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Mutual Fund Administration Senior Specialist

Northwestern Mutual · Milwaukee, WI · Full time

Posted Sep 25, 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 small project you led. How did you keep it on track?

What they are checking: Whether they can lead project efforts, which is the step up from the specialist level.

Tell me about a time a service provider wasn't meeting expectations. How did you handle it?

What they are checking: Whether they can hold a vendor accountable firmly while keeping the relationship working.

How do you help less experienced teammates when they get stuck on a technical accounting question?

What they are checking: Whether they teach rather than simply take the work over, which builds the team's depth.

What would you do

A NAV error is discovered after it was published. What happens next and what's your role?

What they are checking: Whether they understand materiality, shareholder impact and escalation when a valuation mistake occurs.

A new SEC rule affects fund reporting. How would you figure out what we need to change?

What they are checking: Whether they can translate regulation into concrete process and system changes.

How would you explain to investment traders why a trade booking issue affects fund compliance?

What they are checking: Whether they can connect their work to other teams so problems get fixed at the source.

What's a process in fund administration you think could be automated, and how would you approach it?

What they are checking: Whether they look for system enhancements instead of accepting manual work as permanent.

About the work

How do you structure oversight of an outsourced fund accountant across 30 portfolios?

What they are checking: Whether they can design scalable, risk-based vendor oversight rather than checking everything by hand.

Walk me through the controls you'd want over daily valuation, including fair value and stale price checks.

What they are checking: Whether they know where NAV errors come from and how to catch them before they're published.

Explain how you'd identify book-to-tax differences and oversee excise and fiscal year tax calculations.

What they are checking: Whether they can lead fund tax work with enough depth to review others.

How do you review a set of fund financial statements, and what do you look at first?

What they are checking: Whether they have a practiced review method that catches the errors that matter most.

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The full job description

As published by Northwestern Mutual.

About The Job The Mutual Fund Administration (MFA) division is responsible for fund administration related to the Northwestern Mutual Series Fund which consists of 30 portfolios. MFA is also responsible for accounting and financial reporting related to Northwestern Mutual’s variable annuity and variable life separate accounts. What You'll Do: • Perform oversight of outsourced service providers including but not limited to fund accounting and pricing services • Execution and coordination of controls over daily valuation of mutual funds. • Preparation and review of financial statements and related financial materials and disclosures. • Provides financial information to meet the needs of internal and external customers, including preparing regulatory filings for the Securities and Exchange Commission, performance calculations and marketing information. • Responsible for mutual fund compliance with the IRS, SEC and all other regulators. • Researches and engages in various projects associated with new products, new funds, new regulations, system enhancements and ad hoc requests. • May be asked to lead small project efforts and assist on complex projects. • May be asked to Identify book to tax differences and oversee the preparation of the excise and fiscal tax calculations for the mutual funds. • Demonstrates ability to work with internal and external contacts such as information systems, investment traders, auditors, brokers, custodians and investment advisors. • Recommends and reviews new methods to allow for added process/control improvements What You'll Bring: • Bachelor's degree in Accounting or Finance • Three years of prior accounting experience • High degree of self-motivation • Proven ability to meet strict deadlines • Strong oral and written communication skills • Ability to work well with limited guidance • Demonstrated superior analytical and problem-solving ability • Demonstrated ability to retrieve and utilize information from accounting system and other sources • CPA or CPA candidate preferred • Previous mutual fund administration, mutual fund accounting, or investment company audit experience preferred. • A working knowledge of GAAP and/or tax accounting for investments. • Ability to work well in a team environment Skills You'll Have: • Prepares and presents financial statements accurately and reports that summarize the financial performance and position of NM's products and services, adhering to accounting principles and regulatory requirements. This includes analyzing financial data, reconciling accounts, and effectively communicating financial information to internal and external stakeholders to facilitate decision-making and ensure transparency and compliance. • Demonstrates knowledge of various types of financial instruments such as stocks, bonds, derivatives, structured securities, and alternative investments to effectively engage with stakeholders involved in the investment process. • Demonstrates ability to understand and apply the concepts of internal controls over financial reporting and applicable business cycles (e.g., Budget, Expenditure, Revenue, Payroll, Property). • Pursues learning and obtains knowledge continuously in relevant fields, methods, or technologies in current and future practices; continuously utilizes critical thinking to identify opportunities, execute solutions, and measure impact to constantly improve existing practices and processes based on feedback, lessons learned, and market trends. #LI-Hybrid Compensation Range: Pay Range - Start: $70,320.00 Pay Range - End: $105,480.00 Geographic Specific Pay Structure: Structure 110: $77,360.00 USD - $116,040.00 USD Structure 115: $80,880.00 USD - $121,320.00 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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