoing monitoring, and detect configuration deviations while ensuring compliance with regulatory and industry standards.
• Lead a high-efficiency, engineering-centric team comprising approximately 4 full-time employees and 10 contractors.
• Provide transparent executive-level communications on risk exposure and remediation progress.
• Govern program execution including exception handling and service level agreement enforcement.

Required Skills and Experience

• Demonstrated expertise in cybersecurity with specialized knowledge in vulnerability management and security engineering.
• Successful track record in developing and scaling enterprise-wide security programs.
• Strong background in infrastructure and cloud security, configuration management, system hardening, and DevSecOps integration focused on platform security.
• Experience leading major transformational projects within cybersecurity frameworks.

Significance of the Role

This position is crucial for Northern Trust’s advancement towards proactive cyber risk management facilitated through AI-enhanced, intelligence-led vulnerability strategies, moving beyond reactive approaches to scalable, automated solutions.

Additional Information

Applicants must have the legal right to work in Ireland throughout their employment; Northern Trust cannot sponsor employment permits of any kind including Critical Skills, General Employment, or Intra-Company Transfer permits under Irish immigration laws.

Northern Trust fosters a flexible, collaborative, and inclusive workplace culture emphasizing financial stability and community involvement. The company encourages internal mobility, ensures accessibility to senior leadership, and supports philanthropy as a fundamental cultural element.

Reasonable accommodations for applicants with health conditions or disabilities are available. Contact the HR Service Center at MyHRHelp@ntrs.com or communicate with the assigned recruiter for needs during the hiring process.