Senior Director, Insights Program Management

At Northwestern Mutual, we are strong, innovative and growing. We invest in our people. We care and make a positive difference.
Summary:
Our aspiration is to be a data-driven, fact base led organization. Recently reimagined within the Strategy function, the Enterprise Insights Center of Excellence seeks to instill and sustain changes that lead to more objective, consistent, and strategically advantageous decision-making through the usage of NM's valuable data and information. We are seeking a dynamic and experienced individual to provide leadership and direction to individuals and teams striving to implement sustainable enterprise-wide process transformation initiatives that increase in trustworthiness and reliability of the data and information available and consumed throughout the enterprise.
Primary Duties & Responsibilities:
Drive Business Performance

• Identify and lead projects/programs, focusing on identifying gaps, best practices and the leveraging data to deliver proactive solutions and recommendations that resolve highly complex or unusual business challenges.
• Resolve challenging, cross-organizational problems that span multiple priorities or departments through the efficient and effective use of data and information.
• Shape and influence business strategies, ensuring company strategy considers data and information, which is then delivered throughout project/program work.
• Deliver outcomes that simplify business processes or streamline work
• Develop short- and long-range strategic plans, ensure business plans and objectives and are aligned with functional strategies.
• Accomplish stated project/program objectives through usage of proven project management rigor.

Subject Matter Expertise

• Provide expert-level subject matter expertise in process improvement to product, operations, and/or technology teams in collaboration with other disciplines.
• Be a change agent on the convergence of key metrics and measurements. Work to leverage single, reliable datasets, sourced from strategic data platforms.
• Develop, recommend, and implement solutions for process improvement, system enhancement, data integrity, and operations efficiency that are aligned with business strategies.
• Find efficiencies in how we operate. Selflessly identify the best practices existing throughout the organization and advocate for enterprise adoption.
• Establish and maintain organizational savviness, an executive presence and high level of business acumen to unearth issues, opportunities, problems, etc.

Leadership and Talent Development

• Lead teams to drive improvements, overcoming notable risk and complexity, that have broad impact on the business, while maintaining business and enterprise perspective.
• Establish and manage relationships across the function and organization to effectively manage projects/programs. Integrate staff from various functions to deliver large-scale, complex, cross-functional projects while maintaining an enterprise perspective.
• Lead others through ambiguity with confidence and engagement.
• Foster an environment of continuous learning, curiosity, and ambiguity.
• Develop and grow the team through training, mentoring, and coaching while also supplementing staff as needed. Maintain a highly engaged, motivated, effective organization.
• Execute the full range of managerial responsibilities including communication, coaching and staff development, performance management, salary administration, and staffing decisions.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in business or related field and minimum 10 years of progressively responsible management-level experience, including a mix of people leader and project/portfolio management responsibilities, with numerous experiences leading complex, large-scale projects/programs.
• Aspiration and track record for finding a better way to do things, driven to challenge status-quo.
• Strong organizational and leadership skills demonstrated by proven experience in managing people, projects, and processes.
• Organizational agility to work across boundaries, ability to influence and collaborate with all levels on solutions that benefit the enterprise over the department.
• Proven experience in leading change, especially when ambiguity and paradox exist.
• Exceptional business acumen with a focus on improving business outcomes by confidently using data and information that is sound and trustworthy.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, with attention to detail and a data-first mindset
• Facilitation and team building skills; ability to play an active, operational, and communicative role.
• Interpersonal savvy and comfort interacting with and presenting to all levels of the organization, including senior leaders.
• High degree of self-motivation and initiative in sharing information, contributing towards group goals, and accepting responsibility for results.
• Experience in strategic and operational planning and leading multiple large, complex, cross-functional projects with organization-wide impact.
• Strong project management skills with the ability to lead and manage highly complex projects/programs involving multiple stakeholders.
• Preferred Qualification: Demonstratable experience in process improvement methodologies (Lean, Six Sigma or similar) with certification.
• Preferred Qualifications: Degree with a project management emphasis or PMI certification.

Compensation Range:
Pay Range - Start:
$133,140.00
Pay Range - End:
$247,260.00
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.
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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