Senior Director, Field Finance Strategy & Insights

Northwestern Mutual • Milwaukee, WI

1d

About The Position

Leads high-impact, cross-functional financial initiatives across field leader transitions, compensation & benefits, office real estate, and capitalization/lending. This role acts as a trusted thought partner to senior leaders, translating ambiguity into clear financial models, data-driven insights, and well-reasoned recommendations that shape decisions. This position requires advanced technical finance expertise, strong judgment in complex and high‑stakes environments, and the ability to influence without authority. The role operates with a high degree of autonomy and accountability, owning work end‑to‑end from problem definition through executive recommendation.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or a related field.
• 10+ years of experience in financial planning & analysis, corporate finance, financial consulting, or similar roles involving complex financial analysis and cross‑functional project ownership.
• Advanced Excel and financial modeling expertise; strong PowerPoint skills for executive communication.
• Experience with data analysis, visualization, and synthesizing insights for senior audiences.
• Proven ability to present complex financial concepts clearly and persuasively to senior leaders.
• Demonstrated success influencing decisions without direct authority and navigating cross‑functional dynamics.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple, concurrent priorities in a fast‑paced environment.
• High degree of accountability, discretion, and professional judgment when handling sensitive or high‑visibility initiatives.

Nice To Haves

• MBA, CFA, or equivalent advanced financial training strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Own and lead complex, high impact financial initiatives end-to-end, translating open-ended or ambiguous business questions into clear analyses, structured options, and actionable recommendations.
• Architect and maintain advanced financial models (e.g., compensation and benefits economics, deal and transition economics, loan and capitalization structures, valuation models) that inform enterprise level decision making.
• Set the executive narrative for assigned initiatives by synthesizing quantitative analysis into clear storylines, visualizations, and decision frameworks tailored to senior leadership audiences.
• Exercise independent judgment in identifying tradeoffs, risks, and implications, particularly in scenarios with incomplete data, competing priorities, or sensitive stakeholder dynamics.
• Establish and apply consistent evaluation standards for field‑related financial decisions (e.g., MP/MD transitions, capitalization and lending proposals, real estate investments), ensuring alignment with enterprise objectives and risk tolerance.
• Influence cross‑functional partners and senior leaders across Legal, Advisor Solutions, Field Performance, Field Ventures, and external partners to drive timely alignment and delivery, without direct authority.
• Serve as a subject‑matter expert and escalation resource, providing guidance on complex financial questions and exceptions that require advanced analysis, experience, and sound judgment.
• Champion process, tooling, and data improvements that increase decision quality, efficiency, and transparency across Field Finance initiatives.
• Mentor and informally coach others, sharing best practices, modeling standards, and structured problem‑solving approaches to elevate overall team capability.
• Represent Field Finance as an enterprise voice in cross‑functional initiatives, ensuring field economics, incentives, and financial implications are fully considered in broader programs and policy decisions.

Benefits

• 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

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior