Senior Director, Talent Acquisition & Development Planning, Operations & Adoption

Northwestern Mutual; Milwaukee (WI); On-site; USD 160,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Northwestern Mutual is seeking a senior leader to direct the Operations Learning and Development function, overseeing enterprise compliance, regulatory and product qualification training, and the advisor credentialing program. You will drive talent strategy across field and home office teams, align with leaders, and manage a comprehensive measurement framework to guide investment in development.

You will partner with executives and department heads to build timely learning solutions, balance

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Education or related field.
• 8–10 years progressively responsible work experience, incl. 5–7 years in business or learning roles.
• Experience leading teams in operations or technology learning."

Responsibilities

• Leads operations learning/training teams with full people-leader responsibilities in a matrixed environment.
• Develops and implements modular blended learning and performance support solutions.
• Establishes KPIs, monitors progress, and informs leadership on investments in employee development.

Skills

Accountability

Change Adaptability

Business Influence

Cross Functional Partnering

Interpersonal Savvy

Learning Agility

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business/Education or related field

Job description

About the Job Leads team of learning professionals responsible for enterprise compliance, regulatory and product qualification training portfolio along with the strategy and execution of advisor credentialing and professional designations program. Leads the teams responsible for driving overall adoption of Talent Acquisition & Development initiatives across the field including the launch and ongoing execution for NM University. Serves as an integrator for the Talent Acquisition & Development division leadership team to support annual business operational planning and expense management.

What You’ll Do

Leads the operations learning and/or training teams, accountable for a full range of people leader responsibilities to effectively manage a matrixed and direct report team that executes on strategy and deliverables related the learning experience. Accountable for creating the culture and environment for a team that delivers world class learning experiences. Identifies and drives functional and department-level learning and performance support needs and capabilities across operations in the home office and field, partnering with cross functional field and home office learning teams by building and maintaining a long-term strategy and executing on it. Interfaces with executives, department heads and directors across the home office and field to effectively support the evolving needs of the business. Provides leadership and direction in the build out of relevant and timely modular blended learning and performance support solutions to meet the business needs. Establishes key performance metrics, monitors and assesses performance and trends relative to baseline and targeted goals. Shares performance progress with key stakeholders in order to continuously monitor progress, assess business impact and enable leaders to make informed decisions about where and how to invest in employee development. Collaborates with functional and department leadership to prioritize learning and performance support needs in a continuous learning and improvement environment. Ensures the effective performance of all learning assets and balancing delivery modalities within learning solutions through a comprehensive measurement strategy. Champions new learning strategies and solutions and ensures effective implementation, delivery, and quality of learning assets. Provides thought leadership on the importance of organizational effectiveness, performance management, talent management, change management and knowledge management initiatives in support of identified strategic objectives.

What You’ll Bring to the Role

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Education or a related field or an equivalent combination of professional related work experience. Minimum of 8-10 years of progressively responsible work experience to include a minimum of 5-7 years business or learning experience, either within Operations or Technology, with demonstrated ability to identify and drive business goals, objectives and key performance expectations. Strategic thinker who is able to balance current challenges and future possibilities and create strategic focus in an actionable manner for the business. Demonstrated ability to lead others through change in a fast paced, matrixed organization. Strong consulting skills; including the ability to lead, direct, negotiate and influence with and without direct authority at all levels of an organization.

Skills You Have

• Accountability - Holds self and their direct reports accountable for measurable, high-quality, timely, and cost-effective results, delivery, and execution. Determines objectives, sets priorities, delegates work to direct reports, and accepts responsibility for mistakes.
• Change Adaptability - Becomes adaptable in response to continual changes; shows an openness to new ways of working, new methods, work-in-progress improvements and changes and seamlessly navigates the changing business environment and adjusts behavior as appropriate to the situation.
• Business Influence - Collaborates, communicates and influences direct reports, stakeholders, and other business functions based on understanding of the marketplace, organizational needs, and the client as a people manager.
• 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.
• Interpersonal Savy - Relates well to all kinds of people inside and outside of the organization. Builds appropriate rapport, constructive and effective relationships. Uses diplomacy and tact and diffuses high-tension situations comfortably.
• Learning Agility & Critical Thinking - Pursues learning and obtains knowledge continuously in relevant fields, methods, or technologies in current and future practices; continuously utilizes critical thinking to identify opportunities, execute solutions, and measure impact to constantly improve existing practices and processes based on feedback, lessons learned, and market trends.

Compensation Range

Compensation Range: Pay Range - Start: $160,000.00 Pay Range - End: $240,000.00 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. At Northwestern Mutual, we believe relationships are built on trust. That our lives and our work matter. These beliefs launched our company over 160 years ago. Today, they're just a few of the reasons why people choose to build careers at Northwestern Mutual. What started in Milwaukee, WI has grown into 7,000+ home office professionals split across 3 campuses: New York City, Franklin and downtown Milwaukee (HQ) - each one bringing with it its own unique talent and culture. In a company with such a long and storied history, this may be the most exciting and important time to be a part of Northwestern Mutual as we are growing our digital and tech capabilities and are always on the lookout for bright, tech-savvy candidates.

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.