Financial Planning & Analysis Analyst

About the Job Support the Company's overall expense management process, focusing on ensuring optimal use of Company resources and ultimately protecting or maintaining product value and financial strength either at the corporate level or for an assigned function/department. Develop timely and accurate expense reporting and provide value-added expense management consultation and analysis. This includes consulting with business partners and building financial models to evaluate strategic decisions, providing financial analysis, developing forecasts and budgets, comparing expectations to peers and/or internal expectations, evaluating and presenting options and prioritizing solutions within the department. May interact with executive officers, department heads, and other members of senior management to provide meaningful expense management consultation and analysis, and presents recommendations to aid in decision‑making. What You'll Do Identify issues for routine casework and participate in discussions to resolve those issues across departments. Make decisions on more complex casework after consulting with higher level staff. Support managers and directors to understand department operations and resulting cost structure. Coordinate monthly reporting of all expenses to meet financial reporting needs of the department. Monitor spend, develop forecasts and budgets, and analyze expense results. Apply creativity and innovation in identifying process improvements and other opportunities for the departments to better manage expenses or reduce spend. Build financial models to predict and understand the business as well as actual results. Understand cost drivers, internal metrics, unit costs and benchmarking for tracking and comparing results. Challenge assumptions made in forecasts and projections. Ensure that all expense activity follows the appropriate accounting controls, policies and procedures and is appropriately accounted for on the general ledger in compliance with statutory and/or GAAP accounting standards. May be responsible for maintaining aspects of the financial reporting systems (such as PeopleSoft, IBM TM1 system, Apptio, or Project Portfolio Management). May be responsible for corporate expense projections, metrics, fixed assets, accounting for payroll, fixed assets and intercompany charges between entities, and procure-to-pay process or other corporate processes. Support special projects and assignments related to expense management, product line allocations, financial reporting, process improvements, or other projects as requested by division leaders. May collaborate with other enterprise resources in Human Resources, Corporate Strategy or Planning Coordinators. Qualifications Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, business administration, or related degree with accounting emphasis preferred. Typically three or more years of financial management experience and/or financial planning and analysis experience. Analytical, planning, organization, budgeting, problem solving, negotiation, oral, and written communication skills are essential. Ability to develop and interpret financial models for analysis. Ability to maintain confidentiality and manage multiple assignments concurrently while effectively prioritizing. Ability to develop and present recommendations to management. Ability to communicate clearly with peers and at different levels of management within finance and across the company. CPA or CMA designation preferred. Compensation Pay Range – Start: $65,440.00 / End: $98,160.00. Geographic Specific Pay Structure: Structure 110: $72,000.00 – $108,000.00; Structure 115: $75,280.00 – $112,920.00. Northwestern Mutual is an equal opportunity employer that welcomes talented individuals of all backgrounds. #J-18808-Ljbffr