Associate Director, Audit Services

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 Overview

  The Associate Director, Audit Services is a senior, high-visibility leadership role within Northern Trust’s APAC Audit Services team. The role provides a clear opportunity to operate at a strategic level, influence outcomes, and build a strong regional and global profile within Audit Services.

  Reporting to the Head of Audit Services, APAC, you will lead a small, geographically dispersed team based in Australia and Manila and oversee the planning and delivery of a portfolio of internal audits primarily covering Northern Trust’s Australian entities, with selected audits extending across the broader APAC region. The role requires confident engagement with senior management, first and second lines of defense, and global Audit Services colleagues across the US, Europe, and Asia.

  You’ll be well supported by a mature, well-established audit methodology and professional practices, so the fundamentals are already in place, allowing you to focus on stakeholder management, team development, and continuously improving audit quality and outcomes.

  This position is well suited to an experienced audit leader who combines strong regulatory expertise with the ambition, presence, and judgement required to operate credibly at senior forums in a complex, highly regulated environment.

  This role is open in both Melbourne, Sydney and Philippines locations.

  What This Role Requires

  • Senior-level ambition and visibility – A strong growth mindset and the confidence to operate at a senior level within Audit Services, influencing outcomes and engaging credibly with senior stakeholders and governance forums

  • Global orientation – Comfortable working across time zones and cultures, navigating complex organizational structures, and partnering effectively with colleagues across the US, Europe, Australia, and Asia

  • Deep Australian regulatory expertise – Strong, practical knowledge of the Australian regulatory environment, including the Financial Accountability Regime, APRA prudential standards, ASIC regulatory guides, AML/CTF, and Privacy requirements, with sound judgement around governance and disciplined execution

  • US-headquartered banking experience – The ideal candidate will have experience working within, or alongside, a US-headquartered global financial institution, with an understanding of US banking and regulatory expectations and how these intersect with local regimes

  • Collaborative, relationship-driven leadership – A proven ability to build trusted relationships across geographies, business lines, and control functions, combining effective challenge with a strong partnering mindset

  Key Responsibilities

  • Lead and oversee a portfolio of internal audits across Australian entities and selected APAC-wide audits

  • Act as a trusted advisor to senior stakeholders, providing clear, practical insight on risk, control effectiveness, and emerging issues

  • Manage multiple audits concurrently, integrating work across teams to drive efficiency and consistent coverage

  • Build and develop team capability through coaching, review, and targeted development opportunities

  • Partner with global Audit Services teams and co-sourced providers to optimize coverage, skills mix, and quality

  • Lead strategic risk assessments and recommend updates to the audit universe and coverage model

  • Propose audit plans, including scope, coverage, timing, and budget, and track internal audit obligations across legal and regulated entities

  • Ensure audit engagements are delivered on time, within budget, and to required quality standards

  • Oversee validation of remediation for audit and regulatory issues

  • Contribute to workforce planning and scheduling, including recommendations for staff and Senior Audit Manager hiring

  Knowledge, Skills and Experience

  • Advanced knowledge of internal audit and accounting principles, supported by a relevant degree

  • Strong practical knowledge of the Australian regulatory landscape

  • Strong analytical, communication, and senior stakeholder-management skills

  • Professional qualifications such as CPA, CIA, CISA, ACA, ACCA and/or MBA

  • 10+ years’ experience in banking or financial services (or relevant public accounting experience), including at least 5 years in internal audit

  • Proven experience leading teams and managing complex audit portfolios in a global environment​​

  Knowledge :

• • Knowledge of auditing in the financial services industry and basic accounting principles and related work experience

  • Knowledge of the business unit / function that he/she is managing
  • Professional certifications (e.g., CPA, CISA, CIA, ACA, ACCA) and/or an MBA along with demonstrated technical abilities in select areas (e.g., accounting, regulatory compliance, etc.) are preferred
  • Strong analytical, leadership, and organizational skills are needed
  • Strong report writing and workpaper documentation skills Leadership and organizational skills are required to develop periodic goals and to manage and motivate team members towards the goals set.
  
  Experience :
  • A College or University degree and seasoned auditing experience in a financial institution, or similar public accounting experience in the financial services industry is preferred. Also, candidates should have previous management experience

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 MyHRHelp@ntrs.com.

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.

About Our Manila Office

The Northern Trust Manila office celebrated a decade of excellence in 2024. Through agility, resiliency, innovation, and excellence, they have evolved into a dynamic hub with diverse capabilities and a thriving workforce of over 1,200 — driving meaningful impact and sustainable growth. Learn more.