Financial Planning and Analysis Associate

At Northwestern Mutual, we are strong, innovative and growing. We invest in our people. We care and make a positive difference.

Summary

Support the Company's overall expense management process, focusing on ensuring optimal use of Company resources and ultimately protecting or maintaining product value and financial strength either at the corporate level or for an assigned department. Update and develop timely and accurate expense reporting and provide value-added expense management analysis. Support business partners and update or enhance financial models to evaluate strategic decisions, provide financial analysis, develop forecasts and budgets, compare expectations to peers and/or internal expectations, and provide data to support the evaluation of options and prioritization of solutions.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

• Consult with department financial leadership and interacts with business partners across the company to provide meaningful expense management analysis, and provide data to aid in decision-making.

• Coordinate monthly reporting of assigned account categories. Monitor spend, update forecasts, and budget and analyze expense results.

• Apply creativity and innovation in identifying process improvements and other opportunities to better manage expenses, reduce spend or create efficiencies within expense management processes.

• Contribute to the development and maintenance of financial models to predict and understand the business as well as actual results. Report on cost drivers, internal metrics, unit costs, variance analysis and expense benchmarking.

• Assure that assigned account categories follow the appropriate accounting controls, policies and procedures and is appropriately accounted for on the general ledger in compliance with statutory and/or GAAP accounting standards.

• Manage and maintain various aspects of the monthly expense close process, including processing expense chargebacks, payroll verification, processing journal entries and expense system transactions, publishing final expense results in the expense management system, and performing reconciliations and preparing reports.

• May be responsible for data input and maintaining financial reporting systems (Such as PeopleSoft or IBM TM1 system).

• May be responsible for preparing corporate expense projections and metrics, procure to pay process or other corporate processes.

• May participate in special projects and assignments related to expense management, product line allocations, financial reporting, process improvements, or other projects as requested by division leaders.

• May collaborate with other enterprise resources in as needed.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, business administration, or related degree with accounting or finance emphasis preferred.

• Demonstrated accounting, financial management and/or financial planning and analysis experience is preferred.

• Analytical, planning, organization, budgeting, problem solving, oral and written communication skills are desired.

• Strong excel skills and aptitude to learn financial systems and reporting tools.

• Ability to maintain confidentiality and manage multiple assignments concurrently while effectively prioritizing.

• Ability to analyze and present data in a summary format.

• Ability to communicate clearly with peers and different levels of management within finance and across the company.

• Working towards CPA or CMA designation is preferred.

Skills-Proficiency Level:

Accounting - Intermediate
Budgeting - Basic
Cost Forecasting - Basic
Expense Management - Basic
Financial Analysis - Intermediate
Financial Modeling - Intermediate
Financial Reporting - Basic
Financial Reporting Systems - Basic
Negotiation - Basic
Reconciliations - Basic

#LI-Hybrid

Compensation Range:

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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 c lick here for additional information relating to location-based pay structures.

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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.

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 commitment to diversity and inclusion.

• Flexible work schedules
• Concierge service
• Comprehensive benefits
• Employee resource groups