Strategic Sourcing Associate Specialist, Technology

About this role

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.

Major Duties & Responsibilities 1) Security & Risk Sourcing Support (Primary Ownership Within Assigned Categories) • Support sourcing strategies across security, risk, identity, and optimization technology categories, aligned with business, risk, and resiliency objectives. • Assist in evaluating supplier portfolios, renewal pipelines, and commercial alternatives to reduce risk and improve value realization. • Partner with stakeholders to help align contracts, licensing models, and commercial structures to business requirements and usage patterns. • Contribute to supplier rationalization and optimization initiatives within assigned categories.

2) Channel & Reseller Commercial Management (Primary Ownership) • Manage day-to-day commercial activities related to resellers, telecommunications providers, and optimization vendors. • Support pricing reviews, discount validation, and commercial governance processes to improve visibility into supplier economics. • Identify opportunities to reduce spend leakage, improve purchasing consistency, and strengthen sourcing controls. • Partner with Procurement Operations and business stakeholders to support demand management and standardization efforts.

3) Negotiation & Sourcing Execution (Primary Ownership) • Lead routine renewals, sourcing events, and commercial negotiations within assigned categories. • Escalate highly complex commercial, contractual, or risk-related matters to senior sourcing leadership when appropriate. • Coordinate with Legal, Risk, Information Security, and business stakeholders to support contract reviews and negotiations. • Help ensure agreements align with established enterprise standards and sourcing policies.

4) Value Tracking & Supplier Governance Support (Shared Ownership) • Support development and maintenance of supplier scorecards, utilization reporting, and value tracking activities. • Assist stakeholders in validating realized savings, adoption metrics, and commercial outcomes. • Participate in supplier reviews and governance meetings to support performance and value discussions. • Identify opportunities for continuous improvement in sourcing, supplier management, and contract governance processes.

What This Role Does Not Own (By Design) • Enterprise-wide sourcing strategy development across multiple technology domains. • Executive-level vendor relationship ownership or strategic supplier governance. • Day-to-day vendor operational management and performance ownership. • Procurement Operations activities such as purchase order administration, invoice resolution, or contract system maintenance. • Commercial escalation ownership for enterprise-critical or high-risk negotiations.

Preferred Knowledge & Specialized Expertise Security & Risk Commercial Knowledge • Familiarity with technology contracts, software licensing, security-related commercial terms, and risk considerations. • Working understanding of security technology domains (identity, monitoring, infrastructure security, risk management, etc.) sufficient to support sourcing activities and stakeholder discussions.

Channel & Reseller Commercial Knowledge • Understanding of reseller pricing models, discount structures, rebates, and commercial purchasing practices. • Ability to review supplier proposals and identify potential cost optimization opportunities.

Value Optimization Mindset • Demonstrated interest in utilization analysis, spend optimization, and measuring business outcomes. • Ability to communicate sourcing recommendations and commercial insights effectively to stakeholders.

Experience & Qualifications • 5–8 years of experience in technology sourcing, procurement, vendor management, contract management, or related disciplines. • Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree preferred. • Experience supporting supplier negotiations, sourcing events, contract reviews, or commercial governance activities. • Ability to build effective relationships with business, technology, legal, risk, and procurement stakeholders. • Strong analytical, negotiation, and communication skills.

Key Deliverables / Success Measures Deliverables • Completed sourcing initiatives, negotiations, renewal strategies, supplier assessments, pricing analyses, value tracking reports, and category insights.

Measures of Success • Achievement of savings and value objectives. • Effective execution of sourcing and renewal activities. • Improved commercial transparency and contract compliance. • Positive stakeholder feedback and successful collaboration across sourcing initiatives. • Identification and implementation of optimization opportunities within assigned categories.

Salary Range: $90,820 - 154,280 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 ne

Similar jobs

• Strategic Sourcing Manager - Technology — Roblox · San Mateo, CA, United States
• Strategic Sourcing Specialist — Motorola Solutions · Schaumburg, IL
• Strategic Sourcing Specialist — Columbia Sportswear Company · Portland, Oregon, United States
• Strategic Sourcing Specialist — Copeland · Sidney, OH | St. Louis, MO
• Strategic Sourcing Specialist — Vanguard · Malvern, PA | Scottsdale, AZ | Charlotte, NC
• Senior IT Strategic Sourcing Manager — Smithfield Foods · Smithfield, VA
• Senior Associate Sourcing Consultant — Harborglobal · Remote
• Senior Strategic Sourcing Analyst — Boxinc · Redwood City, CA, Chicago IL