Associate Director, Audit Services (Melbourne)

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. The organization serves the world’s most sophisticated clients using leading technology and exceptional service, with more than 22,000 partners. 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. It is well suited to an experienced audit leader who combines strong regulatory expertise with the ambition, presence, and judgment required to operate credibly at senior forums in a complex, highly regulated environment. The role is open in both Melbourne and Sydney 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 – Solid, 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 judgment 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 robust 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 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 #J-18808-Ljbffr Apply on Kit Job: kitjobau.com/job/3rn1dc