Senior Director, Managing Partner Transitions

Northwestern Mutual•Milwaukee, WI

About The Position

Help shape the future of field leadership and business growth. Join a highly visible team that guides complex leadership transitions and helps position local offices for long-term financial success. As Senior Director, Managing Partner Transitions, you will lead the financial strategy and execution behind Managing Partner appointments, office capitalization, ownership transitions, and strategic changes across our field organization. You will partner with leadership candidates, senior executives, finance and legal partners, and field stakeholders to evaluate opportunities, structure sound financial arrangements, and support successful transitions. This role combines financial strategy, transaction experience, executive influence, and team leadership.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in finance, accounting, business, economics, or a related field; MBA or other advanced degree preferred.
12+ years of progressive experience in finance, business strategy, consulting, corporate development, operations, investment analysis, transaction advisory, or other roles involving complex financial, strategic, or business decision-making.
Experience supporting or leading complex business initiatives, such as mergers and acquisitions, ownership transitions, business integrations, organizational transformations, strategic investments, large-scale projects, or other situations requiring cross-functional leadership, financial analysis, and change management.
Experience assessing and advising on financial and capital-related decisions, including areas such as capitalization needs, capital allocation, funding strategies, financial planning, cash flow and liquidity management, investment evaluation, business case development, or related financial analysis.
Advanced financial modeling, valuation, due diligence, and scenario analysis capabilities.
Strong executive communication, negotiation, judgment, and relationship-management skills.
Experience leading teams and influencing decisions across complex, cross-functional stakeholder groups.
Ability to translate complex financial and transaction concepts into clear recommendations for varied audiences.

Nice To Haves

Experience in financial services, insurance, distribution, franchise, or other multi-location business models is preferred.

Responsibilities

Lead the end-to-end financial strategy for Managing Partner appointments, office capitalization, and leadership transitions.
Assess office capital needs, funding structures, liquidity, and long-term financial sustainability; develop capitalization recommendations that support business continuity and growth.
Lead financial analysis and transaction support for mergers, acquisitions, consolidations, office splits, territory changes, succession events, and other complex business transitions.
Partner with leadership candidates to evaluate opportunities, understand the financial outlook of office leadership, and prepare for ownership and operating responsibilities.
Develop and present clear, decision-ready financial recommendations to senior governance committees and executive stakeholders.
Structure and negotiate transition-related financial arrangements in partnership with finance, legal, tax, and business leaders.
Oversee programs supporting outgoing leader retirement obligations and incoming leader appointment and onboarding activities.
Serve as a subject matter expert on field leadership compensation, financial programs, capitalization, and transition economics.
Lead and develop a team responsible for financial modeling, projections, due diligence, deal analysis, and transition execution.
Continuously improve financial models, governance processes, tools, and reporting used to support critical leadership and investment decisions.