Senior Client Service Manager

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 Summary:  

We are seeking an experienced, client-centric Senior Client Service Manager – Institutional Trust to lead service delivery and relationship management for top-tier custody and asset servicing clients across Southeast Asia. This senior role serves as the primary service advocate for our most important institutional clients, ensuring exceptional client satisfaction and operational excellence. The ideal candidate brings deep custody business expertise, a strategic mindset, and exceptional interpersonal skills. They are proactive problem-solvers and influential leaders who can champion client needs across internal teams. This role reports to the Manager of Client Service Management, Southeast Asia.

This role will report to Manager of Client Service Management, Southeast Asia

Key Responsibilities:

• Client Relationship Leadership: Own and manage a portfolio of high-value institutional trust and custody client relationships. Act as the primary point of contact and trusted client advocate, ensuring a deep understanding of clients’ business, objectives, and servicing requirements.
• Service Delivery & Quality Oversight: Lead and oversee day-to-day service delivery for assigned clients, ensuring accuracy, responsiveness, and timely resolution of all client inquiries and issues. Serve as the escalation point for complex or sensitive client matters, taking end-to-end accountability for prompt and effective resolution.
• Client Advocacy & Stakeholder Management: Represent the voice of the client internally by effectively communicating client needs, priorities, and concerns to relevant partners (Operations, Product, Technology, etc.). Coordinate cross-functional teams to deliver solutions, and influence outcomes without direct authority to ensure service commitments are met or exceeded.
• Strategic Client Engagement: Build and maintain strong, trust-based relationships with senior client stakeholders. Partner closely with Relationship Managers and senior leadership to align on client strategy, support business growth, and identify opportunities to expand service offerings based on evolving client needs.
• Service Reviews & Continuous Improvement: Lead regular client service review meetings, presenting service performance metrics and analysis. Ensure agreed service levels (SLAs) and key performance indicators (KPIs) are consistently met or exceeded. Proactively identify service improvement opportunities, anticipate potential issues, and drive initiatives that enhance the overall client experience and operational efficiency.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work collaboratively with internal service teams (operations, account management, risk/compliance, etc.) to ensure seamless service delivery. Champion a culture of client-first service excellence and continuous improvement across the organization.
• Client Visits & Representation: When necessary, travel to client locations in Southeast Asia to conduct on-site service reviews, strengthen relationships, or support strategic discussions for key clients.

Required Skills & Competencies:

• Exceptional client relationship management skills – able to build trust, credibility, and long-term partnerships with senior client stakeholders.
• Strong stakeholder management and influencing abilities – adept at navigating a matrix organization and driving results through cross-functional teams without direct reporting authority.
• Outstanding communication skills – clear, professional written and verbal communication, with the ability to simplify complex issues and present confidently to clients and internal leadership.
• Analytical and problem-solving mindset – able to dissect issues, identify root causes, and develop innovative, sustainable solutions to service challenges.
• Resilience and professionalism under pressure – capable of managing high-stakes or escalated situations calmly, with sound judgment and a proactive approach.
• Attention to detail and accuracy – meticulous in overseeing client transactions, reporting, and processes, ensuring compliance with all standards and requirements.
• Accountability and initiative – a self-starter who takes ownership of client issues, follows through to resolution, and consistently strives to exceed client expectations.
• Consultative and presentation skills – comfortable leading client meetings, service reviews, and discussions; able to articulate value propositions and insights to clients effectively.
• Presentation and consultative skills, with the ability to prepare and deliver compelling service reviews, proposals, or client presentations as needed.

Experience & Knowledge:

• 8+ years of relevant experience in asset servicing (custody, investment operations, fund administration) or institutional client servicing within financial services.
• Demonstrated success managing complex, high-value client relationships in the asset servicing or securities services industry, with a track record of delivering superior service outcomes.
• Strong knowledge of custody operations, fund accounting, securities settlement, and broader asset servicing processes. Familiarity with industry regulations and best practices in post-trade services and investment operations.
• Regional expertise: Experience working with institutional clients in Southeast Asia (or similar markets) with an appreciation for local market practices and client expectations.
• Education: Bachelor’s degree in finance, business, or a related field (advanced degree or relevant certifications is a plus).

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.