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Cowell Financial is an established, comprehensive financial advisory firm located in the beautiful Brainerd Lakes Area. We deliver thoughtful, personalized financial planning and investment strategies with a goal of helping clients achieve clarity and long-term financial freedom. We’re seeking an Investment Associate who is passionate about financial planning, enjoys analytical work, and wants to grow their career in a collaborative, client-first environment.

The Investment Associate will play a central role in implementing Cowell Financial’s planning and wealth philosophies, participating in investment committee meetings, managing investment operations, and delivering high-quality portfolio analysis and client-focused recommendations. This role blends technical investment work with client-service responsibilities and offers strong opportunities for professional development and advancement.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Investment strategy & portfolio management
  • Implement and uphold Cowell Financial’s planning and wealth management philosophies across client accounts
  • Participate actively in investment committee meetings and help translate committee decisions into client actions
  • Perform asset allocation, asset location, and time-weighted asset allocation analysis
  • Implement proactive rebalancing, tax-loss/gain harvesting, Roth conversions, charitable giving strategies, and strategic distribution planning
  • Prepare and execute retirement distribution plans, RMDs, cash reserve strategies, and other retirement-focused initiatives
• Expense management & product oversight
  • Monitor share classes (A, B, C, institutional), annuities, advisory pricing, LOI/breakpoints and CDSC
  • Maintain awareness of and optimize expenses across client portfolios, including whole-family aggregated advisory pricing and SIMPLE IRA breakpoints
  • Maintain entity tax-type and SIMPLE IRA eligibility requirements
• Retirement & qualified plan support
  • Provide general 401(k) allocation observations per service models and client need
  • Assist with in-service distributions, reminders for automatic rebalancing of employer plans, and coordination with TPAs
  • Maintain up-to-date Plan Highlights documentation and ensure retirement account deposits ahead of tax filing deadlines
• Trading & investment operations
  • Place trades, log checks/orders, execute ACHs and wires, and manage account operational tasks across advisory, brokerage, variable annuities, SMAs and Private Client Services
  • Monitor annual advisory account review requirements, items for attention/alerts and other operational exceptions
• Client service, compliance & communication
  • Analyze client financial situations and portfolios to develop and implement comprehensive recommendations aligned with client goals
  • Emphasize confidentiality, compliance and exceptional client service in all interactions
  • Work independently and collaboratively, delegate where appropriate, and manage multiple complex assignments efficiently and accurately
• Research, learning & industry engagement
  • Maintain up-to-date investment industry and Northwestern Mutual knowledge
  • Participate actively in firm learning opportunities: meetings, schools, conferences, webinars and professional designation programs

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree
• SIE, Series 7, and 66 licensed, or equivalent

• CFA designation or desire to acquire
• Strong proficiency with Microsoft Excel, Outlook and Word

• Excellent quantitative skills (time value of money, financial calculator, portfolio analytics)
• Strong analytic, research, critical thinking and problem-solving abilities
• Exceptional attention to detail, organizational skills and the ability to manage competing priorities to deadlines
• Effective active listening and communication skills
• Commitment to client-first ethics, confidentiality and compliance

• Passion for investments and a demonstrated thirst for ongoing professional development

Benefits:

• Health insurance
• Dental insurance
• Long-term disability income plan
• Life insurance
• 401(k) with match
• Professional designation program
• Paid holidays & paid time off

Northwestern Mutual is the marketing name for The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company (NM) (life and disability insurance, annuities, and life insurance with long-term care benefits) and its subsidiaries in Milwaukee, WI. Northwestern Long Term Care Insurance Company (NLTC), Milwaukee, WI, (long-term care insurance) a subsidiary of NM. Investment brokerage services are offered through Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC, (NMIS) a subsidiary of NM, broker-dealer, registered investment advisor, and member FINRA and SIPC. Investment advisory and trust services are offered through Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company® (NMWMC), Milwaukee, WI, a subsidiary of NM and a federal savings bank.

Members of Cowell Financial use Cowell Financial as a marketing name for doing business as representatives of Northwestern Mutual. Cowell Financial is not a registered investment adviser, broker-dealer, insurance agency, or federal savings bank. To view detailed disclosures regarding individual representatives, view their information at cowellfinancial.com.