Operations & Tools Specialist

About the Job

At Northwestern Mutual, we want to be at the center of our clients’ financial lives. The Sophisticated Planning Strategies (SPS) Team partners with top firms to deliver best-in-class wealth planning services to high-net-worth clients.

This role sits at the intersection of operations and systems, supporting how our services are delivered today while helping improve the tools, processes, and reporting that enable us to scale. You’ll work on both core operational processes, projects, and supporting systems, making this role ideal for someone who enjoys structured, detail‑oriented work and is also motivated to solve problems and improve how things work.

• Execute and own complex operational processes that enable SPS services, including new offerings such as tax preparation and family office services

• Help develop and refine processes as services evolve, ensuring consistency, quality, and scalability

• Identify issues or inefficiencies and take initiative to recommend and implement improvements

• Partner with senior team members to build and enhance tools, dashboards, and reporting used to manage SPS operations

• Perform data validation, reporting updates, and system support activities

• Contribute to automation and system enhancements that improve efficiency and user experience

• Lead or support projects and initiatives that improve how work gets done across SPS

• Coordinate with stakeholders to gather input, track progress, and ensure timely execution

• Support changes impacting the field, including communication and implementation activities

• Work closely with cross‑functional partners across operations, technology, and the field

• Share knowledge, document processes, and help build team understanding and backup coverage

• Grow into increased ownership of processes, tools, or work streams over time

• 2–5 years of experience in operations, information systems, or a related field

• Experience executing and owning repeatable operational processes with strong attention to accuracy and detail

• Exposure to tools, workflows, reporting, or data‑supported operations

• Experience managing multiple priorities in a deadline‑driven environment

• Experience building reporting or dashboards (e.g., Power BI)

• Exposure to system integrations or data flows

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Information Systems, or a related field, or equivalent relevant professional experience

• 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.

• Continuous Improvement:
  Utilizes available methods to identify opportunities, executes solutions and measures impact to improve existing practices and processes. Implements feedback and lessons learned. Leverages the ability to identify and experiment assumptions and hypothesis for products to be able to refine and improve them at any stage of the life cycle.

• Interpersonal Savvy:
  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.

• Project Management:
  Delivers projects in alignment to business requirements, specific success criteria, and stakeholder expectations. Plans, manages, and completes projects keeping cost and time considerations in mind.

Pay Range
- Start: $70,320.00

Pay Range
- End: $

Structure 110:

Structure 115:

We believe in fairness and…