Sr. Principal AI Security Architect

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.

Role Overview

Northern Trust is building an AI Security organization responsible for enabling the safe adoption of AI across the enterprise. We are seeking a Senior Principal AI Security Architect to serve as a senior technical leader responsible for defining the security architecture strategy, reference architectures, and governance patterns that support enterprise AI platforms, agentic systems, digital coworkers, and emerging technologies.

This is a highly hands-on architecture role for an experienced technical leader who enjoys building as much as influencing. The successful candidate will create architecture artifacts, define enterprise standards, develop reusable patterns, and guide complex technology decisions while partnering closely with senior leaders across Cyber Security, Enterprise Architecture, Engineering, and Emerging Technology.

This role combines strategic influence with deep technical execution. The Senior Principal Architect will help define how AI is securely adopted across the enterprise while remaining actively engaged in architecture design, technical reviews, and solution development.

Key Responsibilities

Enterprise AI Security Strategy

- Define and evolve the enterprise AI security architecture strategy.
- Establish architectural principles, guardrails, and standards for AI and emerging technologies.
- Partner with Cyber and Technology leadership to align AI adoption with security, regulatory, operational, and business objectives.
- Identify strategic architectural risks, capability gaps, and future-state requirements.
- Drive long-term architecture roadmaps supporting enterprise AI adoption.

Architecture Leadership

- Serve as the senior security architecture lead for the firm's most complex and high-impact AI initiatives.
- Lead architecture reviews involving AI platforms, AI agents, cloud-native services, data integrations, and emerging technologies.
- Guide technical decision-making across multiple initiatives and programs simultaneously.
- Provide thought leadership on security architecture, architecture governance, and secure design practices.
- Mentor and develop architects across Cyber Security and Technology organizations.

AI Security Pattern Development

- Define enterprise security patterns for: AI agents and digital coworkers Agent identity and authorization models AI orchestration platforms RAG architectures MCP integrations AI gateways Enterprise AI observability Model governance and control frameworks
- Create reusable reference architectures that reduce design complexity and accelerate secure delivery.
- Develop architecture blueprints that teams can implement consistently across the firm.
- Translate emerging industry practices into practical and actionable enterprise guidance.

Cross-Functional Leadership & Influence

- Build strong partnerships across: Enterprise Architecture Security Engineering Identity & Access Management Application Security Security Operations Data Protection Cloud Engineering Technology Delivery organizations Emerging Technology teams
- Influence architecture and investment decisions across multiple leadership forums.
- Lead technical working groups and architecture communities of practice.
- Act as a trusted advisor to senior leaders and executive stakeholders.

Emerging Technology & Innovation

- Evaluate new AI platforms, frameworks, and technologies.
- Identify security implications associated with emerging AI capabilities and agentic architectures.
- Guide technology selection decisions through an architecture and risk lens.
- Shape the organization's perspective on future AI security capabilities and operating models.

Required Qualifications

- 12+ years of experience in security architecture, enterprise architecture, cloud architecture, software engineering, or related disciplines.
- Extensive experience defining enterprise technology strategies and architecture standards.
- Demonstrated success influencing technical direction across large and complex organizations.
- Deep expertise in: Identity and access management Enterprise security architecture Cloud security Application security API security Data protection DevSecOps Security monitoring and observability
- Experience leading architecture design for large-scale enterprise platforms or transformation programs.
- Exceptional communication and stakeholder management skills.

Preferred Qualifications

- Experience designing security architectures for generative AI, agentic AI, or advanced automation platforms.
- Familiarity with: AI orchestration frameworks Agent identity models Enterprise RAG architectures AI governance frameworks AI runtime security controls AI gateways and policy enforcement platforms Model lifecycle governance
- Experience establishing enterprise standards, reference architectures, and architecture governance processes.
- Experience operating within financial services or other highly regulated industries.
- Cloud, security, or architecture-related certifications.

What Success Looks Like

Within the first year, a successful Senior Principal AI Security Architect will:

- Establish themselves as a recognized technical authority for AI security across the enterprise.
- Define key AI security architecture standards and reference patterns adopted by technology teams.
- Shape strategic decisions for enterprise AI platforms and agentic technology initiatives.
- Influence how security, architecture, and engineering teams collaborate to enable AI adoption.
- Create reusable architecture guidance that reduces review effort, increases consistency, and accelerates delivery.
- Help position AI Security as a trusted partner for innovation rather than a gatekeeper.

Salary Range:
$156,370 - 273,600 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 [email protected] , or alternatively you can discuss your individual requirements with the recruiter you are working with.