Investment Operations Associate

Investment Operations Specialist

Northwestern Mutual – Private Client Group | Irving, TX | In-Office

We are seeking an Investment Operations Specialist to support a boutique Northwestern Mutual Private Client Group practice serving high-net-worth clients. This role is the operational backbone of a small, high-performing team, responsible for the accurate, compliant, and timely processing of investment business across advisory, brokerage, and managed account platforms.

The ideal candidate is detail-driven, professional, and genuinely enjoys client interaction, with a working command of the asset transfer process and the judgment to know which questions to ask before money moves. Day-to-day, this person will handle account onboarding and transfers, support trading and rebalancing workflows, prepare advisor and client meeting materials, maintain compliance documentation, and respond to client service requests. This is a role with a deliberate runway: it begins in operations and expands into direct client relationship ownership as the person demonstrates capability.

About our firm:

Northwestern Mutual’s Private Client Group serves the firm’s most sophisticated clients, integrating comprehensive financial planning with institutional-grade investment solutions. This practice is a three-person boutique team led by a Managing Director and supported by a Director of Operations & Client Services and a Financial Advisor. The practice is mature, with 20 years of history and approximately $70–80M in assets under management. This role reports directly to the Managing Director. The practice operates within the Northwestern Mutual planning philosophy, which integrates insurance vehicles as a core component of comprehensive client planning.

Essential duties:

• Process new account openings, transfers, and maintenance requests across advisory and brokerage platforms
• Own the asset movement process end to end, including ACAT transfers, rollovers, and funding activity, and identify account type treatment, qualifying questions, and required documentation on IRA, qualified, and non-qualified transfers
• Support daily trading workflows, including model updates, rebalancing requests, and trade corrections
• Monitor account activity, cash positions, and pending items to ensure timely resolution
• Prepare investment paperwork, proposals, and service forms for advisor and client meetings
• Provide advisors with accurate account data, performance reports, and investment summaries
• Respond to client service needs related to accounts, transactions, statements, and reporting, and interact directly with clients in a professional, consultative manner
• Ensure all investment transactions meet FINRA, SEC, and Northwestern Mutual compliance requirements, and maintain accurate records, audit trails, and documentation
• Support annual reviews, suitability updates, and regulatory reporting requirements
• Utilize NM platforms and CRM systems to manage workflows, maintain data integrity, and generate performance, holdings, and activity reports
• Identify process gaps and recommend improvements to enhance operational efficiency

Qualifications:

• Series 7 required
• 3–5 years of experience in investment operations, wealth management support, brokerage service, or financial services
• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Business, Accounting, Economics, or a related field preferred
• Background at a major custodian or brokerage firm strongly preferred, including titles such as Investor Services Specialist or Client Service Specialist
• Working knowledge of the asset transfer process, including account types, transfer rules, and required documentation
• Strong understanding of investment products: mutual funds, ETFs, advisory accounts, SMAs, UMAs, and annuities
• Alignment with the Northwestern Mutual planning philosophy, including the role of insurance vehicles within a comprehensive plan
• Interest in pursuing the CFP® or CFA designation over time
• Proficiency with CRM systems, custodial and managed account platforms, and financial services technology
• High attention to detail and accuracy, with the ability to manage multiple concurrent workflows
• Ability to commute to the office in Irving, TX — we are an in-office team!

Growth Path:

This person will have the ability to learn and develop in this role through direct mentorship from a Managing Director with 20 years of practice experience, hands-on exposure to high-net-worth investment operations and advanced advisory platforms, progressive client interaction responsibility, and firm support toward the CFP® or CFA designation. Long-term, this role could lead to a Senior Operations Specialist, Associate Advisor, or Investment Analyst position, with expanded client relationship ownership and meaningful compensation growth as the person begins contributing to client acquisition.

Benefits:

• Salary: $60,000–$65,000 commensurate with experience, plus bonus opportunity bringing first-year total compensation to approximately $75,000
• Long-term earning potential to approximately $120,000 as the role expands into client-facing work and asset gathering
• 401(k), medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Paid time off

Competencies:

• Interpersonal Communication: relates well to all kinds of people; ability to gain trust and successfully build relationships with others; orientation toward teamwork; builds appropriate rapport; uses diplomacy and tact; can navigate critical conversations. Strong ability in both writing and verbal communication.
• Prioritization: spends his/her time and the time of others on what’s most important and effective; understands how to use time strategically and set aside distractions; can quickly sense what will help or hinder accomplishing a goal; eliminates roadblocks; creates focus with self and team.
• Good Judgment: makes better decisions than most. Ability to combine personal qualities with relevant knowledge and experience to form opinions and make decisions. Listening well to others with undivided attention, understanding what is and is not said.
• Self-Starter: has the initiative and ability to work independently. This needn’t mean working on their own, but rather being able to operate effectively without needing too much supervision. Able to think critically and problem solve.
• Attention to Detail & Accuracy: maintains precision across high-volume operational workflows and documentation; catches discrepancies before they reach the client; understands that in this seat, small errors carry real consequences.
• Client Orientation: approaches every interaction with a service mindset; asks thoughtful questions, anticipates needs, and represents the practice professionally in all client-facing communication.