Lead Business Data Analyst

Northwestern Mutual (NM) 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. To help guide the collaborative effort, we are in search of a Lead Business Data Analyst to join our team.

Our aspiration is to be a data-driven, fact base led organization.  Recently reimagined within the Strategy function, the Enterprise Insights Center of Excellence seeks to instill and sustain changes that lead to more objective, consistent, and strategically advantageous decision-making through the usage of NM’s valuable data and information.  The Lead Business Data Analyst will be critical in identifying and driving adoption of data-driven practices.

Primary Duties & Responsibilities:

• Develop and communicate a forward-looking vision, develop a roadmap with realistic deliverables that contribute to the achievement of our future state.

• Facilitate enterprise-wide collaboration to drive consistency and a focus on the work most impactful to the enterprise; Endeavor to consolidate similar analytical initiatives.

• Seek to understand usage of information across business processes and user tasks.  As necessary, capture refined process documentation.

• Analyze current data-related business processes, identifying and amplifying best-practices, while exposing and reducing inefficiencies

• Produce actionable insights on the improvement of inefficiencies, conduct root cause analysis of problems and recommend solutions.

• Lead expert level quantitative and qualitative data analysis and reporting of patterns, insights, and trends to decision-makers; drive behaviors around leveraging data for making business decisions.

• Deliver results, insights, and recommendations (written, verbal, presentations, etc.) that improve usage of data for business decisions, led by example.

• Bring expertise in data lineage and traceability.  Share this knowledge across the enterprise and be vocal in providing insights and guidance at the senior leadership level. 

• Provide consultation to business clients (including senior leaders) and participate in enterprise-wide teams to address business issues.

• Regularly apply new perspectives, creative problem solving, and inter-departmental connections to improve enterprise analytical capabilities.

• Actively promote learning & curiosity

• Partner with colleagues in the creation of forecasts, recommendations and strategic/tactical plans based on business data and market knowledge. Utilize analytics and metrics to improve processes and provide data-driven forecasts that impact the business (costs, risks, etc). 

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Data Science, MIS, business, or related field.

• At least 6 years of professional experience

• At least 5 years of experience building analytics models, visualizations and delivering insights.

• In-depth knowledge of data governance, lineage, and traceability principles

• Experience in developing and implementing processes, frameworks, and standards.

• Proven experience in driving cross-functional alignment and collaboration.

• Excellent leadership and project management skills, with ability to influence and guide cross-functional teams.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, with attention to detail and a data-first mindset

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, able to effectively collaborate with stakeholders at all levels of the organization.

• Comfort and confidence in working with Sr Leadership

• Ability to apply data visualization best practices to work deliverables.

• Previous experience in development, analytical and/or visualization tooling.

Benefits:

• Tuition reimbursement, commuter plans, and paid time off

• Highly competitive compensation that include base salary plus bonus

• Medical/Dental/Vision plans, 401(k), pension program

#LI-Hybrid

Northwestern Mutual pays on a geographic-specific salary structure and placement in the salary range for this position will be determined by a number of factors including the skills, education, training, credentials and experience of the candidate; the scope, complexity as well as the cost of labor in the market; and other conditions of employment. At Northwestern Mutual, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their role and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. Please note that the salary range listed in the posting is the standard pay structure. Positions in certain locations (such as California) may provide an increase on the standard pay structure based on the location. Please click here for additional information relating to location-based pay structures.

We are an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age or status as a protected veteran, or any other characteristic protected by law.

If you work or would be working in California, Colorado, New York City, Washington or outside of a Corporate location, please click here for information pertaining to compensation and benefits.