This role is responsible for sourcing, evaluating, and executing early-stage startup investments that align with Northwestern Mutual's strategic focus on fintech and AI. This role drives corporate growth by managing the full investment lifecycle, building founder relationships, and presenting opportunities to the investment committee. This role offers the unique benefit of operating within a well-resourced corporate entity while maintaining the agility and investment discipline of a traditional venture capital fund and is ideal for an individual with a proven track record in venture capital who is ready to lead significant investment initiatives. Northwestern Mutual Future Ventures operates as the corporate venture capital arm of Northwestern Mutual, a Fortune 100 financial services firm that helps Americans achieve financial security. This role operates within the broader Corporate Strategy team and may be based in San Francisco or Milwaukee with regular travel expected. What You'll Do
- Deal Sourcing and Generation: Proactively identify and engage with promising startups, entrepreneurs, and co-investors to generate a robust pipeline of investment opportunities aligned with Northwestern Mutual's strategic interests.
- Investment Due Diligence: Lead comprehensive market, product, technology, and financial due diligence processes. This includes conducting in-depth analyses, building financial models, and presenting detailed investment recommendations to the investment committee.
- Deal Execution: Structure, negotiate, and close new venture capital investments, including term sheets, shareholder agreements, and other definitive documentation.
- Portfolio Management: Actively support portfolio companies' post-investment, including monitoring performance, providing strategic guidance, and facilitating introductions to relevant Northwestern Mutual business units where appropriate. This involves working closely with founders and management teams to foster growth and achieve strategic milestones.
- Strategic Alignment: Serve as a key liaison between Northwestern Mutual Future Ventures portfolio companies and Northwestern Mutual's internal business units, identifying and cultivating opportunities for collaboration.
- Market Intelligence: Develop and maintain deep expertise in relevant technology sectors, identifying emerging trends, competitive landscapes, and disruptive innovations that could impact Northwestern Mutual's core businesses.
- Relationship Building: Cultivate and maintain strong relationships within the venture capital ecosystem, including founders, limited partners, co-investors, and industry experts.
What You'll Bring to the Role
- Experience: 5+ years in venture capital, corporate development, strategy consulting, or investment banking and a history of academic excellence.
- Strategic Thinking: Proven ability to analyze competitive landscapes, market trends, and business models.
- Interpersonal Skills: Strong ability to communicate effectively and build relationships with various stakeholders, including startups, venture capitalists, and senior leadership.
- Analytical Ability: Demonstrated ability to evaluate and interpret financial data and other technical information, including proficiency in valuation, financial modeling, and investment structuring.
- Communication Skills: Demonstrated superior written and verbal communication skills with ability to build rapport and gain acceptance at all levels of an organization. Strong presentation skills with an ability to synthesize, distill and summarize complex information.
- Other Skills: Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint. Possess a balance of analytical ability and social fluency, a sense of urgency, and deep intellectual curiosity. Future focused.
#LI-Hybrid
Compensation Range:
Pay Range - Start:
$176,000.00
Pay Range - End:
$264,000.00
Geographic Specific Pay Structure:
Structure 110:
Structure 115:
We believe in fairness and transparency. It's why we share the salary range for most of our roles. However, final salaries are based on a number of factors, including the skills and experience of the candidate; the current market; location of the candidate; and other factors uncovered in the hiring process. The standard pay structure is listed but if you're living in California, New York City or other eligible location, geographic specific pay structures, compensation and benefits could be applicable, click here to learn more.
Grow your career with a best-in-class company that puts our clients' interests at the center of all we do. Get started now!
Northwestern Mutual is an equal opportunity employer who welcomes and encourages diversity in the workforce. We are committed to creating and maintaining an environment in which each employee can contribute creative ideas, seek challenges, assume leadership and continue to focus on meeting and exceeding business and personal objectives.
FIND YOUR FUTURE
We're excited about the potential people bring to Northwestern Mutual. You can grow your career here while enjoying first-class perks, benefits, and our commitment to a culture of belonging.
- Flexible work schedules
- Concierge service
- Comprehensive benefits
- Employee resource groups
Skills Required
- 5+ years in venture capital or corporate development
- Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills
- Demonstrated analytical ability and financial modeling skills
What the Team is Saying
Northwestern Mutual Compensation & Benefits Highlights
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Retirement Support — A dual 401(k) plus cash balance pension provides company-funded credits with a guaranteed minimum interest credit and vesting (one year for the 401(k) and three years for the cash balance). Plan design in 2025–2026 emphasized employer funding via an added cash‑balance credit and a 4% company 401(k) contribution option.
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Healthcare Strength — Medical, dental, and vision coverage are complemented by on‑site Mutual Health Centers (WI/NY) and nationwide virtual primary care. Lyra mental‑health services and on‑site fitness centers or reimbursements extend well‑being support.
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Parental & Family Support — Fully paid parental leave, caregiving leave, and fertility, surrogacy, and adoption assistance are provided. These sit alongside paid vacation/holidays and volunteer time to support families.
Northwestern Mutual Insights
What We Do
You’ll Like It Here At Northwestern Mutual, we believe that our lives and our work matter. And that doing what’s right is good for everyone. We follow through by designing tech that improves the community and cultivating creative ways to make finance accessible anywhere. These guiding principles have allowed our company to grow for more than 160 years. Here, you’ll be with a team who emphasizes integrity and prioritizes security to design experiences that better everyone. You’ll work in cross functional teams to create optimal solutions that are rooted in innovative strategy and thoughtful execution. And you’re provided development tools and opportunities to become a leader all with the support of a collaborative team. You’ll be surrounded in a culture that values innovation and works to always evolve to stay ahead of trends and client needs. We are intentional in seeking out team members who will challenge us. Our employees choose us for the career opportunities, commitment to philanthropy and desire to have a meaningful impact in the lives of our clients. You have career passions and goals. We have ambition and opportunity for you to grow your future in tech. Discover today: https://careers.northwesternmutual.com/
Why Work With Us
We invest in our people. We know careers are about choices, so we provide intentional opportunity. Here you can build creative ways to make finance accessible anywhere and revolutionize traditional processes. As a mutual company, our focus is our people — whether professional development or investments in the community.
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Northwestern Mutual Teams
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Hybrid Workspace
Employees engage in a combination of remote and on-site work.
We offer a flexible, hybrid approach for our employees . Teams are in the office a few days a week and work from home the others.
