Senior Financial Analyst

Northwestern Mutual•Milwaukee, WI

4d•Hybrid

About The Position

About the Job: Support the Company's sales reporting and planning processes by delivering timely, accurate reports, forecasts, and analysis that inform business decisions and drive performance. Provide value‑added insights through financial modeling, variance analysis, and cross‑functional collaboration to support monthly reporting, the annual Sales Plan, and the Mid‑Year Forecast. What You'll Do: Produce and validate monthly corporate sales reports and dashboards; ensure data accuracy and timely distribution to stakeholders. Perform detailed variance analysis (actual vs. plan / prior year), identify key drivers, and present concise insights and recommendations. Build and maintain decision‑grade financial models and scenario analyses for product lines and initiatives. Interact with executive officers, department heads, and other members of senior management to provide meaningful sales focused analysis and presents recommendations to aid in decision-making. Proactively identify issues and facilitate discussions to resolve those issues across functions and departments. Responsible for building complex financial models to predict and understand the business as well as actual results. Understand drivers and internal metrics for tracking and comparing results. Challenge assumptions made in forecasts and projections. Make connections to understand and integrate internal best practices to best support overall business objectives. Communicate results clearly to managers and senior stakeholders; prepare executive‑level commentary for leadership and board materials. Apply creativity and innovation in identifying process improvements and other opportunities to provide insight. May be responsible for developing strategies to best utilize systems and maintaining expertise over financial reporting systems. Lead special projects and assignments related to sales reporting, financial reporting, process improvements, or other projects as requested by division leaders. Partner with Data Solutions, Accounting, Sales Enablement, Corporate Strategy and business leaders to source data, resolve discrepancies, and improve data flows

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, business administration, or related degree with accounting emphasis preferred.
Typically, 5 or more years of financial management experience and/or financial planning and analysis experience.
Strong analytical, planning, organization, budgeting, problem solving, negotiation, oral and written communication skills are essential to this role.
Ability to develop and interpret financial models for complex analysis.
Demonstrated ability to make effective decisions and influence without authority at all levels of leadership.
Ability to maintain confidentiality and manage multiple assignments concurrently while effectively prioritizing.
Ability to develop and present recommendations to management.
Ability to build rapport and acceptance at different levels of management and across various departments.

Nice To Haves

CPA or CMA designation is preferred.

Responsibilities

Produce and validate monthly corporate sales reports and dashboards; ensure data accuracy and timely distribution to stakeholders.
Perform detailed variance analysis (actual vs. plan / prior year), identify key drivers, and present concise insights and recommendations.
Build and maintain decision‑grade financial models and scenario analyses for product lines and initiatives.
Interact with executive officers, department heads, and other members of senior management to provide meaningful sales focused analysis and presents recommendations to aid in decision-making.
Proactively identify issues and facilitate discussions to resolve those issues across functions and departments.
Responsible for building complex financial models to predict and understand the business as well as actual results.
Understand drivers and internal metrics for tracking and comparing results.
Challenge assumptions made in forecasts and projections.
Make connections to understand and integrate internal best practices to best support overall business objectives.
Communicate results clearly to managers and senior stakeholders; prepare executive‑level commentary for leadership and board materials.
Apply creativity and innovation in identifying process improvements and other opportunities to provide insight.
May be responsible for developing strategies to best utilize systems and maintaining expertise over financial reporting systems.
Lead special projects and assignments related to sales reporting, financial reporting, process improvements, or other projects as requested by division leaders.
Partner with Data Solutions, Accounting, Sales Enablement, Corporate Strategy and business leaders to source data, resolve discrepancies, and improve data flows