Manager Life Benefits

Summary

Characterized by proactively identifying, recommending, and implementing changes to policies and procedures to enhance effectiveness and efficiency of the business unit.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

• May assist in the strategic direction and implementation of the business unit.

• Coordinates and supervises the daily activities of business support, technical or production staff in an assigned Operations area.

• Oversee the day-to-day operations of the area including developing, recommending and implementing new policies and procedures, ensuring goal attainment, and complying with applicable laws and regulations.

• Proactively evaluates current workflow to develop and implement policy/procedure changes and/or service enhancements as a means of continually seeking opportunities to increase work efficiencies.

• Responsible for all people management activities including the direct management of other employees directing, monitoring and evaluating day to day workflow/quality; assessing and maintaining performance standards and measures, hiring and retention of staff and employee discipline.

• Proactively leads efforts to manage cultural and process/procedural change across the department.

• Accountable for managing financial resources to include planning/budgeting.

• Assists senior management in the development of area's annual operational plan.

• Responsible for maximum operational efficiency through establishing, directing and coordinating the team's service activities, analysis of customer satisfaction and identifying changing service demands.

• Primarily focused on the execution of operational plan over the next year.

• Independently leads complex business area projects/support assignments with decision making authority and/or participates in cross-departmental projects.

• Recommends continuous improvements by identifying technical and service gaps, independently seeks and implements solutions.

• Problems and issues have a variety of interpretations and require careful evaluation and reference to many varied options impacting both the customer, financial representative and the business.

• Assignments require reviewing diverse procedures and choosing from among many options where clear alternatives do not exist.

• May be sought out for their input and the ability to contribute to direction setting at a departmental level.

• Removes obstacles from group members to solving problems.

• Considers the long-term effect of solutions to include risk analysis

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business or related field or an equivalent combination of education and progressively responsible work experience.

• Minimum of five years related experience to include expertise in operations and/or the designated investment products (if applicable) that the position supports.

• Proven leadership skills, working with diverse teams in an operational environment where effective supervision and coaching were demonstrated. Typically, this experience is gained by having 2 or more years of people management experience.

• Analytical ability, judgment and decision making.

• Good management, human relations and interpersonal skills to manage a group of people.

• Experience with process improvement and workflow. Advocate for Continuous Learning Improvement efforts.

• Good project management experience to include operational management and policies and procedures development.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and organizational skills.

• Previous experience with continuous learning and improvement, specifically with Rapid Improvement Events (RIE) preferred.

Desired Skills

• Adaptive Communication (Advanced)
• Decision Making (Advanced)
• Prioritization (Advanced)
• Problem Management (Advanced)
• Performance Management & Reporting (Advanced)
• Coaching & Mentoring (Advanced)
• Change Management (Advanced)
• Claims Oversight (Advanced)
• Accountability (Intermediate)
• Business influence (Intermediate)
• Strategic Vision & Planning (Beginner)
• Talent Development (Intermediate)

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

Required Certifications:

Northwestern Mutual pays on a geographic-specific salary structure and placement in the salary range for this position will be determined by a number of factors including the skills, education, training, credentials and experience of the candidate; the scope, complexity as well as the cost of labor in the market; and other conditions of employment. At Northwestern Mutual, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their role and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. Please note that the salary range listed in the posting is the standard pay structure. Positions in certain locations (such as California) may provide an increase on the standard pay structure based on the location. Please click here for additional information relating to location-based pay structures.

We are an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age or status as a protected veteran, or any other characteristic protected by law.

If you work or would be working in California, Colorado, New York City, Washington or outside of a Corporate location, please click here for information pertaining to compensation and benefits.