Sales Support Team Leader

A career with Northwestern Mutual – Park Avenue brings mutual success. When you bring your talent, hard work, and commitment to excellence, we offer the training, mentorship, and resources to help you achieve your vision and discover your potential. Our Financial Advisors help clients reach their goals by developing and implementing financial plans to show clients where they are today, plan where they want to go tomorrow, and provide the financial tools and support to help get them there. Our Network Office team supports those Advisors and provides the critical systems & resources needed for them to achieve their entrepreneurial dream.

The Sales Execution Team (SET) Leader manages the Park Avenue Network Office Sales Execution Team and ensures they achieve the highest levels of productivity. The SET Leader anticipates the needs of both the team Coordinators and subscribing Advisors, plans for its development, recommends necessary changes, and takes independent action within areas of authority. The SET Leader subscribes to the philosophy, principles, and practices of Northwestern Mutual and NM – Park Avenue. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Responsibilities

Network Office SET Management

Manage and supervise the Network Office SET Coordinators to ensure subscribers are receiving the highest quality support.

Own annual priorities for SET and ensure new/enhanced support services are rolled-out in a timely, efficient manner.

Determine the level and type of insurance sales support offered to Financial Representatives.

Build-out the Client Contact/Onboarding services.

Set and adhere to standards such as services offered, pricing, turnaround times, and quality. Establish and maintain agreements with subscribers.

In partnership with the CFO, determine the charges for these services.

Align services across the Network, District, and Home Offices to ensure a consistent experience for both the Financial Representatives, Clients and SET Coordinators.

In partnership with the Senior SET Coordinator, build training programs for SET Coordinators and AFRs.

Facilitate regular surveys and feedback sessions with Financial Representatives.

Train & develop the SET Coordinators in our firm. Provide training and development opportunities where needed. Coach and consult others to improve subscriber satisfaction.

Spearhead communications on updates to insurance sales support and processes for the entire agency.

Ensure the overall success of the team, including any services provided by the Home Office.

Direct the interviewing, hiring, and training of team members and ensure cross-training, back-up, coverage, and support for other teams is provided.

Partner with the Chief Operating Officer on performance review process for SET Coordinators. Hold team members accountable to performance standards.

Participate in Development Team meetings to disseminate and gather information for the betterment of the Financial Representatives.

Coach to New Client and Pacesetter milestones.

Accountability to the Financial Representative/Subscriber

Partner with the MDs, GDDs, and Development Team to ensure attendance in Financial Representative 1x1 meetings & trainings. Holds FRs accountable to meeting and achieving operational requirements.

Provide feedback and coaching for those Financial Representatives failing to meet activity/operation responsibility expectations.

Coach Subscribers in understanding their role as business owner and how to balance the demands of high activity and personal production.

Coach Subscribers who wish to build their own teams and train those individuals to ensure a smooth transition from SET subscriber to employer.

Operational Responsibilities

Assign new Financial Representatives to ensure the workload is dispersed evenly.

Aid Financial Representatives in troubleshooting problems while working/partnering with SET.

Coordinate with the Training & Development team to ensure our curriculum is sufficient and effective.

Function as our firm’s Advocacy and FPS Liaison.

Proactively recommend and implement efficiencies in daily operations to enhance quality and productivity.

Provide traditional SET support to a limited team of Financial Representatives.

Conduct one-on-one meetings with all Financial Representatives supported.

Collaborate with the Planning Department to develop consistent, high-quality life stage appropriate plans for every Financial Representative.

Collaborate with the Planning Department when Subscribers obtain licensing and ensure they understand Investment Operations support.

Build and maintain meeting kits which include all materials needed for the approach, close, delivery, and client review.

Monitor the Daily Status Report (DSR) and act on cases needing attention.

Proactively escalate any potential issues to management.

Step-in as a client contact in difficult situations.

Spot-check FR Applications for completeness and accuracy.

Prepare and manage Client communications.

Traditional SET Coordinator Responsibilities

Provide SET Coordinator responsibilities as needed when capacity is maximized, coordinators are on PTO, or when there are sophisticated/complicated cases needing escalation.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in business or an equivalent combination of education and/or responsible work experience.

Associate Agent Contract & Life, Accident & Health Licensing Required

3-5 Years’ experience in Sales Support Management, including hiring, training, planning, financial monitoring, and program development.

Proven ability to lead and manage people. Demonstrated leadership to motivate and hold others accountable.

High degree of initiative. Ability to take independent action and make sound decisions.

Superior written and oral communication skills.

Demonstrated use of time management skills.

High level of organizational skills.

Overall knowledge in computer hardware and software.

Ability to be diplomatic, flexible, and open-minded.

Experience in strategic planning.

Ability to handle change, pressure, criticism, and feedback.

Team-oriented.

About Northwestern Mutual

Northwestern Mutual has been helping families and businesses achieve financial security for over 165 years. Through a distinctive, whole-picture planning approach including both insurance and investments, we empower people to be financially confident. We combine the expertise of our financial professionals with a personalized digital experience and leading-edge technology to best serve our clients.

With $309 billion in assets, $31.1 billion in revenues, and more than $2 trillion worth of life insurance protection in force, Northwestern Mutual delivers financial security to more than 4.75 million people who rely on us for life, disability income and long-term care insurance, annuities, brokerage and advisory services, trust services, and discretionary portfolio management solutions. The company holds more than $200 billion of client assets as a part of its wealth management and investment services.