Summary:

The Belonging & Impact Strategic Enablement Partner is responsible for ensuring disciplined, consistent execution of enterprise Belonging & Impact priorities across Network Offices.

This role functions as a force multiplier, strengthening judgment to focus on impact to outcomes, multiplying talent, reducing complexity, and protecting enterprise standards at scale. Enablement Partners focus on enabling field and Home Office leaders and systems to execute proven approaches with confidence. Primary audiences being local Belonging & Impact Leads, field Network Office Leadership Teams, and Home Office Partners (e.g. Performance Team members and other office consultants),

This role provides enterprise leverage to accelerate results. It balances meeting leaders where they are and:

• Shapes how large numbers of leaders interpret and apply enterprise intent

• Prevents drift, over‑customization, and fragmentation across the network

• Requires calm, credible boundary‑setting with senior leaders

• Influences without positional authority in performance‑driven environments

Success depends on mature judgment, political fluency, and emotional steadiness developed through significant experience and maturity.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

• Enable Network Offices to Execute Enterprise Priorities:

• Support Network Office Belonging & Impact Leads and field leaders in using Home Office resources and programs

• Encourage consistent application of tools, language, and intervention patterns

• Reduce variability created by improvisation or inconsistent execution

• Coach the System Toward Effectiveness:

• Coach Network Office Belonging & Impact Leads and their local councils and ambassadors on operating effectively within enterprise expectations

• Reinforce local leadership readiness (MP, leadership teams, local Belonging & Impact Leads) using approved frameworks and language

• Support leaders in navigating uncertainty while staying inside guardrails, provide leadership coaching when deemed appropriate to address opportunities and increase impact

• Reinforce Standards and Protect Guardrails:

• Maintain alignment to enterprise frameworks and intervention models

• Redirect requests toward approved options to preserve consistency and scale

• Partner with Performance Team and other Home Office Consulting Partners:

• Provide enablement and coaching to Performance Team and other Home Office partners to build confidence and capability to integrate Belonging & Impact within their roles

• Reinforce inclusive leadership expectations identified through performance consulting

• Provide clarity, tools, and escalation support when uncertainty arises

• Maintain clear, disciplined handoffs between coaching and enablement functions

• Surface Enterprise Patterns and Risks:

• Identify recurring challenges and capability gaps across Network Offices

• Surface risks, readiness issues, and systemic constraints to Field Belonging & Impact leadership

• Inform refinement of tools and enablement assets based on observed patterns

• Stabilize execution when offices oscillate between over‑reaction and avoidance

Qualifications

Travel may be required, approximately 35%.

Mindsets & Attributes

• B.S. degree

• 10+ years of significant diversity and inclusion experience.

• Prior responsibility working in and managing/coaching others through large, complex, matrixed systems

• Experience navigating reputational, compliance, and execution risk and a role responsible for keeping systems from breaking under pressure

• Coaching certification preferred or significant experience

• Intercultural development Inventory Qualified Administrator (ideal)

• Experience in financial services, independent contractor, competitive sales organization, distribution system environments (preferred)

• Proven ability to influence leaders (informal or non) across all levels, roles, experiences, backgrounds

• Change management experience, specifically behavior change

• Empathy paired with objective analysis

• Professional courage and diplomacy

• Growth mindset - curiosity, adaptability, and continuous learning

• Practical, solutions-oriented mindset

• High integrity and confidentiality

Compensation Range:

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Geographic Specific Pay Structure:

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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 who welcomes and encourages diversity in the workforce. 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.

Skills

HR Acumen (NM) - Expert, Storytelling through Data (NM) - Expert, Leadership Assessment & Development (NM) - Expert, Performance Management & Reporting (NM) - Expert, Learning Agility & Critical Thinking (NM) - Expert, Cross Functional Partnering & Planning (NM) - Expert, Learning Experience Design (NM) - Advanced, Project Management (NM) - Expert, Technical & Digital Acumen (NM) - Advanced, Belonging & Inclusion (NM) - Expert, Customer Centricity (NM) - Expert, Facilitation (NM) - Expert, Coaching & Mentoring (NM) - Expert, Statutes & Regulation (NM) - Expert, Accountability (NM) - Advanced, Talent Assessment & Selection (NM) - Expert, Emotional Intelligence (NM) - Expert, HR Ethics (NM) - Expert, Business Influence (NM) - Advanced, Client Engagement & Influence (NM) - Expert, Strategic Thinking (NM) - Expert, Adaptive Communication (NM) - Expert, Organizational & Political Savvy (NM) - Expert, Industry Knowledge (NM) - Expert

FIND YOUR FUTURE

We’re excited about the potential people bring to Northwestern Mutual. You can grow your career here while enjoying first-class perks, benefits, and our commitment to a culture of belonging.

• Flexible work schedules
• Concierge service
• Comprehensive benefits
• Employee resource groups