The Requirements

To meet the basic qualification for this role you must be legally authorized to work permanently in the United States for any employer without requiring a visa transfer or visa sponsorship. 

To be a strong fit for the Technology Productivity Consultant / IT Trainer role, you will have:

• A bachelor's degree, preferably in Business or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and/or progressively responsible work experience.
• At least 3 years of experience, including (concurrent or in addition to):
  • 3+ years of program support working with professionals in financial services or a similar industry; financial services industry experience preferred. 
  • 3+ years of experience in coaching / training individuals on how to optimize their business through the use of technology is highly desirable. Quick question for you - click here
• Demonstrated ability to understand software technology focused on sales practices, and the ability to articulate the benefits and uses of that technology to select audiences.
• Skill and demonstrated ability to build and maintain relationships with a variety of levels and titles.
• The ability to use a consultative model when coaching / training and developing professional relationships.
• Proven ability to drive measurable improvements in an outcome-based model (i.e. prior demonstrated ability to drive percentage increase in technology adoption for sales and other positions). Quick question for you - click here
• Experience and demonstrated skill leading and facilitating groups of people.
• An aptitude for learning technology at a deep level to teach and assist others.
• The ability to provide Tier 1 and 2 IT support. Quick question for you - click here

In addition to the core skills above, you should know how or be able to learn how to:

• Answer basic troubleshooting questions for computers, laptops, phones, and other related office equipment. 
• Support and maintain a LAN/Server.
• Install system changes.
• Setup and use audio/video equipment and a basic editing program. 
• Provide sign-on maintenance / assistance.  
• Set-up and maintain networked computers.
• Order network office computers and track maintenance agreements.

In addition to supporting the Network Office in Tulsa, you will support three District Offices, two located in Oklahoma City and one in Fayetteville, AK. Your home base will be the Tulsa office, but you will also drive to the other offices as needed, typically, bi-weekly to Oklahoma City and monthly to Fayetteville. In addition to local travel, you will travel to Milwaukee for initial and quarterly training with the Technology Team at our Corporate Offices in Milwaukee. Travel will be 10%-20% and include overnight stays. Quick question for you - click here

The Role

Your Role
As Technology Productivity Consultant / IT Trainer, you will serve as a member of the Northwestern Mutual technology training staff. You will interact both with our Corporate Technology Team and the onsite leadership team, supporting the needs of local leadership, Financial Representatives (FRs) and their staff. You will also provide desktop support and technology coordination, including hardware, new workstation setup, printer, phone, audiovisual and other technology equipment setup and repair. You'll also serve as sign-in coordinator. While ideally, you'll spend more time trainer, typically, we've seen a 50/50 split between training and support.

Across all the offices (one Network and three District), you will support approximately 60 FRs selling our products and 60+ total staff members supporting clients and the FRs, with the Fayetteville office being much smaller than the other two. With growth underway in the offices, you can expect that number to increase. Additionally, in the summer we have a robust intern program.

The Tulsa Network Office
We have a strong network and are proactively growing and bringing on new Financial Representatives and staff. That means you'll be setting up systems and spending a good deal of your time doing initial training. We have a nice mix of newer, mid-career and legacy employees (FRs and staff). Across the network, there are those who embrace technology, while others are resistant and need a strong and supportive trainer to help them see the value-add technology offers in helping them grow their businesses.

To be successful, you'll need to earn credibility and consistently demonstrate the value of the program. You will take into account your audience as you deliver training that provides some employees with the arsenal of tools they need for success, expands/enhances the tools that others may already use, and across the board helps the team better support clients. You should be a strong mentor and coach, talk about technology in layman's terms, and at times, wear a thick skin.

If you ask people what they like best about working at Northwestern Mutual Tulsa, again and again, you'll hear, "It's the people." We have a supportive, family-oriented and caring culture where we help and encourage one another. Those who have a strong service sensibility and are good at building relationships thrive and excel here. You will also find people who are passionate about their roles and deeply loyal to the company, network and community. Our environment is highly professional, including suits and ties/skirts and blouses. Pictured right: Lance P Franczyk, Managing Partner, Tulsa Network Office.

Day-to-Day Responsibilities
Daily, you will be responsible for supporting the FRs and staff by training them on a variety of key software programs and modules and providing basic technology support. Your mission will be to provide outstanding learning opportunities and ongoing support so that FRs and office staff can leverage available tools to manage their business, sell products and provide support to policy owners. Specific responsibilities will include:
 
Training:

• Providing in-office group training.  
• Following-up with individuals who attended group training, providing one-on-one instruction for 60 minutes.
• Delivering Sales School training.
  • New reps attend a two-week training seminar which includes 6 to 8 hours of core technology training, which you will deliver.
• Providing Sales School training follow up.
  • Post sales training, you will meet with individual reps once per week for the first six months to consult and refine/deepen initial training. 

Consulting

• Providing ongoing consulting to those who need it (i.e. spending time with someone who is having difficulty with the Customer Relationship Management software or Personal Planning tool, etc.).
  • You will enjoy a good deal of leeway in the design and delivery of the consulting portion of your role.

Collaboration and Support

• You will partner and build relationships with the onsite leadership team in order to help drive the success of the location. Projects/needs could include:
  • Planning with FRs and prospects (attending sales calls).
  • Helping to identify prospects.
  • Helping FRs prepare for sales calls.
  • Identifying ways you can help drive success.
•  Partnering with the technology training team seated throughout the U.S.
  • Meeting monthly and quarterly.
  • Serving as a resource; talking about local activities and outcomes.
  • Sharing wins and challenges.
  • Brainstorming to discover best practices.

In addition, your tech support / IT duties will include computer setup, password support, vendor interaction, phone and printer support, recording and editing video messages and more. You will provide tier 1 and 2 support to the team, escalating tier 3 issues to the Corporate Technology Team as necessary. In time, if the team grows large enough, we could add a dedicated IT support person, leaving you free to focus 100% on training.

Your Training Program
To ensure that you're qualified to perform your role and make a strong impact, you will participate in an in-depth training program with benchmarks set over a six-week period. You will: 

• Spend your first week in Milwaukee, where you’ll participate in onboarding and begin learning the software, most of which is proprietary. You will learn:
  • Microsoft Dynamics CRM and how it is used within Northwestern Mutual
  • Our PPA (Personal Planning Analysis)
  • E-filing system
  • Document sharing tool
• Week two will be spent in the office in Tulsa for initial training and to discover what your client group needs and where there are gaps in your knowledge.
• Week three you will return to Milwaukee and continue to learn the various technologies in relation to the needs of your office and your own knowledge base. 
• The remainder of your training will take place in Tulsa. Week four you will re-engage your initial group of trainees and continue to build your skills. A member of the corporate training team will be onsite during week five, observing and continuing to help advance your knowledge. Week six will be spent testing your skills and identifying and filling any gaps.

Note: this description is intended to give you a general overview of the position and is not an exhaustive listing of duties and responsibilities.

Why Join Us?

Ground-Floor, High-Impact Opportunity
This is a new program for Northwestern Mutual and a ground-floor opportunity for you. By helping team members become more technologically astute, you will add value to their business. Your efforts will impact compliance, quality, customer service, service and sales goals and more. 

Excellent Compensation
In addition to a competitive salary and bonus incentive opportunity, we offer a comprehensive slate of benefits including insurance, paid-time-off and more.

Career Growth
Though you could be happy and challenged in this role for years to come, success could open additional doors of opportunity within Northwestern Mutual, both locally and at the corporate level. For example, you could step up to a field marketing role, representing the program across a designated region, pursue a variety of corporate roles, or train for an FR or another local role. Some opportunities would require relocation.

Outstanding Training
Naturally, you'll come in with strong coaching and training skills, but we'll ensure you have the technology training and tools you need to succeed. (Please see the Role tab for detailed training information).

Corporate Connection
You’ll travel to our Corporate Offices for training initially and in the future. With 5,000 employees at our home office in Milwaukee and a second campus in Franklin, WI, Northwestern Mutual is truly a community within a community. You’ll learn in a vibrant and innovative atmosphere where employees are challenged, camaraderie and a sense of team are strong, and you can build your skills and knowledge as you stimulate your mind and make important internal connections.

A Company that Cares
We create meaningful employment opportunities and invest in our people. We strengthen local businesses and economies. We give back, help out, and make a difference for families and children -- thousands of whom have benefited from our national philanthropic program to fight childhood cancer through Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation. And each year, our employees and local offices donate time, talent and financial support to causes they’re passionate about. Consider some of our recent corporate commitments:

• The Northwestern Mutual Foundation has given nearly $170 million to communities across the nation during the past decade.
• Northwestern Mutual has given more than $9 million to support urban education in Milwaukee during the past five years.
• Our employees volunteer more than 30,000 hours each year to community organizations.

The Northwestern Mutual Tulsa and its district offices participate in efforts to support Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, including the Race for Childhood Cancer Research held in Milwaukee. Last June, we held our second Karaoke for a Cure fundraiser which raised almost $4,000 for pediatric cancer research. We support multiple philanthropic efforts by allowing 40 hours per year of volunteer work for our staff. 

The Power of Diversity
We believe that a diverse and inclusive work environment attracts and engages the best talent—people with unique ideas, points of view, and passions. We foster a culture of inclusion where everyone can be their best and are committed to hiring a talented and diverse workforce. At Northwestern Mutual we take a holistic approach to both raise our brand awareness and recruit new talent for corporate and national sales opportunities at diversity events across the country. We reach tens of thousands of professionals and students through our affiliations with:

• ALPFA
• National Association of Black Accountants (NABA)
• National Association of Women MBAs (NAWMBA)
• National Black MBA Association (NBMBAA)
• National Society of Hispanic MBAs (NSHMBA)

Keys to Success

Naturally, you’ll need to dedicate yourself to knowledge gain and become an expert in all of the available technology, but to be successful in the role of Technology Productivity Consultant / IT Trainer, you’ll also need outstanding interpersonal skills and the ability to build strong relationships. Because you will serve in a position that is a dual resource (corporate and local), you’ll build relationships on both fronts. 

When performing your role, setting the right tone will be important. You should be able to sit down and listen in order to understand the concerns or your trainees and what they’re up against. You’ll remember that they are professionals in their field, not computer scientists, and while you’ll project empathy and understanding of the challenges of building a financial planning business, you will also keep things upbeat and the atmosphere ripe for learning. For those who are resistant to technology, you will sometimes need a bit of a thick skin as you demonstrate the value of the program and win them over. Ultimately, you will be proactive, work autonomously, have the desire to help, and serve as a business partner enabling individual success.  

Additionally, to be successful, you will:

• Tailor your approach so that the Financial Representatives and office staff understand and can demonstrate the specific benefits technology offers to each unique user audience.
• Partner with, and independently develop and deliver sound recommendations to the local leadership team in order to assist them in establishing goals.
• Lead planning to ensure goals are attained and benefits realized (e.g. increased field and recruitment productivity, capitalization on expense/revenue benefits based on efficiencies gained, etc.).
• Maintain an informed engagement plan to drive improved use of technology and better enable goal attainment. You will be responsible for 4 to 5 performance goals. Note: performance against plan will be measured with the aid of technology adoption metrics. Metrics are a key indicator of your success and can guide you in modifying your approach.  
• Take quarterly satisfaction survey (required at every level) with the goal of receiving a 4 out of 5 by the end of your first year.

About Us

As achieving financial security becomes more complex for more people, a few simple truths are becoming even more powerful: Relationships are built on trust. Our lives and businesses matter. And we're much stronger together than we are apart. These beliefs launched our company nearly 160 years ago. Today they're hardwired into our DNA and are just some of the reasons why people turn to Northwestern Mutual to help secure their futures.

At Northwestern Mutual, financial security is built on the lasting relationships our financial advisors establish with their clients. Our advisors get to know their clients' hopes and dreams so they can help them make life's financial decisions with confidence. Working with some of the best-trained financial professionals in the business*, clients benefit from a distinctive planning approach that includes protecting what they already have and high-quality products that perform for the long term.

Doing what's right, taking a long-term view and sharing our success with clients sets up apart. In the past 10 years -- including the Great Recession -- we've paid clients more than $47 billion in dividends. In 2016, we expect to pay a record $5.6 billion in total dividends, including industry-leading dividends on life and disability insurance.**

*Training Magazine's annual "Training Top 125" list, January/February 2015 issue.
**Northwestern Mutual analysis of dividends based on historical data. The dividend scale and the underlying interest rates are reviewed annually and are subject to change. Future dividends are not guaranteed, although Northwestern Mutual has paid a dividend every year since 1872.

Pictured: Tulsa, OK skyline.