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Assistant Director, Financial Planning & Analysis

Northwestern Mutual

  • Milwaukee, Wisconsin
  • 3 days ago

    Highlights

    This leader serves as a strategic finance business partner responsible for supporting business leaders through financial planning, forecasting, performance reporting, workforce planning, operational performance management, and decision support analysis across a large Service call-center organization. This position partners closely with Senior Leaders to optimize cost-to-serve, enhance service experiences, support workforce transformation, evaluate AI and automation investments, and ensure resources are aligned to business priorities.

    Numbers & Facts

    LocationMilwaukee, Wisconsin
    IndustryFinancial Services
    Company Size5,000 to 9,999 employees
    Year Founded1857
    Websitehttps://www.northwesternmutual.com/

    Description

    About the Job: 

    This leader serves as a strategic finance business partner responsible for supporting business leaders through financial planning, forecasting, performance reporting, workforce planning, operational performance management, and decision support analysis across a large Service call-center organization. This role provides financial leadership and influences outcomes through expertise, partnership, and analytical insight. The position translates complex financial information into actionable recommendations that improve resource allocation, expense management, and business performance.  

     

    This position partners closely with Senior Leaders to optimize cost-to-serve, enhance service experiences, support workforce transformation, evaluate AI and automation investments, and ensure resources are aligned to business priorities. This leader translates complex financial and operational data into actionable insights that improve service outcomes, workforce effectiveness, expense management, and enterprise value creation. 

     

    What You'll Do:

    • Lead annual planning, forecasting, budgeting, and long-range financial planning processes for assigned business areas, ensuring assumptions, timelines, and deliverables are aligned with strategic priorities.  

    • Serve as a trusted finance partner to Service leadership by translating financial and operational performance into actionable recommendations that improve business outcomes, client and field experience, and organizational effectiveness.  

    • Develop, monitor, and communicate key performance indicators and financial metrics that measure progress against strategic and operational objectives. 

    • Develop and review financial models, scenario analyses, business cases, and investment evaluations to support resource allocation, expense management, workforce planning, and strategic decision-making.  

    • Analyze actual results versus budget and forecast, prepare executive-ready reporting packages, and communicate performance insights, variances, risks, and opportunities to leadership.  

    • Manage workforce and expense planning activities, including headcount forecasts, hiring requests, organizational changes, position management, and alignment of staffing plans to budget and business priorities.  

    • Build trusted cross-functional relationships with business leaders and influence decisions through sound financial judgment, data-driven analysis, and strong communication.  

    • Drive process improvement, automation, and operational excellence across planning, reporting, forecasting, and financial management activities to improve efficiency and insight generation.  

    • Ensure financial plans, forecasts, reports, and expense processes are accurate, timely, well documented, and consistent with finance policies, procedures, and control expectations.  

    • Develop financial analyses and recommendations supporting cost optimization, service transformation, AI adoption, process redesign, operational efficiency, and workforce modernization efforts. 

    • Support operational leaders in understanding service demand drivers, workload trends, productivity measures, and resource requirements to improve planning accuracy and operational decision-making. 

    • Manage, coach, and develop finance team members by setting priorities, providing feedback, supporting career development, and fostering accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement. 

     

    What Experience You'll Bring:

    • Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, business administration, or related degree . 

    • CPA or MBA designation is preferred. 

    • Minimum of 7 or more years of demonstrated financial leadership in accounting, finance or financial reporting and analysis. 

    • Strong analytical, planning, organization, budgeting, problem solving, negotiation, oral and written communication skills are essential to this role. 

    • Ability to develop and interpret financial models for complex analysis. 

    • Attention to detail, with the ability to operate in a fast-paced, rapidly changing environment. 

    • Proven ability to develop strong working relationships with all levels of the organization. 

    • Demonstrated ability to lead through ambiguity, organizational change, and business transformation. 

    #LI-Hybrid, #LI-Onsite

    Compensation Range:

    Pay Range - Start:

    $108,160.00

    Pay Range - End:

    $162,240.00

    Geographic Specific Pay Structure:

    Structure 110:

    $118,960.00 USD - $178,440.00 USD

    Structure 115:

    $124,400.00 USD - $186,600.00 USD

    We believe in fairness and transparency. It’s why we share the salary range for most of our roles. However, final salaries are based on a number of factors, including the skills and experience of the candidate; the current market; location of the candidate; and other factors uncovered in the hiring process. The standard pay structure is listed but if you’re living in California, New York City or other eligible location, geographic specific pay structures, compensation and benefits could be applicable, click here to learn more.


    Grow your career with a best-in-class company that puts our clients' interests at the center of all we do. Get started now!


    Northwestern Mutual is an equal opportunity employer that welcomes talented individuals of all backgrounds. We are committed to creating and maintaining an environment in which each employee can contribute creative ideas, seek challenges, assume leadership and continue to focus on meeting and exceeding business and personal objectives.


    About Company

    Who We Are

    What we believe.

    We believe relationships are built on trust. That our lives and our work matter. And that doing what’s right is good for everyone — our clients, our employees, our financial representatives and our communities.
    These beliefs launched our company nearly 160 years ago. Today, they’re just a few of the reasons why people choose to build careers at Northwestern Mutual.

    We’re known for our financial strength.

    That means we’ll be here for the millions of people who are counting on us—our clients, our employees, our financial representatives and our communities.

    We care.

    We make a positive difference in our communities. Nationally, thousands have benefited from our support of research and programs to fight childhood cancer. Each year, our Foundation, employees and financial representatives donate time, talent and financial support to causes they’re passionate about.


    Why Work Here

    We’re strong and growing.

    In a company with such a long and storied history, this may be the most exciting and important time to be a part of Northwestern Mutual. We’re strong, innovative and growing. And we want you to grow with us.

    We invest in our people.

    We provide opportunities for employees to grow themselves, their careers, and, in turn, our business. Movement around the company is encouraged and we help our people build meaningful, long-term careers.

    Be part of building our future.

    We’re expanding our campus in downtown Milwaukee overlooking Lake Michigan. The Northwestern Mutual Tower and Commons will include a state-of-the-art employee Learning Institute, and will feature a natural light-filled, 21st century work environment. This signature development reinforces our commitment to job growth, attracting top talent and drawing new business to Milwaukee.

    Enjoy Milwaukee.

    Located on beautiful Lake Michigan, Milwaukee offers a perfect balance of big city and small town living. Home to Summerfest, the world’s largest music festival, Milwaukee has a thriving music scene, a celebrated annual film festival and vibrant performing arts community. Professional sports teams include the Milwaukee Brewers, Milwaukee Bucks and other major teams. And outdoor family fun is easy here. An extensive urban bike path network links our lakefront parks, beaches and other recreational hotspots.


    Our Culture

    We are always evolving.

    At Northwestern Mutual, our employees, and our business, are always evolving. We are agile and continuously learning and improving. We have a work environment that empowers problem solving and encourages innovation—you will make an impact here.

    We do what’s right.

    Our “do-what’s-right” value is pervasive. We ask ourselves: “Is this in the best interest of our clients? Our employees? Our financial representatives?” Acting on this value improves our clients’ experience, and makes Northwestern Mutual a better place to work.

    We recognize and develop possibilities in our people.

    Onsite training and leadership development programs help employees succeed and grow. We also sponsor learning opportunities outside the company to help employees stay current in their fields, network with peers and gain external perspective.

    Diversity makes us better.

    We believe diversity and inclusion cultivate creativity, innovation and a better experience for our clients. That’s why we recruit and grow people who bring unique perspectives, ideas, beliefs and cultural backgrounds.

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