Career Insights 

Administration

Communications
Public relations, corporate office and field communications, executive communications, consumer and policyowner relations, community relations, and creative services.

Compliance Department Opportunities
Promotes, monitors and provides oversight for compliance and best business practices that contribute to superior customer value, the sound management of risk and the sustained growth of the Northwestern Mutual.

Corporate and Government Relations
Government relations, industry trade association activities, public policy and community relations.

Corporate Services
Multi-campus facilities and security operations and supports functions such as mail, supply/distribution services for the field and home office, purchasing/supplier diversity, travel, food services, and records management/retention.

Human Resources
Development and administration of Company employee policies, compensation, benefits, corporate office recruitment, training, and diversity efforts.

Law Department
Legal services and counsel to all departments of the Company with approximately 70 attorneys specializing in Real Estate, Securities, Insurance, Corporate, Financial Services and Litigation.

Agencies

Field Development
Assists each Managing Partner in the development of their Network Office.

Field Services and Support
Contracting/licensing and registration, benefits, accounting, compensation processing/support, meeting(s) coordination, sales reporting, and awards and honors.

Field System Administration
Maintains and enhances the existing distribution plan and coordinates it with the Company's strategic plan.

Information Technology

Delivers predictable, high-value information technology systems, services and solutions that are an integral part of Northwestern Mutual’s corporate strategy.

Insurance Operations

Delivers expert, relationship-based service to our sales force and clients by underwriting and issuing policies, creating and managing accounts, answering product inquiries, and paying claims and benefits.

Investment Operations

• Northwestern Investment Management Company (real estate and securities)
• Mason Street Advisors (MSA)
• Treasury and Investment Operations
• Investment Products and Services: Products, Sales, Operations and Systems

Marketing

Directs Northwestern Mutual’s branding, advertising, and marketing communications strategies and programs for building the Company’s brands and market position.

Actuaries at Northwestern Mutual hold positions at all levels of the company from recent college graduates participating in our Actuarial Leadership Development Program (ALDP) to high level executives. Most of our actuaries start their careers as actuarial associates in our ALDP and many others get started even earlier through our summer internship program. Northwestern Mutual's Actuarial Department also has opportunities for people who work with information systems.

Download Actuarial Brochure

Information Systems Opportunities in the Actuarial Department

The Actuarial Information Systems team supports the following applications: Valuation & Financial Reporting, Retirement Benefits Administration, Reinsurance Administration, Rates/Values Routines, Experience Studies, Contract Support and Product Modeling and Pricing.

Career Progression
As an Actuarial Information Systems team member, you will be exposed to a wide variety of experiences and projects to help you develop a diverse base of skills and abilities. Every effort is made to find projects and positions that offer the best fit for the Company's needs as well as your skills and interests. The career path begins with the entry-level Programmer/Analyst role, progresses into more advanced technical and project coordination jobs, and can lead to the position of Information Systems Manager.

Technologies Used
The Actuarial Information Systems team develops mainframe and PC-based applications. The primary programming languages/tools used are C, C++, PL/I, Visual Basic, and SAS. Our systems staff members revise existing applications, making functional changes, general enhancements and new product updates. When business needs merit, the team also develops new applications.

Qualifications
Northwestern Mutual's Actuarial Information Systems division seeks talented individuals who welcome challenges and are excited about innovation and new technologies. Technical qualifications include:

1. A bachelor's degree in Computer Science, MIS, or Mathematics is preferred. However a bachelor's degree in another field with training or work experience indicating strong mathematical and systems knowledge will be considered.
2. Demonstrated analytical and problem solving skills.
3. Superior written and oral communication skills.
4. An interest in participating in diverse and challenging projects.

Actuarial Leadership Development Program (ALDP)

The ALDP is specifically designed to lay the career foundation for future company and industry leaders.

From the minute you join us as an ALDP associate, our focus is on providing you with solid opportunities for professional growth and advancement through career mentoring, planning and progression.

All ALDP associates have a chance to participate in a job rotation program. Rotations generally occur every year until sometime after Society of Actuaries (SoA) Fellowship is attained. Your rotation could be either inside or outside the department. But, regardless, your assignments will provide you with excellent opportunities to learn about the company.

Growth

• Extensive Exam Support
• Career Mentoring/Coaching
• Management/Leadership Development Classes
• SOA Meetings

Advancement

• Leadership Development
• Accelerated Career Path

Pay and Benefits

• Northwestern Mutual's benefits package ranks among the best in the country.

For more information about our ALDP program download our brochure.

Actuarial Internships

Northwestern Mutual offers a summer internship program for students interested in learning more about the actuarial profession. It lasts 10-12 weeks and is a great opportunity for you to gain valuable on-the-job experience. You'll be involved in the same projects as our full-time actuarial associates. You'll also get exposure to the overall operations of an insurance company. And, you'll have opportunities to gain career insights from fellow actuaries as well as high-ranking company executives.

• Flexible hours
• Networking opportunities
• Extras

The following requirements must be met in order for you to be considered for the Actuarial Summer Internship Program:

• An Actuarial Science, Mathematics, Business or related major.
• An interest in learning more about the actuarial profession.
• The ability to work 10 to 12 weeks during the summer.

For more information about our internship program download our brochure.

Through teamwork and world class technology, you will be responsible for developing innovative business systems and solutions that maintain our leadership position in the fast-changing financial services market. We have a long tradition of investing in IT to help provide the kind of business solutions that have contributed to our undeniable success. Because Northwestern Mutual is an information-based business, we take a thoughtful, deliberate approach to information technology.

Information Technology Opportunities

Northwestern Mutual's Information Systems department serves a wide variety of functions within the company. We seek highly qualified information technology professionals who have the ability to develop business computer systems and the surrounding technical infrastructure in a dynamic, multi-platform environment. Having a desire to be a strategic business partner is a requirement.

Types of Positions

Developer, Tester, Application Architect, Application Engineer
Partner with customers to research business requirements, and design and develop computer applications in a multi-platform environment. Work closely with architecture experts and technical support. Requires analytical skills, teamwork and the ability to apply design and development tools and techniques.

Team Lead, Business Analyst, Project Manager, Program Manager
Organize and direct projects of varying size. Delegate work to team members and communicate effectively with internal support teams and business department customers. Experience with system development methodologies required. Knowledge of iterative, model-driven development project management tools is needed.

Data Management, Data Architect
Create logical data models, design physical file layouts, analyze impact of data changes, provide consultation to project teams. Requires expertise in areas such as modeling, relational database concepts, physical database design and CASE tools.

Technical Specialist, Infrastructure Architect, Infrastructure Engineer
Support tools and environment such as Visual Basic, C/C++, web technologies, Java, LAN/WAN, Telecommunications, Electronic Output Systems, PL/1, Sybase, DB2, UNIX, Windows, Windows Server, or CICS, as well as associated mainframe and client/server hardware (IBM, HP, etc.). Research and resolve technical architecture issues. Consult with business development teams. Requires in-depth technical knowledge of a specialized nature.

Qualifications

• Talented individuals who welcome challenges and are excited about innovation and new technologies.
• Management Information Systems, Computer Science or Computer Engineering related majors are preferred. Other majors with Information Technology/Computer Science coursework or equivalent experience may be considered.
• Analytical and communications skills and the ability to produce quality results and meet deadlines are also required.

Information Technology Internships

Northwestern Mutual recognizes that students can bring a great deal of insight and intelligence to the Information Systems department. Our internship program allows you to apply your course work to new challenges and real life work experiences. You will have the opportunity to individualize your experience and gain exposure to a wide range of careers available in Information Technology.

Example Assignments

• Assist in the development and testing involved in redesigning a major business system, such as the Agents Commission Payment System or the Sales Reporting System.
• Participate in the modification and testing of an existing business system to accommodate the requirements of a new insurance or disability insurance product.
• Develop computer programs to provide various management information reports on different aspects of investment or insurance operations.

Qualifications

• Six to nine credits of Information Technology, Computer Engineering, or Computer Science related coursework
• GPA of 3.0 or above
• Ability to work well in a collaborative environment
• Ability to work on concurrent efforts, set priorities and meet deadlines

IT Career Development

The Information Systems department offers opportunity and support for career development. We offer on-the-job training and continuing education programs that provide the foundation for individual growth and career progress.

Your information technology career at Northwestern Mutual can develop along multiple career paths (business systems, technical systems, managerial) and in multiple roles.

Why Join Operations?

Operations is the heartbeat of a financial services company. It’s where business goes on the books, clients find answers, and companies make good on their promises.

Northwestern Mutual Operations employees are among the best in the industry at what we do. Would you like to be part of a team like ours?

Numbering more than 1,400 people strong, Operations offers high performers a wide range of opportunities to expand their skills and build a career. We value people from diverse educational and cultural backgrounds who seek and respect different viewpoints and experiences. We work hard to give our customers the best possible experience, yet still make time for fun, family and balance.

What We Do

As a member of Operations, you will work closely with one of the nation’s most productive sales forces and a large, loyal client base.

Operations comprises several departments that share common goals. We are all about helping our sales force bring more value to clients. We also work to deliver a financial security experience to our clients that seamlessly integrates services from our corporate and field offices.

Wide Range of Opportunities

Do you have what it takes to join the Operations team? If you are an exceptional student, college graduate or experienced professional, we likely have a position suited to your skill set.

We hire creative, motivated people who demonstrate:

• Excellent customer focus
• Problem solving
• Approachability
• Time management

If you have these core skills, our robust training and mentoring programs will take you the rest of the way. Here are four examples of opportunities that might be right for you:

Claims: Deliver on Our Promises We’re in business to pay claims. In 2012, we paid more than $7.3 billion in insurance benefits to policyowners and their beneficiaries. Our claims experts investigate and analyze data to determine the amount of funds to send an insured for his or her disability, long-term care or death claim. Their efforts help provide peace of mind to families and businesses in a time of need. Learn more.

Watch our claims experts in action

Service: Deliver Expert Guidance to Our Sales Force and Clients We help customers travel smoothly on their path to financial security. Our service experts take calls and handle casework to help our sales force and clients on a wide range of insurance and investment topics. On average we field more than 2.8 million calls per year. On any given day, you might open a new insurance or investment account, set up a payment plan or reinstate a lapsed policy. Learn more.

View a day in the life of a service pro

Underwriting: Central to Our Success Underwriters evaluate medical, financial and other risk information to determine the effect these factors have on life, disability or long-term care insurance coverage. They work with doctors, nurses, CPA staff and our sales force to provide the best possible coverage. In 2012, our underwriters issued nearly 431,000 life, disability and long-term care policies totaling more than $135 billion of insurance coverage. Learn more.

Tour the underwriting career

Internships: Hands on Experience at a ‘Fortune 500’ Company
You will not have to get coffee or file all day. Our paid internships give you a chance to test-drive a career in an underwriting, claims or service position and, potentially, find full-time work after graduation. If you are a college student in your junior year or above, with successful completion of coursework and/or related experience, Operations might just be your ticket.

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