Financial Analyst

Northwestern Mutual; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 77,000 - 115,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive medical coverage

Employer 401(k) with company match

Discretionary bonus opportunities

Generous PTO & holidays

Life and disability insurance

Career growth opportunities

Licensing and professional development

Job summary

Northwestern Mutual Houston is seeking a Financial Analyst to support financial planning, budgeting, and reporting for the network office and advisors. You will build models, track performance, and assist leadership with data-driven decisions.

The role requires 3+ years in financial modeling, strong Excel skills, and exceptional attention to detail in a deadline-driven environment. A base salary is offered with a discretionary bonus and comprehensive benefits.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance preferred.
• Strong MS Excel proficiency required.
• Excellent numerical and analytical abilities.
• Clear, professional communication at all levels.
• Ability to meet tight deadlines with accuracy.
• 3+ years in financial modeling, reporting, budgeting, and payroll processes.

Responsibilities

• Provide financial planning, reporting, and analysis support for the Network Office and Financial Advisors.
• Assist with budgeting, forecasting, and long-term planning.
• Prepare and reconcile monthly financial statements, variance analyses, and dashboards.
• Support accounting cycles: AP/AR, G/L entries, reconciliations, and cash flow forecasting.
• Process commissions, manage calendars, and ensure timely payments.
• Administer payroll and benefits for office staff; manage 401(k) deferrals and match.

Skills

Analytical skills

Quantitative skills

Communication

Attention to detail

Deadline-driven

Education

Bachelor’s in accounting or finance

Tools

MS Excel

Job description

Northwestern Mutual has been helping people and businesses achieve financial security for more than 165 years. Through a comprehensive planning approach, Northwestern Mutual combines the expertise of its financial professionals with a personalized digital experience and industry-leading products to help its clients plan for what's most important. With nearly $700 billion of total assets being managed across the company's institutional portfolio as well as retail investment client portfolios, more than $38 billion in revenues, and $2.4 trillion worth of life insurance protection in force, Northwestern Mutual delivers financial security to more than five million people with life, disability income and long-term care insurance, annuities, and brokerage and advisory services. Northwestern Mutual ranked 109 on the 2025 FORTUNE 500 and was recognized by FORTUNE® as one of the "World's Most Admired" life insurance companies in 2026.

The Financial Analyst collaborates with the highest-level to manage financial functions and assess performance of the firm. The ideal candidate must have superb organization skills, exceptional attention to detail, and high ownership of responsibilities. This is a critical, deadline-driven role in an organization with high growth trajectory - a great opportunity for those who value broad responsibilities and seek opportunities for accelerated professional growth.

This position is full-time, direct hire, located in Houston, Texas.

Responsibilities

Financial, Analytical and Reporting Functions

• Provide financial planning, reporting, and analysis support for the Network Office and Financial Advisors.
• Co-lead the annual office production goal setting, financial budgeting, long-term forecasting, and business planning processes.
• Prepare and maintain daily, weekly, and monthly reporting, including sales and production results, activity tracking, contest qualifications, program payments, cash flow, and budget variance reporting.
• Enhance and maintain reporting tools, dashboards, and performance tracking systems to improve data accessibility, reporting efficiency, and business decision-making.
• Track advisor activity, production stipends, and program qualifications; analyze program effectiveness and identify opportunities to improve performance.
• Build financial models and provide analytical support to office leaders and Financial Advisors to inform business decisions.
• Review and track leadership compensation splits, advisor incentives, and office cost-sharing arrangements.
• Support leadership with ad hoc projects, scenario analysis, ROI evaluation, performance assessment, and related reporting.

Accounting Functions

• Maintain accurate accounting records for the office using Northwestern Mutual’s Field Financial System.
• Manage the month-end close process, including timely review, reconciliation, and reporting activities.
• Oversee monthly accounts payable, accounts receivable, and credit card payment processes.
• Prepare, review, and reconcile general ledger entries, including the classification of office credit card charges.
• Manage interoffice invoicing, cost allocations, and shared expense calculations.
• Monitor banking activity and complete monthly bank reconciliations.
• Prepare and maintain semi-monthly cash flow forecasts to support liquidity planning and financial decision-making.
• Review monthly financial statements, production results, and variance analyses to evaluate office performance, identify trends, and support leadership decision-making.
• Support monthly financial reviews with office leadership and prepare required financial reporting submissions.
• Administer year-end 1099 reporting and issuance for the office.
• Partner with the outside CPA on tax payments, preparation, and filing of annual federal and state tax returns.
• Partner with technology and office teams to maintain accurate fixed-asset and inventory records.

Commissions Processing

• Process semi-monthly Financial Representative (FR) commissions payments - review/release ACH, address advisor questions and administer commission escrow and production allowance.
• Oversee manual compensation and fee-split calculations performed by the external accounting team, ensuring accuracy and compliance with established compensation arrangements.
• Maintain commission and fee-split calculation schedules and ensure all compensation data remains accurate and current.
• Manage commission processing calendars and payment timelines to ensure all payment deadlines are met.
• Administer financial representative rent recoveries and office usage charges.
• Manage commission processing timelines and payment calendars to ensure all deadlines are met.
• Monitor financial representative indebtedness and process collection procedures, as necessary.
• Administer and track Financial Representative mobility activities and associated compensation impacts.

Staff Payroll & Benefits Administration

• Administer and process payroll activities for office staff.
• Administer and process 401(k) plan deferrals and employer match.
• Maintain annual recordkeeping for 401(k) plan.
• Administer and input all new hires, employee Adds/Changes/Deletes, for payroll, health benefits, retirement plans, status changes, and data updates as required.

Success in This Role

• 100% accuracy on reporting.
• Meet accounting, commissions, and reporting deadlines with no exception.
• Hold external accounting team accountable on accuracy and timeliness of deliverables.
• Hold office staff accountable for delivering operation excellence.
• Exceptional customer service feedback based on responsiveness, quality of work and helpfulness.
• Always growing personally and professionally and improving organization performance by bringing Insights, Input, Ingenuity, and Initiatives daily.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance preferred.
• Strong proficiency in MS Excel, including formulas and functions, pivot tables, VLOOKUP’s, nested IF statements, including advanced functions.
• Possess strong quantitative and analytical skills.
• Excellent communication skills, able to communicate professionally at all levels.
• High sense of urgency and ability to meet deadlines with minimal supervision.
• Impeccable attention to detail with superb organization skills and ability to multi-task.
• Minimum 3 years of financial modeling and projection, financial reporting, budgeting, and accounting cycle and payroll management experience.
• Ability to maintain utmost confidentiality.

Northwestern Mutual Houston is committed to building a team that loves what they do and creating a work environment that supports long-term career growth. The compensation package includes:

• Comprehensive medical coverage with employer contribution.
• Safe Harbor 401(k) with employer match.
• Annual discretionary bonus opportunity.
• Generous paid time off (PTO) and holiday pay.
• Employer-paid life and disability insurance.
• Dynamic career growth opportunities.
• Employer-sponsored licensing, professional development, and education opportunities.
• Flexible work arrangements, where applicable.

Base salary: $77,000-$115,000 annually, based on experience and qualifications.

Eligible for a discretionary bonus based on performance and execution excellence.

OMNI and our clients are Equal Opportunity Employers.