Underwriting Chief of Staff

Summary

Helps to drive the strategic department or functional vision, operating model, budget and planning activities, and outcomes for the function or department. Regarded as a technical expert in job discipline and within the organization.

May serve as a trusted, strategic advisor to an executive, functional or department head and leaders within the department or function.

Primary Duties & Responsibilities

Strategic Planning

• Contributes to the development of and directs departmental / function strategy development and execution, ensuring alignment with key business priorities and outcomes.
• Leads department/functional strategic initiatives that drive business value. Collaborate, plan and organize with and through people to bridge strategies across teams.
• Supports a complex area of the business, determines inter-dependencies across the organization, and facilitates work of notable risk and complexity within own area and across the business.

Business Operations

• Responsible for strategy and planning to align business operations with the company's overarching strategy, mission and goals.
• Identifies gaps between ideal and current state of operating model and recommends solutions to close the gaps.
• Facilitates execution of departmental / functional operating model to improve the health of the department / function and organization.
• Exhibits expert level and business acumen in order to solve unique, complex problems across the function with a broad impact on the business; requires conceptual and innovative thinking to develop solutions.

Meeting Planning

• Plans and prepares agendas for functional/departmental staff or leadership meetings and planning sessions.
• Participates in regular department / function leadership meetings to evaluate barriers to success and develop courses of action to overcome issues at the functional/departmental level.
• Impacts the direction and resource allocation for programs, projects or services and ensures alignment of functional/departmental priorities to organizational strategy.
• Facilitates cross-functional initiatives and the flow of information between stakeholders and other teams.
• Coordinates requests for information from stakeholders and prepares reports and presentations in response.
• Anticipates business issues; recommends product, process or service improvements.

Trusted Advisor

• Represents and provides support to an executive, functional or department head to facilitate effective decision-making which has a significant impact on the organization; this includes strategic planning, roadmap development, operational planning, leading key departmental / functional priorities, and meeting planning and preparation. Has a high impact on the implementation of strategic initiatives that carry out overarching departmental / functional and organizational objectives.
• Establishes and maintains organizational savviness, an executive presence and high level of business acumen for area supporting and also for entire function in order to unearth issues, opportunities, problems, etc.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 10 years' business leadership experience.
• Proven leadership skills working with diverse teams.
• Superior interpersonal skills to lead groups of people.
• Experience in portfolio and/or project management, strategic and operational planning, and leading multiple complex projects with organization-wide impact.
• Demonstrated organizational agility to work across organizational boundaries, influence, and collaborate with all levels on solutions that benefit the organization.
• Ability to work horizontally w/ shared priorities elevate functional priorities over department objectives.
• Thinks within lateral accountabilities and interdependence.
• Proven skills in dealing with ambiguity and paradox, and leading change.
• Exceptional business acumen and focus on achieving business impact through progressive practices and sound business judgment.
• Ability to translate goals and strategies into executable business plans.
• Strong integrity and proven ability to treat confidential information confidentially.
• Demonstrated learning agility and outside-in perspective to identify future trends and practices.
• Strong organizational skills; able to handle competing demands, and work under tight deadlines and short time frames.
• Strong problem solving and strategic/critical thinking skills.
• Ability to identify underlying issues and influence others without formal authority.
• 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 with leadership and initiative in sharing information, contributing towards group goals, and accepting responsibility for results.
• Pro-active and an ability to anticipate needs for a range of broad / complex business problems and staying ahead of them; comfortable working in an ambiguous environment.

Compensation Range:

Pay Range - End:

We believe in fairness and transparency. It's why we share the salary range for most of our roles. However, final salaries are based on a number of factors, including the skills and experience of the candidate; the current market; location of the candidate; and other factors uncovered in the hiring process. The standard pay structure is listed but if you're living in California, New York City or other eligible location, geographic specific pay structures, compensation and benefits could be applicable, click here to learn more.

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Northwestern Mutual is an equal opportunity employer who welcomes and encourages diversity in the workforce. We are committed to creating and maintaining an environment in which each employee can contribute creative ideas, seek challenges, assume leadership and continue to focus on meeting and exceeding business and personal objectives.

We're excited about the potential people bring to Northwestern Mutual. You can grow your career here while enjoying first-class perks, benefits, and our commitment to a culture of belonging.

• Flexible work schedules
• Concierge service
• Comprehensive benefits
• Employee resource groups