Operations & Tools Specialist

Northwestern Mutual•Milwaukee, WI

2d•$70,320 - $105,480•Hybrid

About The Position

At Northwestern Mutual, we want to be at the center of our clients’ financial lives. The Sophisticated Planning Strategies (SPS) Team partners with top firms to deliver best-in-class wealth planning services to high-net-worth clients. This role sits at the intersection of operations and systems, supporting how our services are delivered today while helping improve the tools, processes, and reporting that enable us to scale. You’ll work on both core operational processes, projects, and supporting systems, making this role ideal for someone who enjoys structured, detail‑oriented work and is also motivated to solve problems and improve how things work.

Requirements

2–5 years of experience in operations, information systems, or a related field
Experience executing and owning repeatable operational processes with strong attention to accuracy and detail
Exposure to tools, workflows, reporting, or data‑supported operations
Experience managing multiple priorities in a deadline‑driven environment
Experience building reporting or dashboards (e.g., Power BI)
Exposure to system integrations or data flows
Bachelor’s degree in Business, Information Systems, or a related field, or equivalent relevant professional experience
Analytical Thinking: Organizes and compares various aspects of a situation to comprehend and identify key or underlying complex issues through the use of quantitative data and analysis; leverages strong business acumen, problem solving, and interpersonal skills to think critically about situations from multiple perspectives and consistently seeks ways to improve processes.
Continuous Improvement: Utilizes available methods to identify opportunities, executes solutions and measures impact to improve existing practices and processes. Implements feedback and lessons learned. Leverages the ability to identify and experiment assumptions and hypothesis for products to be able to refine and improve them at any stage of the life cycle.
Interpersonal Savvy: Relates well to all kinds of people inside and outside of the organization. Builds appropriate rapport, constructive and effective relationships. Uses diplomacy and tact and diffuses high-tension situations comfortably.
Learning Agility & Critical Thinking: Pursues learning and obtains knowledge continuously in relevant fields, methods, or technologies in current and future practices; continuously utilizes critical thinking to identify opportunities, execute solutions, and measure impact to constantly improve existing practices and processes based on feedback, lessons learned, and market trends.
Project Management: Delivers projects in alignment to business requirements, specific success criteria, and stakeholder expectations. Plans, manages, and completes projects keeping cost and time considerations in mind.

Responsibilities

Execute and own complex operational processes that enable SPS services, including new offerings such as tax preparation and family office services
Help develop and refine processes as services evolve, ensuring consistency, quality, and scalability
Identify issues or inefficiencies and take initiative to recommend and implement improvements
Partner with senior team members to build and enhance tools, dashboards, and reporting used to manage SPS operations
Perform data validation, reporting updates, and system support activities
Contribute to automation and system enhancements that improve efficiency and user experience
Lead or support projects and initiatives that improve how work gets done across SPS
Coordinate with stakeholders to gather input, track progress, and ensure timely execution
Support changes impacting the field, including communication and implementation activities
Work closely with cross‑functional partners across operations, technology, and the field
Share knowledge, document processes, and help build team understanding and backup coverage
Grow into increased ownership of processes, tools, or workstreams over time