Financial Planning Business Consultant

Northwestern Mutual; Madison (WI); On-site; USD 89,000 - 134,000; Full time

Job summary

Northwestern Mutual is seeking a seasoned professional to partner with financial advisors to build and grow integrated planning practices across our field offices. You will provide in-depth planning consultation, support product options, and help implement standardized processes that align with NM’s planning philosophy.

You will lead initiatives to develop tools, training, and resources, while refining workflows and driving change management to boost productivity and client outcomes.

Qualifications

• FINRA Series 7 required.
• Bachelor’s degree in business, finance or related field.
• 3–5 years of financial services experience including both brokerage and advisory platforms with demonstrated investment knowledge and understanding of markets, products, platforms and services.
• Ability to assess client financial situations and analyze portfolios to develop and implement comprehensive plans aligned with client goals.
• Strong consultation, organizational and communication skills including ability to establish rapport at all levels of the organization.

Responsibilities

• Partners with financial advisors to help them build and grow integrated planning practices.
• Provides in-depth consultation and support to advisors on financial planning, sales processes, products and implementation.
• Identifies and develops best practices, tools, training and resources needed to introduce successful financial planning services to the field.
• Leads projects to enhance centralized service models; drive adoption of Northwestern Mutual’s planning and investment philosophies; and support the growth of integrated advisors in the field.
• Supports workflow refinement, team development and change management in alignment with Northwestern Mutual’s evolving distribution strategy.
• Coaches on the presentation of financial plans, investment cases and successful client presentation including handling client objections.
• Analyzes workflows and business opportunities to address program implementation obstacles and define centralized planning services to enhance retention and productivity of financial representatives and field offices.

Skills

Adaptive Communication

Analytical Thinking

Cross Functional Partnering & Planning

Customer, Market & Ecosystem Knowledge

Financial Case Consultation & Res.

Education

Bachelor’s degree in business/finance

Tools

FINRA Series 7

SIE - FINRA

Job description

What You’ll Do:

• Enhances field productivity and profitability by partnering with financial advisors to help them build and grow integrated planning practices.
• Provides in-depth consultation and support to advisors on financial planning, sales processes, products and implementation.
• Identifies and develops best practices, tools, training and resources needed to introduce successful financial planning services to the field.
• Leads projects to enhance centralized service models; drive adoption of Northwestern Mutual’s planning and investment philosophies; and support the growth of integrated advisors in the field.
• Supports workflow refinement, team development and change management in alignment with Northwestern Mutual’s evolving distribution strategy.
• Consults with advisor on financial planning, product options, suitability, and investment concepts and strategies.
• Analyzes clients’ financial goals, current situation and portfolio. Thoroughly documents case notes and thought process for recommendations presented to advisors. Develops appropriate recommendation options to meet client needs, risk profile, time horizon and preferences.
• Coaches on the presentation of financial plans, investment cases and successful client presentation including handling client objections.
• Leads projects to enhance the program to increase alignment with planning, integrate investments and increase productivity in field offices. This includes development of tools, training and other materials needed to introduce and expand planning related services.
• Leads training and education through designing, planning, coordinating and presenting at on topics including program administration, financial planning, investments, technology and workflow.
• Analyzes workflows and business opportunities to address program implementation obstacles and define centralized planning services to enhance retention and productivity of financial representatives and field offices.
• Other responsibilities may be assigned as necessary.

What You’ll Bring to the Role:

• FINRA Series 7 required.
• Bachelor’s degree in business, finance or related field.
• Minimum 3-5 years of financial services experience including both brokerage and advisory investment platforms with demonstrated investment knowledge and understanding of markets, products, platforms and services.
• Ability to assess client financial situations and analyze portfolios to develop and implement comprehensive plans aligned with client goals.
• Confidence in counseling representatives on a variety of proactive approaches and solutions.
• Strong analytical skills, problem solving, attention to detail and accuracy.
• Strong consultation, organizational and communication skills including ability to establish rapport at all levels of the organization.
• High degree of self-motivation with leadership and initiative in sharing information, contributing towards group goals and accepting responsibility for results.
• 3 years as a financial planner or investment sales producer preferred
• Financial Planning designations desired. (CLU, ChFC, RICP, CFP preferred.)
• Ability to travel as needed.

Skills You Have:

• Adaptive Communication - Formulates strategies to be used to convey complex information about services, products, systems, or processes to targeted audiences; communicates and liaises between technical and non-technical audiences.
• Analytical Thinking - Organizes and compares various aspects of a situation to comprehend and identify key or underlying complex issues through the use of quantitative data and analysis; leverages strong business acumen, problem solving, and interpersonal skills to think critically about situations from multiple perspectives and consistently seeks ways to improve processes.
• Cross Functional Partnering & Planning - 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.
• Customer, Market & Ecosystem Knowledge - Understanding of market or customer-specific product use-cases, ecosystem dependencies, and competitor offerings. Ability to conduct or interpret competitive analysis of features with key competitive products.
• Financial Case Consultation & Resolution - Provides financial analysis and recommendations to resolve complex financial issues related to cases. Reviews and analyzes financial statements, tax returns, complex legal documents, calculates financial values and ratios, and interprets complex financial concepts and / or NM products to provide guidance and recommendations to other professionals such as underwriters, claims analysts, financial representatives, and clients.

This position has been classified as a Registered Representative under NMIS guidelines and requires fingerprinting. Series 7 - FINRA, SIE - FINRA

Compensation Range:Pay Range - Start:$89,360.00 Pay Range - End:$134,040.00

Geographic Specific Pay Structure:Structure 110:Structure 115:

We believe in fairness and transparency. It’s why we share the salary range for most of our roles. However, final salaries are based on a number of factors, including the skills and experience of the candidate; the current market; location of the candidate; and other factors uncovered in the hiring process. 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,

Grow your career with a best-in-class company that puts our clients’ interests at the center of all we do.

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.