Design Strategy & Research Lead

Northern Trust
Chicago
Workplace: OnsiteFull timeUSD 137,400 - 233,600 annuallyFunction: Strategy & Corporate DevelopmentExperience: 12+ yearsSkills: ["Facilitation","Stakeholder engagement","Executive alignment","Organizational navigation","Critical thinking"]

Lead design strategy and research engagements for transformation initiatives, translating ambiguous business questions into learning agendas, opportunity frames, and executive-ready recommendations. Guide qualitative and mixed-method research, synthesize evidence to support facilitation, co-creation sessions, and decision workshops. Develop experience concepts and service models (e.g., journey maps and blueprints), partner with transformation and cross-functional stakeholders, and mentor practitioners to elevate EDR practice standards.

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FursaFursa
Northern Trust
Northern Trust
2 days ago

Design Strategy & Research Lead

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Job Summary

Lead design strategy and research engagements for transformation initiatives, translating ambiguous business questions into learning agendas, opportunity frames, and executive-ready recommendations. Guide qualitative and mixed-method research, synthesize evidence to support facilitation, co-creation sessions, and decision workshops. Develop experience concepts and service models (e.g., journey maps and blueprints), partner with transformation and cross-functional stakeholders, and mentor practitioners to elevate EDR practice standards.
Location: Chicago
Workplace: Onsite
Employment Type: Full time
Job Function: Strategy & Corporate Development
Seniority: Mid level

Key Responsibilities

  • •Lead design strategy and research engagements end-to-end, from intake and problem framing through discovery, synthesis, recommendations, delivery readiness, handoff, and adoption.
  • •Serve as a senior human-centered design practitioner who flexes across research, strategy, facilitation, service design, product discovery, and transformation leadership responsibilities.
  • •Partner with Transformation Office leaders, business sponsors, product teams, technology partners, operations, risk, clients, and subject matter experts to clarify objectives and align decision-making.
  • •Translate ambiguous business questions into learning agendas, opportunity frames, research plans, workshop designs, service design activities, and executive-ready recommendations.
  • •Lead or guide qualitative and mixed-method research, then facilitate synthesis and executive reviews to build shared understanding and drive action.

Pay and Benefits

Salary: USD 137,400 - 233,600 annually
Equity and Bonus:Equity
Perks:401kPensionHealth InsuranceDentalVisionPaid LeaveParental LeaveLife InsuranceDisability

Key Requirements

  • •12+ years in experience strategy, design research, service design, product strategy, innovation, consulting, transformation, or related human-centered design disciplines.
  • •Proven leadership of complex cross-functional initiatives with executive stakeholder engagement and measurable strategic impact.
  • •Experience moving work from discovery through recommendations, delivery readiness, implementation planning, and organizational adoption.
  • •Demonstrated ability to flex across research, strategy, facilitation, service design, product discovery, and transformation support based on engagement needs.
  • •Portfolio/case studies demonstrating process, outputs, decision-making, stakeholder leadership, and business or client impact.
Experience:12+ yearsFinancial servicesConsultingEnterprise transformationRegulated industryHuman-centered design
Skills:FacilitationStakeholder engagementExecutive alignmentOrganizational navigationCritical thinking

Eligibility

Work Authorization:Authorization required. Sponsorship not provided.

Company Brief

Northern Trust
Global financial services firm providing wealth management, asset servicing, asset management, and banking solutions to institutions, corporations, and affluent individuals, with a focus on custody, investment management, and technology-driven services.
Industry: Asset Management
Company Size: Enterprise (1,001+ employees)
Revenue: USD 1B+
Growth: Public Company
Valuation: Public Company (Market Cap in USD)
Funding: IPO / Publicly Listed
Headquarters: Chicago, United States
Founded: 1889
Glassdoor
Glassdoor: 3.9
WebsiteLinkedIn