Investment Associate

Job Description

Job Description

Cowell Financial is an established, comprehensive financial advisory firm located in the beautiful Brainerd Lakes Area. We deliver thoughtful, personalized financial planning and investment strategies with a goal of helping clients achieve clarity and long-term financial freedom. We’re seeking an  Investment Associate who is passionate about financial planning, enjoys analytical work, and wants to grow their career in a collaborative, client-first environment.

The  Investment Associate  will play a central role in implementing Cowell Financial’s planning and wealth philosophies, participating in investment committee meetings, managing investment operations, and delivering high-quality portfolio analysis and client-focused recommendations. This role blends technical investment work with client-service responsibilities and offers strong opportunities for professional development and advancement.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Investment strategy & portfolio management
  • Implement and uphold Cowell Financial’s planning and wealth management philosophies across client accounts
  • Participate actively in investment committee meetings and help translate committee decisions into client actions
  • Perform asset allocation, asset location, and time-weighted asset allocation analysis
  • Implement proactive rebalancing, tax-loss/gain harvesting, Roth conversions, charitable giving strategies, and strategic distribution planning
  • Prepare and execute retirement distribution plans, RMDs, cash reserve strategies, and other retirement-focused initiatives
• Expense management & product oversight
  • Monitor share classes (A, B, C, institutional), annuities, advisory pricing, LOI/breakpoints and CDSC
  • Maintain awareness of and optimize expenses across client portfolios, including whole-family aggregated advisory pricing and SIMPLE IRA breakpoints
  • Maintain entity tax-type and SIMPLE IRA eligibility requirements
• Retirement & qualified plan support
  • Provide general 401(k) allocation observations per service models and client need
  • Assist with in-service distributions, reminders for automatic rebalancing of employer plans, and coordination with TPAs
  • Maintain up-to-date Plan Highlights documentation and ensure retirement account deposits ahead of tax filing deadlines
• Trading & investment operations
  • Place trades, log checks/orders, execute ACHs and wires, and manage account operational tasks across advisory, brokerage, variable annuities, SMAs and Private Client Services
  • Monitor annual advisory account review requirements, items for attention/alerts and other operational exceptions
• Client service, compliance & communication
  • Analyze client financial situations and portfolios to develop and implement comprehensive recommendations aligned with client goals
  • Emphasize confidentiality, compliance and exceptional client service in all interactions
  • Work independently and collaboratively, delegate where appropriate, and manage multiple complex assignments efficiently and accurately
• Research, learning & industry engagement
  • Maintain up-to-date investment industry and Northwestern Mutual knowledge
  • Participate actively in firm learning opportunities: meetings, schools, conferences, webinars and professional designation programs

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree
• SIE, Series 7, and 66 licensed, or equivalent

• CFA designation or desire to acquire
• Strong proficiency with Microsoft Excel, Outlook and Word

• Excellent quantitative skills (time value of money, financial calculator, portfolio analytics)
• Strong analytic, research, critical thinking and problem-solving abilities
• Exceptional attention to detail, organizational skills and the ability to manage competing priorities to deadlines
• Effective active listening and communication skills
• Commitment to client-first ethics, confidentiality and compliance

• Passion for investments and a demonstrated thirst for ongoing professional development

Benefits:

• Health insurance
• Dental insurance
• Long-term disability income plan
• Life insurance
• 401(k) with match
• Professional designation program
• Paid holidays & paid time off

Northwestern Mutual is the marketing name for The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company (NM) (life and disability insurance, annuities, and life insurance with long-term care benefits) and its subsidiaries in Milwaukee, WI. Northwestern Long Term Care Insurance Company (NLTC), Milwaukee, WI, (long-term care insurance) a subsidiary of NM. Investment brokerage services are offered through  Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC, (NMIS) a subsidiary of NM, broker-dealer, registered investment advisor, and member FINRA and SIPC. Investment advisory and trust services are offered through Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company® (NMWMC), Milwaukee, WI, a subsidiary of NM and a federal savings bank.

Members of Cowell Financial use Cowell Financial as a marketing name for doing business as representatives of Northwestern Mutual. Cowell Financial is not a registered investment adviser, broker-dealer, insurance agency, or federal savings bank. To view detailed disclosures regarding individual representatives, view their information at cowellfinancial.com.