Specialist Product Manager / Agile Product Owner

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.

Job Profile Summary:

The Specialist Product Manager / Agile Product Owner is accountable for maximizing the business value delivered by an agile product delivery team. This role represents the voice of the business, client, and regulatory stakeholders, ensuring that product delivery aligns to strategic objectives, client outcomes, and enterprise priorities.

The Product Manager/Owner influences & translates product vision and business strategy into a prioritized and actionable product backlog, driving delivery outcomes through close partnership with Technology, Business Analysis, and cross-functional stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities of the Role Include:

1. Product Ownership & Value Delivery

• Own and prioritize the Product Backlog to optimize business value and client outcomes
• Ensure backlog alignment to product strategy, regulatory requirements, and funding commitments
• Make informed trade-off decisions across scope, timeline, risk, and investment
• Define and maintain clear acceptance criteria to ensure delivery meets intended outcomes
• Balance short-term delivery needs with long-term product evolution and sustainability
• Carry out complex initiatives involving multiple disciplines and/or ambiguous issues

2. Agile Execution & Delivery Oversight

• Actively participate in Agile ceremonies including sprint planning, reviews, and retrospectives
• Accept or reject completed work based on defined acceptance criteria and alignment to business intent
• Ensure delivery teams focus on outcomes, not just feature completion
• Partner with Scrum Masters and Technology Leads to maintain delivery momentum and remove blockers
• Ensure backlog items are clearly defined, sequenced, and ready for development
• Conduct post launch audits, track product success, analyze P&L, metrics, KPIs

3. Stakeholder & Business Engagement

• Serve as the primary liaison between business stakeholders and delivery teams
• Engage Product Executives, Operations, Risk, Compliance, and Technology partners to align priorities
• Communicate product vision, roadmap, and delivery progress to stakeholders in a clear, concise manner
• Represent client and business needs throughout the product lifecycle
• Provide sales support including presenting at client & prospect meetings
• Display a balanced, cross-functional perspective, liaising with the business to improve efficiency, effectiveness and productivity

4. Strategic Alignment & Product Direction

• Formulate strategy by aligning cross functional teams, uncovering opportunities and determining life cycle states.
• Shape the value proposition and develop business cases as part of the product roadmap planning process.
• Create strategies for cross-program coordination and go-to-market rollouts.
• Align backlog priorities to product roadmaps, enterprise initiatives, and client commitments
• Ensure solutions meet regulatory, operational, and risk management expectations
• Collaborate with Product Management to align delivery with broader product strategy
• Continuously refine product priorities based on stakeholder feedback, performance, and outcomes

5. Risk, Control & Regulatory Alignment

• Lead in introducing new products and features to the market by securing regulatory approvals, contributing to marketing materials and conducting sales and operational readiness training.
• Ensure delivered functionality aligns with regulatory obligations and audit requirements
• Incorporate risk, compliance, and data governance considerations into backlog prioritization
• Partner with Business Analysts to ensure requirements reflect controls, data rules, and quality standards

Skills/ Experience Required

• Seasoned multi-disciplinary expert with extensive technical and / or business knowledge and functional expertise
• Excellent oral and written communication skills are required. Proficient in constructing/overseeing logical and conclusive presentations, distilling complex subject matter into management-ready materials
• Thorough understanding or knowledge of all products or business areas within an umbrella roadmap, mastery of 2-4+ and SME ability in at least 1-2+ specific areas; and a strong understanding of client needs and how this impacts the product development agenda/roadmap
• Excellent in building key relationships, influencing and negotiating with clients, partners and leaders across multiple disciplines
• Program or project management experience is advantageous; planning, analysis, design and governance
• Strong knowledge of business strategy development is necessary to provide long term planning and to manage the profitability/performance of a major business segment.
• Leadership and organizational skills are required to determine the Business Unit's goals, resources needed, and to assess and develop the skills of staff.

Work Authorization

Applicants must have the right to work in Ireland at the time of application and for the duration of employment.

Please note that Northern Trust is unable to provide employment permit sponsorship for this role. This includes Critical Skills Employment Permits, General Employment Permits, Intra-Company Transfer Employment Permits, Stamp 1G permissions, and other employment permits under Irish immigration frameworks.

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.