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Assistant Director, Advisor Equity Partnerships

Northwestern Mutual · Milwaukee, WI · Full time

Posted Sep 23, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

Tell me about a transaction you executed. How did you coordinate legal, risk and other teams?

What they are checking: Whether they can run diligence and execution across many functions.

Why do you think a company like Northwestern Mutual would invest in independent advisory firms?

What they are checking: Whether they understand the strategic reasons for the platform and can speak to them.

Tell me about a time your financial model influenced how a deal was structured.

What they are checking: Whether their modeling shapes decisions rather than just confirming them.

What would you do

A founder is emotional about valuation and feels you're undervaluing their life's work. How do you handle it?

What they are checking: Whether they can negotiate with respect and empathy while staying disciplined.

How would you present an investment recommendation to senior leaders who have little time?

What they are checking: Whether they can communicate a clear recommendation with the key risks up front.

About the work

How would you value a minority stake in an independent wealth management firm?

What they are checking: Whether they understand valuation drivers like recurring revenue, growth, margins and minority discounts.

What makes an advisory firm a strong partner versus a risky one?

What they are checking: Whether they can assess growth, profitability, client concentration and team depth.

How do succession issues affect a minority investment in a wealth firm?

What they are checking: Whether they see that founder dependence is one of the biggest risks in these businesses.

What protections would you want as a minority investor that doesn't control the firm?

What they are checking: Whether they know governance rights and structuring tools that protect a minority position.

After investing, how would you monitor and support a partner firm?

What they are checking: Whether they understand that portfolio management and reporting continue after closing.

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The full job description

As published by Northwestern Mutual.

About the Job Supports the sourcing, evaluation, execution, and ongoing management of minority equity investments in independent wealth management firms. As a member of the Advisor Equity Partnerships team, the individual will analyze investment opportunities, develop investment recommendations, lead financial underwriting and valuation activities, coordinate transaction execution, and support portfolio management and reporting. The role requires a blend of financial acumen, investment judgment, project management, and executive communication skills. The individual will work closely with internal and external stakeholders to evaluate opportunities, execute transactions, and support the continued growth of Northwestern Mutual's advisor equity investment platform. What You'll Do • Develops investment recommendations for prospective equity investments through qualitative and quantitative analyses, including written and oral presentations to senior business leaders. • Builds and maintains financial models to support underwriting, valuation, structuring, and investment return analyses. • Evaluates advisor firms and investment opportunities through financial analysis, diligence, and assessment of growth, profitability, ownership, and succession considerations. • Leads day-to-day transaction execution activities, coordinating cross-functional diligence efforts across Legal, Risk, Compliance, Finance, Accounting, Tax, and other key stakeholders. • Supports negotiation, structuring, and documentation of investment transactions. • Monitors portfolio company performance, investment returns, and key operating metrics, and supports portfolio reporting for senior leadership. • Researches industry trends and market activity to develop insights that support investment decisions and overall program strategy. • Helps refine investment processes, underwriting methodologies, valuation frameworks, and reporting capabilities to support the scalability of the equity investment platform. • Establishes and maintains strong working relationships with advisor firm owners, industry participants, senior leadership, and internal business partners. What You'll Bring to the Role • 5+ years of experience in private equity, corporate development, transaction advisory, valuation, strategic finance, or other investment-oriented roles • OR 3+ years of experience in management consulting or investment banking with demonstrated success leading complex analyses and developing recommendations for senior executives or business owners. • Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Business, or a related field • MBA, CFA designation or progress toward CFA a plus • Demonstrated ability to independently build, maintain, and interpret financial and valuation models. • Strong analytical skills with the ability to evaluate investment opportunities and interpret complex financial and business information. • Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate complex concepts clearly to senior leaders and business owners. • Ability to manage multiple priorities and stakeholders in a fast-paced environment. • Strong project management, organizational, and relationship management skills. • High degree of personal initiative, intellectual curiosity, and ownership. • Familiarity with wealth management, financial services, or professional services business models preferred. Skills You Have • Analytical Thinking - Organizes and compares various aspects of a situation to comprehend and identify key or underlying complex issues through the use of quantitative data and analysis; leverages strong business acumen, problem solving, and interpersonal skills to think critically about situations from multiple perspectives and consistently seeks ways to improve processes. • Cross Functional Partnering & Planning - Facilitates collaboration, communication, coordination, and planning with individuals and teams from different functions within the organization, and who have different areas of expertise, to achieve common goals. • Industry Knowledge - Demonstrates extensive knowledge of common practices, regulatory considerations, market trends and the competitive landscape within a particular industry / sector to better understand and address unique client requirements, challenges, and context. • Program Management - Oversees and is responsible for the realization of larger workstream goals and manages activities that span across the program. Understands technical aspects of the program, defines scope, develops schedules, and manages resourcing, risks, and dependencies to deliver successful outcomes. Compensation Range: Pay Range - Start: $130,800.00 Pay Range - End: $196,200.00 Geographic Specific Pay Structure: Structure 110: $143,920.00 USD - $215,880.00 USD Structure 115: $150,400.00 USD - $225,600.00 USD 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 that welcomes talented individuals of all backgrounds. 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.

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