Operational Excellence Consultant

Join to apply for the Operational Excellence Consultant role at Northwestern Mutual

Hybrid requirement:
Onsite in Franklin, WI Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday

Develop, identify, analyze, and improve existing business processes to improve product/service quality, increase efficiencies, reduce costs or waste, decrease errors or delays, and increase customer satisfaction. Gather business requirements and develop process maps and gap analysis to identify, recommend, and independently implement opportunities for improvement to meet business goals and objectives. Deliver superior business performance by relentlessly pursuing process excellence on behalf of our employees, field, and clients.

Architect experiences using business process management to design, analyze, implement, and control processes.

• Measure, analyze, and evaluate existing processes, collect data to identify root causes, perform cost benefit analysis, and identify improvement opportunities.
• Identify, implement, and maintain an effective process measurement system and define data collection plans (what data is, where it comes from) for each measure.
• Conduct current state process interviews and subject matter expert job shadows.
• Document processes according to Business Process Mapping standards.
• Develop, recommend, and independently implement solutions for process improvement, system enhancement, and operations efficiency that are aligned with business priorities.
• Develop, recommend, and independently implement methods to monitor and control redesigned processes and identify when processes begin degrading.
• Design, guide, and promote process architecture that aligns with business priorities.
• Promote and share best practices on process improvement activities across the organization.
• Research process improvement tools, techniques, and technology to determine potential impact and opportunities to provide additional value to the organization.
• Use documented processes to write detailed procedures that guide the user through the transaction.
• Demonstrate highly empathetic, customer‑centric service while aiding others in their learning and execution of transformational activities. Customer may include the field.
• Guide improvement initiatives and mindsets for business partners with solid emotional intelligence and political acumen.
• Collaborate with business leaders, technology, and other stakeholders to connect process architecture roadmap with operational decisions.
• Recognize opportunities to connect processes across journeys.

• Provide subject matter expertise in process improvement to product, operations, and/or technology teams in collaboration with other disciplines.

• Coordinate and facilitate cross‑functional project teams.
• Build commitment and understanding required to accomplish the improvement goals for the organization.
• Lead others through ambiguity with confidence and engagement.

• Proactively coach, develop, and train leaders and staff on principles, behaviors, methods, and tools to promote and sustain cultural transformation.
• Mentor others with less experience to grow their capabilities, knowledge, and skills.

• Bachelor’s degree or an equivalent.
• Minimum of 5 years of project management, manager, team lead, or business consultant experience in technology and/or business functions.
• Minimum Lean or Six Sigma Black Belt Certification (Lean or Six Sigma Master Black Belt experience preferred).
• Ability to communicate at various levels of the organization to increase engagement and understanding of process improvement processes, goals and benefits.
• Strong project management skills with the ability to lead or manage highly complex projects involving multiple stakeholders, process improvements, communications and difficult change management.
• Superior oral and written communications skills with the proven ability to build relationships and successfully negotiate issues with the home office and field.
• Demonstrated high level of organization and follow through with the ability to effectively identify and independently establish priorities and meet deadlines on multiple…