Senior Director, Data & Workforce Insights Systems
Northwestern Mutual
Milwaukee, WI
About the Job:
Lead the strategy for the People Function’s data architecture, reporting ecosystem, analytics capabilities, and insights products. This role is responsible for building and governing a stable, modern data foundation that enables high-quality reporting, decision-grade insights, and future-forward analytics across HR.
Oversees data engineering, reporting platforms, data science (light modeling), and people analytics consulting, ensuring that workforce data is reliable, secure, accessible, and aligned with strategic needs. Partners closely with Workforce Systems, Digital Experience, AI Strategy, Enablement Architecture, HR Service Delivery, and enterprise technology teams to deliver a unified strategy and trustworthy data ecosystem.
What You'll Do:
Lead the strategy, governance, and technical direction for HR’s workforce data ecosystem.
Oversee data engineering for HR analytics, including data structures, transformations, pipelines, and data quality mechanisms.
Partner with Workforce Systems and IT to ensure reliable data flows, clear definitions, and strong stewardship practices.
Establish data governance frameworks, metadata standards, and master data alignment across HR.
Ensure readiness of data environments to support AI, digital workflows, and advanced reporting.
Own HR’s reporting ecosystem, including dashboards, scorecards, data products, and standardized reporting suites.
Establish and maintain UX, usability, and visualization standards across reporting assets.
Design self-service reporting patterns that increase reliability and reduce manual effort.
Oversee release management, version control, and lifecycle governance for reporting and data products.
Partner with Digital Experience to integrate reporting into HR’s digital channels and front-end platforms.
Lead the people analytics team responsible for descriptive, diagnostic, and early predictive insights.
Oversee the development of workforce analytics products, including mobility, attrition, capability, and experience insights.
Guide data science efforts (e.g., predictive attrition, clustering, or trend identification) to support strategic workforce decisions.
Ensure insights are accessible, accurate, and actionable for HR leadership, BHR partners, and business leaders.
Partner with the Insights Design & Storytelling discipline to package insights for executive audiences.
Lead a multidisciplinary technical and analytical team; ensure clarity of roles, strong performance, and long-term capability building.
Oversee data quality management, issue resolution, documentation, and process rigor across all data systems.
Implement strong testing, validation, audit, and monitoring processes for data and reporting assets.
Develop a multi-year roadmap for advancing workforce analytics, data products, insights capabilities, and decision-support frameworks.
Evaluate emerging tools and opportunities to enhance HR’s data maturity and alignment with enterprise analytics strategy.
Support AI and workflow automation initiatives by defining data requirements, lineage, availability, and governance constraints.
What Experience You'll Bring:
Minimum of 10 years in people analytics, data engineering, business intelligence, or workforce data systems leadership.
Minimum of 5 years of people leadership
Experience leading multidisciplinary data teams across engineering, reporting, analytics, and data science.
Strong fluency in HR data structures (Workday preferred), reporting platforms (Tableau, PowerBI, etc.), and analytics ecosystems.
Demonstrated success modernizing data architecture, reporting environments, and data governance.
Ability to translate business needs into data solutions and decision frameworks.
Strong partnership skills across HR, IT, analytics, and enterprise technology teams.
Excellent communication skills, with the ability to distill complex data concepts for executive audiences.
Experience in large, complex organizations with multiple data stakeholders preferred.
#LI-Hybrid, #LI-Onsite
Compensation Range:
Pay Range - Start:
$140,000.00Pay Range - End:
$260,000.00Geographic Specific Pay Structure:
Structure 110:
Structure 115:
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.
Job Posting End Date:
The timeline for this job posting may be shortened or extended based on organizational needs.
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.
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
About the Company
Northwestern Mutual
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.
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.