Global Head of Stewardship

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.

ROLE SUMMARY
The Global Head of Stewardship is a key leadership role within Northern Trust Asset Management and will have primary accountability for driving NTAM’s investment stewardship strategy and initiatives, ensuring that NTAM’s activities align with client and market expectations. The role reports to the Head of Investment Platform Services and will work in close partnership with the Global Head of Sustainable Investing Integration. The candidate will lead a global team of stewardship professionals, and take an active role in investor collaborations to improve the long term financial performance of NTAM’s investee companies across over $1 trillion in assets under management. The position is a highly visible one, both within the Northern Trust organization and in the broader investment community, and thus the head of stewardship is expected to have an effective marketplace presence.

PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Leadership:

Develop and execute a comprehensive investment stewardship strategy that aligns with both Northern Trust and its clients values and goals

Develop scalable team of stewardship specialists across global investment hubs. Provide leadership, mentorship, and guidance to a high-performing, global-dispersed team of professionals, fostering a collaborative and innovative work environment.

Serve as Chair of the Northern Trust Proxy Voting Committee and contribute to other organizational committees and councils in an advisory role.

Foster relationships with institutional investors, proxy advisory firms, and industry associations to promote responsible investing and shape industry standards.

Stay abreast of industry trends, regulatory developments, and best practices in investment stewardship, translating them into actionable strategies.

Collaborate with internal teams, such as legal, compliance, investment research, and portfolio management, to ensure alignment and coordination of stewardship efforts across the organization.

Set Direction for Stewardship Activities:

Develop and execute strategies for proxy voting and engaging with the companies in which the investment funds and accounts have holdings. This involves researching and analyzing governance and sustainability practices of portfolio companies, making informed voting decisions, and engaging in dialogue with company management and boards to address concerns and advocate for better practices.

Guide reporting on findings and analysis focusing on financial factors including material environmental, social and governance-related risks and opportunities, adhering to legal, regulatory, and fiduciary standards and expectations

Collaborate with portfolio managers, research teams, sustainable investing team, and other relevant stakeholders to ensure client views are incorporated into prioritized engagement themes and that there is a consistent alignment between the stewardship strategy, sustainable investing themes and client strategies

Guide development of engagement milestones and works in collaboration with portfolio management teams to leverage KPIs in portfolio construction

Contribute to the development and enhancement of active ownership policies and procedures, including proxy voting and engagement, ensuring alignment with current research on material financial considerations (including ESG factors) impacting portfolio company valuation

Engage with fundamental investors and senior management on high stakes proxy voting matters

Lead and take an active role in investor coalitions on key initiatives

Serve as Senior Marketplace Spokesperson for Stewardship:

Communicate stewardship efforts and results to clients, demonstrating transparency and accountability in managing their investments. Address client inquiries about the firm's stewardship practices and positions.

Represent the Stewardship Team at internal and external functions such as prospect meetings, client reviews, large scale events and conferences

Engage with various stakeholders, including institutional investors, regulators, industry groups, and NGOs, to stay informed about evolving trends and best practices in stewardship and corporate governance.

Engage and collaborate to support the Principles for Responsible Investing, including supporting annual reporting assessment

NECESSARY EXPERIENCE, EDUCATION, AND ATTRIBUTES

At least fifteen years of work experience in the investment management industry, with direct experience in stewardship

A master's degree or higher in a relevant field such as sustainability, finance, business administration, or a related discipline. Additional ESG-related certifications are a plus.

Master in Business and Administration and/or CFA strongly preferred.

Demonstrated leadership experience, including managing and developing teams, establishing strategic direction, setting goals, and delivering results.

Strong executive communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build relationships and influence stakeholders at all levels.

Deep understanding of ESG principles, proxy voting, and responsible investment practices, including knowledge of relevant regulatory frameworks and reporting standards related to responsible investing.

Exceptional analytical skills and the ability to synthesize complex information to make informed decisions. Client-centric focus and problem-solving orientation.

Self-starter and team-oriented, with a proven ability to manage projects across cross-functional teams under demanding deadlines.

Results-oriented with attention to detail; strong analytical skills.

WORKING MODEL: HYBRID
We have a balanced hybrid working model to ensure you get the flexibility you need, and the successful candidate will spend their time between working in the office and working from home.

 

Working with Us:

As a Northern Trust partner, greater achievements await. You will be part of a flexible and collaborative work culture in an organization where financial strength and stability is an asset that emboldens us to explore new ideas.

Movement within the organization is encouraged, senior leaders are accessible, and you can take pride in working for a company committed to assisting the communities we serve Join a workplace with a greater purpose.

We’d love to learn more about how your interests and experience could be a fit with one of the world’s most admired and sustainable companies Build your career with us and apply today. #MadeForGreater

Reasonable accommodation

Northern Trust is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please email our HR Service Center at .

We hope you’re excited about the role and the opportunity to work with us. We value an inclusive workplace and understand flexibility means different things to different people.

Apply today and talk to us about your flexible working requirements and together we can achieve greater.