Accounting Operations Specialist

Northwestern Mutual; Milwaukee (WI); On-site; USD 61,000 - 91,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible work schedules

Concierge service

Comprehensive benefits

Employee resource groups

Job summary

Northwestern Mutual seeks a Wealth Accounting Specialist to ensure accurate accounting for investment products and services subsidiaries. The role covers month-end close, analysis, and system/process improvements, with collaboration across teams and auditors.

You'll prepare journal entries, reconcile accounts, and assist with regulatory filings and examinations, including SEC, FINRA, and OCC requests. Strong accounting background and attention to detail are essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in accounting or business with accounting emphasis.
• Minimum 1 year of relevant professional accounting experience.
• CPA designation or CPA candidate preferred.
• Experience with GAAP accounting in insurance/financial services.
• Proficiency with end-user reporting tools and strong communication.

Responsibilities

• Prepare accurate journal entries and reconcile accounts in a timely manner.
• Review transactions from internal systems and third-party vendors.
• Research and resolve reconciliation issues and variances.
• Analyze balance sheet and income statements for accuracy and trends.
• Assist system/process improvements and support auditors and regulators.

Skills

GAAP accounting

Journal entries

Account reconciliation

Financial analysis

Attention to detail

Effective communication

Auditing support

Regulatory knowledge

Education

Bachelor's degree in accounting

Business degree with accounting emphasis

Tools

End-user reporting tools

Job description

About The Job

The Wealth Accounting Specialist is a key member of the team responsible for ensuring complete and accurate accounting of finance-related activity related to Northwestern Mutual's investment products and services subsidiaries. The team performs a wide variety of accounting functions including month-end close, analysis, and participation in enterprise-wide system and/or process development activities. Responsibilities include accurate journal entry preparation, account reconciliation, resolving reconciliation issues, analyzing financial activity, assisting in system/process improvements, supporting auditors, and providing information for regulatory filings and examination requests.

What You'll Do

• Performs financial accounting functions related to the company's broker-dealer and wealth management products and processes to ensure conformance with GAAP accounting standards. Responsible for the accurate and timely preparation of journal entries and account reconciliations.
• Supports the review of the accounting transactions generated by numerous internal administrative and third-party vendor systems coupled with manual accounting.
• Researches and resolves reconciliation issues, imbalances, and open suspense items. Maintains an effective internal control environment.
• Analyzes balance sheet and income statement accounts to ensure the accuracy of accounting. Analyzes financial activity for alignment with expectations and the identification of trends or unusual items.
• Assists in efforts to implement system or process improvements, including those involving change in the operating departments or new products.
• Assists with internal or external auditors in their examination of annual financial statements and provides support for requested information.
• Provides information for regulatory filings, as well as examination requests from the SEC, FINRA, and OCC.

Skills You'll Have

• Bachelor's degree in accounting or business administration with accounting emphasis.
• Finance or other business degree with financial emphasis or equivalent relevant work experience may be considered.
• Minimum of 1 year of relevant professional accounting experience.
• Certified Public Accountant (CPA) designation or CPA candidate preferred.
• Experience with the application of statutory or GAAP accounting standards in the insurance or financial services industries.
• Proficiency in end-user reporting tools.
• Effective oral and written communication skills.
• Demonstrated analytical skills and the ability to work independently.
• Requires SEC fingerprinting.
• Focuses on specific details to spot and correct errors in advance of them being found and surpass quality expectations. Performs work with thorough proofreading for presentation, content, accuracy, and overall quality.
• Applies knowledge and utilizes systems that facilitate or automate one or more business application solutions, including linking rules to workflow management and requirements acquisition.
• Facilitates collaboration, communication, coordination, and planning with individuals and teams from different functions within the organization, and who have different areas of expertise, to achieve common goals
• Understands and applies knowledge of financial accounting principles, processes, and systems to drive accuracy, efficiency, and optimization of financial activities. Develops and adheres to controls that support financial integrity in accordance with internal control framework, mandated laws and regulations.
• Applies the knowledge of financial statements, financial analysis, budgeting, forecasting, and financial modeling to ensure decisions are fiscally sound and responsible.

This position has been classified as an Associated Person under NMIS guidelines and requires fingerprinting and completion of required form. Non-Registered Fingerprinted - FINRA

Compensation Range

Pay Range - Start: $60,880.00

Pay Range - End: $91,320.00

Geographic Specific Pay Structure

Structure 110: $66,960.00 USD - $100,440.00 USD

Structure 115: $70,000.00 USD - $105,000.00 USD

Northwestern Mutual is an equal opportunity employer that welcomes talented individuals of all backgrounds. 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.

Skills

Internal Controls (NM), Learning Agility & Critical Thinking (NM), Statutory Accounting (NM), Financial Reporting (NM), Cross Functional Partnering & Planning (NM), Business Automation (NM), Attention to Detail (NM), Financial Securities (NM), Financial Acumen (NM), Financial Accounting Principles (NM), Process Improvement (NM), Audits (NM)

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