Financial Advisor

Job Description

Job Description

Financial Advisor – Sales Focused

Becoming a Financial Advisor

Becoming a financial advisor at Northwestern Mutual is a unique opportunity to start a business where you can help your clients achieve their goals through financial planning. As a financial advisor, you will:

• Grow your client base by making new connections, maintaining a strong referral networks, and providing a great client experience

• Build personalized, holistic financial plans tailored to every client’s unique needs

• Manage your client’s financial plans to help them achieve their goals

• Grow relationships with clients to support them through every stage of life

On your path to becoming a financial advisor, you start as a financial representative focused on client-building and obtaining licenses. Our award-winning training programs equip you with the education, skill-building, and development strategies you need to be successful building a financial planning practice that focuses on:

Planning Experience · Asset & Income Protection · Education Funding · Investment & Advisory Services · Trust Services · Retirement Solutions · Business Needs Analysis

Northwestern Mutual’s proprietary planning software helps you educate your clients and deliver holistic financial plans—including investments for growth, insurance for protection, and annuities for guaranteed income in retirement—that helps you have a bigger impact on your clients and community. Becoming a business owner allows you to shape your workday around your life and achieve uncapped earning potential through a performance-based compensation structure.

We believe there is more than one way to start, build, and grow your practice. As an entrepreneur, you can build your business in a way that aligns with your long-term vision and goals like opening an office, joining a sophisticated team, or becoming an advanced advisor.

Training, licensing & designations

Northwestern Mutual has been recognized for maintaining one of the best-trained sales forces in the country. We are committed to your continued training and development throughout your career. That starts with our award-winning curriculum designed to support your first three years in the business. In the program, you will hear from industry experts, learn the art of client acquisition to drive longevity in the career, and have access to our national network of tenured financial advisors to learn about the business through first-hand experience.

To become a financial advisor, you must obtain the following licenses: Life/Accident & Health Certifications, Securities Industry Essentials (SIE), and Series 6, 7, and 63. Northwestern Mutual provides pre-payment/reimbursement* for course tuition fees and books.

Compensation & Benefits

• Performance-based earnings and revenue

• Top 25% advisor annual earnings of $137K-$250K (based on 2018-2023 company data for top quartile advisors in the first 3 years)

• First year Advisors average around $60K - $80k

• Additional income structure to support training and early development

• Renewal income earned for continued client support and policy management

• Bonus programs and expense allowances

• Certified Financial Planner® licensing support2

• Fully company-funded retirement package and pension plan

• Competitive and comprehensive medical, vision, and dental plans

• Life Insurance and Disability Income Insurance

• Parental benefits at every stage of family planning

You could be right for this opportunity if you have:

• Entrepreneurial ambitions to be a business owner

• History of success in relationship-building or client-facing roles

• Excellent time-management skills

• Desire for continuous learning and collaboration

• Strong communicator and sense of motivation and drive

• Have a strong natural market or strong relationships in the Greater Pittsburgh area

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree – preferred

• Willing to report to the office daily and thrive in a team-oriented workplace

• Maintain a consistent business professional appearance

• Legal authorization to work in the US without sponsorship

• Proficient critical thinking skills, attention to detail and organization

• Demonstrate a history of strong sales mindset with the ability to identify opportunities, build relationships, and achieve measurable results

• 3+ years of providing exceptional client services and relationship management

• Basic understanding of Finacial Services

About Northwestern Mutual

Northwestern Mutual has been helping families and businesses achieve financial security for 162 years. Through a distinctive, holistic planning approach, including both insurance and investments, we empower people to be financially confident and independent.

We provide personal financial services for individuals, families, and businesses dealing with investment and financial needs focusing on holistic planning. We do this through Wealth management, insurance and investment planning, retirement planning, estate planning, business planning, education funding, long term care insurance.

Together with our clients, we are working to enrich lives, strengthen businesses, and build a brighter future.

• – We are among FORTUNE's 2024 World's Most Admired Companies. #1 among life insurers for "Financial Soundness," Quality of Products/Services," and "Use of Corporate Assets."

• We have unsurpassed financial strength2 with total company assets of $335 billion.

• We rank among the Top 10 U.S. independent broker-dealers as measured by total revenues by leading investment publications.

Why join Northwestern Mutual:

• Top 5 US Independent Broker-Dealers4

• Unsurpassed financial strength with total company assets of $366 billion5

• 5.1+ million clients and growing

• Recognized for6 Financial Soundness, Quality of Products/Services, Social Responsibility, and Quality of Management

• Fortune 500® company (June 2024)

• Forbes’ Best Employers for Diversity (2023)

• Best Place to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality- Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index (2025)

• 2025 Training APEX Award winner

Northwestern Mutual is the marketing name for The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company (NM) and its subsidiaries, including Northwestern Long Term Care Insurance Company (NLTC), Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC (NMIS) (Investment Brokerage Services), a registered investment adviser, broker-dealer, and member of FINRA and SIPC, and Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company® (NMWMC) (Investment Advisory Services), a federal savings bank. NM and its subsidiaries are in Milwaukee, WI.

*Individuals are required to have a minimum of three years of service at Northwestern Mutual to qualify for the designation pre-payment and reimbursement program.

1No level of income is guaranteed. As used here, “revenue” includes exclusively First Year and Renewal Commissions, Bonuses, Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC and Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company commissions and fees, Strategic Employee Benefits Services commissions, and Expense Allowances. Data uses average revenue from 2018-2023; included revenue was positive and not equal to 0 and earned by full time, active Financial Representatives producing for the entire year each of the years data was used. First year range is $271.73 - $2,923,976.22. Source: Northwestern Mutual, 2024

2Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Center for Financial Planning, Inc. owns and licenses the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER®, and CFP® (with plaque design) in the United States to Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc., which authorizes individuals who successfully complete the organization’s initial and ongoing certification requirements to use the certification marks.

3Northwestern Mutual Financial Representatives are Independent Contractors whose income is based on production. If offered to apply for approval of a contract to become a Northwestern Mutual Financial Representative, a national criminal background check is required. Should the background check results provide information which would not allow someone to work for Northwestern Mutual, approval for contract will be withdrawn.

4Ranking for Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC (NMIS) based on total 2023 AUM, which includes figures that combine NMIS brokerage account activity and AUM with account activity and AUM of investment advisory account of NMIS’s affiliate Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company (NMWMC), which are held through NMIS. Source: InvestmentNews, April 2024.

5Among U.S. life insurers. Ratings are for The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company and Northwestern Long Term Care Insurance Company, as of the most recent review and report by each rating agency. Ratings as of: 08/24 (Aaa, Moody’s Investors Service), 08/23 (A++, A.M. Best Company), 07/24 (AAA, Fitch Ratings), 04/24 (AA+, S&P Global Ratings). Ratings are subject to change. Total company assets as of June 30, 2024.

6To determine the best-regarded companies in more than 50 industries, FORTUNE asked executives, directors, and analysts to rate enterprises in their own industry on nine criteria. Details at fortune.com