At Northwestern Mutual, we are strong, innovative and growing. We invest in our people. We care and make a positive difference.
At Northwestern Mutual, we believe relationships are built on trust. That our lives and our work matter. These beliefs launched our company over 160 years ago. Today, they're just a few of the reasons why people choose to build careers at Northwestern Mutual.
We're strong and growing. In a company with such a long and storied history, this may be the most exciting and important time to be a part of Northwestern Mutual. We're strong, innovative and growing.
We invest in our people. We provide opportunities for employees to grow themselves, their career and in turn, our business.
We care. We make a positive difference in our communities. Nationally, thousands have benefitted from our support of research and programs to fight childhood cancer. Each year, our Foundation, employees and financial representatives donate time, talent and financial support to causes they're passionate about.
How you will do it:
The Market Research Consultant role is essential to our Risk Products and Field Experience strategy and will be accountable for leading research methodology development, analysis, and insights generation for a broad spectrum of projects and ongoing priorities encompassing Risk Products and overall Field Experience. Our team within the Corporate Strategy department partners with stakeholders across the enterprise to generate knowledge that advises key business decisions. This role will partner closely with the Risk Products department and is passionate about generating knowledge for product development, product introductions and ongoing product sales opportunities. In addition, this role will also contribute to measuring progress on our path to crafting an outstanding experience for our exclusive distribution system (i.e. the Field) and their clients. The Market Research Consultant will perform ad hoc analyses to understand field perspective by often partnering with team members to answer business questions.
Primary Duties and Responsibilities

• Shapes and executes research strategy.
• Initiates proactive research and obtains executive sponsorship to support company strategy, direction and business objectives.
• Explores new market research approaches and technologies.
• Leads research design and methodology decisions; conducts and/or oversees quantitative analysis and analysis plan design; collaborates with other Analytics teams on quantitative analyses.
• Responsible for consumer and field analyses to identify new opportunities for the company, and enhancements to the current business model.
• Initiates thought leadership research for its communication internally and externally to support company branding and outreach.
• Presents and socializes strategic research insights throughout the organization.
• Participates in cross-functional teams that support the company's initiatives.
• Provides project leadership, direction and mentoring to project team.
• Develops a network of outside resources and suppliers and directs vendor relationships.
• Assumes responsibility for vendor selection, negotiation, performance and quality control. Ensure effective management of a $1 million plus vendor budget for optimal impact.
• Conducts research that is objective, reliable and ethical.
• Represents company within industry and professional associations and maintains a network of peer relationships.
• Responsible for providing direction and developing and mentoring project team.

Qualifications

• Ten or more years of formal market research experience. Experience should include budgetary resource oversight, and vendor management.
• Strong technical market research skills that include multiple of the following quantitative, qualitative, primary, and secondary.
• Degree in business, social sciences, statistics or related field.
• Strong business acumen.
• Deep insurance and financial services industry knowledge, including products, markets and competitors.
• Able to be both strategic and tactical, with strong analytical, problem solving and conceptual skills.
• Must have, or acquire soon after, intimate knowledge of NM field, markets, clients and products.
• Ability to unite key colleagues and cross-functional partners by gaining trust through demonstrating business expertise.
• Superb communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate complex concepts in a compelling, concise and creative way.
• Able to partner comfortably with more senior management on business issues.
• Proven ability to work collaboratively with individuals and teams.
• Demonstrates the highest standards of professionalism, ethics and integrity.
• Consistently displays professional courage to research design, analysis and interpretation to deliver credible work product free of bias.
• Acts in the best interest of customers and the company.
• Master's degree or MBA.

Benefits:
Great pay package, 401K, Company sponsored retirement plan, Educational assistance, Performance based incentive pay, Medical, dental and vision insurance, Parental leave, Caregiver time off....and more
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W e 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 Colorado or outside of a Corporate location, please click here for information pertaining to compensation and benefits.