GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES

The responsibilities of the Director of Financial Planning are to provide leadership and oversight of the Centralized Financial Planning Services (CFPS) team’s day-to-day operations. This individual also directly assists top advisors and their teams in creating and implementing financial plans for their clients. Additionally, the Director of Financial Planning provides case consultation and education to grow and strengthen financial advisors’ integrated planning practices.

Specific responsibilities include but will not be limited to:

Operational Responsibilities

• Serve as team lead and manage the overall success of the business unit
• Act as a liaison with Home Office headquarters in Milwaukee
• Track and measure work received and completed within the unit with weekly report to top company leadership
• Measure and report on the success of the individual subscriber’s/financial advisor’s practice
• Set and adhere to standards such as services offered, pricing, turnaround times, and work quality
• Align services provided across San Diego and Hawaii to ensure a consistent experience for both the advisor and client
• Establish and maintain subscriber agreements with advisors
• Recommend and implement process improvements in daily operations to enhance quality and productivity

Leadership Responsibilities

• Drive a planning culture within the office in line with Northwestern Mutual’s mission, vision, and values
• Partner with other leaders in the office to drive early productivity with new advisors, providing training, educational recommendations, coaching, and feedback to ensure success
• Work closely with office supervision leaders to ensure compliance by advisors and the financial planning department staff with all applicable laws, regulations, and company rules related to the sale and servicing of insurance and securities products.
• Develop CFPS team members to their full potential and assist in creating development plans for each
• Run daily and weekly CFPS team meetings (including creating and implementing an agenda for these meetings)

Consultation and Education

• Promote, utilize, and reinforce a planning culture aligned to Northwestern Mutual’s planning philosophy and best practices
• Provide weekly, individual case consultation to subscribers
• Reinforce advisors’ development and growth goals
• Identify and provide additional resources/education to advisors as needed
• Own quarterly CFPS training summits and provide other training as requested (i.e., in Financial Planning Academy, weekly district team meetings, etc.)
• Draft and send monthly CFPS newsletter

Case Preparation

• Prepare financial planning analysis and recommendations at the request of and in collaboration with advisors
• Own investment tasks such as rollover calls, creating Morningstar reports, etc. at the direction of advisors
• Create annual review kits for clients

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• Life, Accident & Health Insurance licenses
• Series 7 & 63
• CFP Designation
• Advisory services and/or broker/dealer experience with demonstrated investment knowledge and understanding of markets, products, platforms, and services
• Bachelor’s Degree in business, finance and/or related industry experience

Preferred

• Minimum of 5 years of financial services industry experience
• Ability to assess client financial situations and conduct relevant financial analysis
• Excellent communication and coaching skills
• Experience creating and implementing training programs
• Strong analytical and problem solving ability
• Attention to detail, accuracy, and reliability with the ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment
• Committed to professional development and ongoing education, pursuing additional industry designations

Physical and Mental Demands

The physical and mental demands described here are representative of those that must be met by employees to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Physical Demands

While performing the duties of this job, employees are regularly required to sit, walk and stand; talk or hear, both in person and by telephone; use hands repetitively to finger, handle, feel or operate standard office equipment such as computers and printers; reach with hands and arms; and lift up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision and the ability to adjust focus. Regular, predictable attendance is required.

Mental Demands

While performing the duties of this job, employees are regularly required to use written and oral communication skills; read and interpret data, information and documents; analyze and solve non-routine administrative problems; use math and mathematical reasoning; observe and interpret situations; learn and apply new information or skills; perform detailed work on multiple, concurrent tasks; work under deadlines with frequent interruptions; and interact with colleagues, clients, and others encountered in the course of work, some of whom may be dissatisfied individuals.

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this class. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Employees work under typical office conditions, and the noise level is moderate (i.e. business office with computers, phone, and printers, light traffic).

The above information on this description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.