The Requirements

To meet the basic qualifications for this role you must have:

• 2 years of Level 1 Help Desk experience   Quick question for you - click here
• Legal authorization to work permanently in the United States for any employer without requiring a visa transfer or visa sponsorship

To be a strong fit for the Technology Coordinator / Desktop Support opportunity, you will have:

• An associate’s (two-year) degree in Computer Science or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience 
• 4+ years of Level 1 and 2 Help Desk experience preferred Quick question for you - click here
• Demonstrated success troubleshooting PC-related problems in a Windows 7, 8 and 10 environment
• Strong technical knowledge of computers, networks, systems and the Internet including the ability to:
  • Answer basic troubleshooting questions for desktop computers/laptops
  • Support and maintain a LAN/Server
  • Install system changes
  • Provide sign-on maintenance/assistance
  • Set up and maintain networked computers
  • Order network office computers and track maintenance agreements
• Basic understanding of printers, telecommunications/phone systems, video conferencing and office equipment preferred
• Experience working with vendors preferred

In addition to your technical skills, success will require the following core competencies and characteristics:

• Excellent interpersonal skills to work with users and vendors and leverage diplomacy in obtaining information and cooperation to solve technical problems/issues
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• The ability to balance multiple priorities; strong demand management skills

You will be seated in the Park Avenue Network Office and travel, sometimes in conjunction with our Technology Productivity Consultant / Trainer (TPC), in order to support Network Offices as well as small affiliated offices throughout the region. You'll travel regularly to the district offices, located in Connecticut, New Jersey and Long Island, New York, as well as to our Corporate Office in Milwaukee where you'll undergo initial and then quarterly training with the technology team. We anticipate local travel to be approximately 10%-20% of the time, though that number could be higher initially as you build relationships and earn credibility across the network.  Quick question for you - click here  

The Role

Work in Dual Reporting Structure to Support a Dispersed Group of Professionals

As Technology Coordinator (TC) you will serve as a member of the Northwestern Mutual corporate technology support staff and work out of a successful and actively growing Network Office located in Manhattan. While you will report to corporate, you'll also work closely with and support the needs of local leadership. This unique reporting structure will provide exposure and resources both locally and at the corporate level. Though you'll have a dual focus, you will work within the parameters of the culture and guidelines of the local office.

The Park Avenue Office in Manhattan
Since 1969, New Yorkers have relied upon Northwestern Mutual NYC Park Avenue network office for guidance in seeking financial security for themselves and their families. Our mission is to inspire and challenge people to a lifetime of stewardship and growth which we exemplify through courage and caring, and demonstrate through our core values of integrity, excellence, and respect.  

If you ask why people like working at the Park Avenue office, they consistently answer the people. We're a warm and welcoming group with an upbeat attitude and the desire to help. At the same time, we're a sophisticated, elite and high-performing office with high-profile clientele. We are proud of our culture that is team oriented and collaborative. Everyone chips in and is committed to the overall success of the team. 

Your Role

As TC you will act as a desktop support resource and be responsible for providing both Level 1 and 2 operational productivity assistance to internal customers. Your high-reaching mission will be to build professional relationships and credibility that lead users to embrace technology, see it as an invaluable tool to their success, and view you as the "go-to" expert who will support their technology needs. You will focus on hardware primarily (computers, network) and partner with the local TPC/Trainer who will train and support FRs and staff on a wide variety of software. Additionally, you will provide 100% technology support across your assigned offices and across technologies, including all office equipment beyond computers (e.g. telephones, printers and more). Quick question for you - click here
 
Specifically, you will be responsible for:

• Providing Level 1 and 2 support, as needed; Level 3 issues will be escalated to a Senior Technician in Milwaukee
• Managing proprietary software changes and the introduction of new and highly complex technologies
• Full desktop support including:
  • Diagnosing desktop and support systems issues
  • Reimaging computers
  • Password assistance
  • Screen shares
  • Error codes
  • Updates
  • Etc.
• The resolution of all Field Link computer associated problems
• Supporting the Network Support Division (NSD) management by collecting, analyzing, interpreting, and recording highly technical and diverse data required for both problem identification and effective maintenance of the Field’s computer system   
• Leveraging a ticketing system to manage workflow
• Working extensively with vendors; tracking service agreements
• Maintaining appropriate inventory to get new users up and running in short order

Note: this description is intended to give you a general overview of the position and is not an exhaustive listing of duties and responsibilities.

Why Join Us

Be the go-to expert and impact success
This is an opportunity to earn credibility and serve as the go-to expert for hardware. Technology is crucial to the success of the offices and individual contributors you'll serve, meaning keeping everything up-to-date and running smoothly will directly reflect your success in the role.

Autonomy & support
As long as you are supporting the team and keeping the technology updated and moving, you will enjoy a good deal of autonomy in how you manage your responsibilities. You'll have room to demonstrate your skill and excel in your role. Of course, when you need support it is available. Resources include the Facilities Manager, TPC (trainer), Level 3 escalation partner, and the larger corporate tech team.

Career growth
In this role, you will enjoy visibility and your successes will be noticed locally and at corporate. Prove yourself and you could advance your career with Northwestern Mutual. For example, you might decide to focus on software and move into a TPC role. Or, if you've got your eye set on management, you might step up to a regional role and take direct responsibility for a number of Technology Coordinators. There are ample opportunities to advance your career, especially if you're willing to relocate.

Outstanding training
Naturally, you'll come in with strong technology skills and learning aptitude, but we'll ensure you have the technology training and tools you need to succeed. You will train in Milwaukee, but you'll also have the opportunity to work extensively with a Level 3 Technician who has a wealth of information.

A Company that Cares
We create meaningful employment opportunities and invest in our people. We strengthen local businesses and economies. We give back, help out, and make a difference for families and children -- thousands of whom have benefited from our national philanthropic program to fight childhood cancer through Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation. And each year, our employees and local offices donate time, talent and financial support to causes they’re passionate about. Consider some of our recent corporate commitments:

• The Northwestern Mutual Foundation has given nearly $170 million to communities across the nation during the past decade.
• Northwestern Mutual has given more than $9 million to support urban education in Milwaukee during the past five years.
• Our employees volunteer more than 30,000 hours each year to community organizations.

At the local level, you will have opportunities to participate and give back if you'd like. 

Service culture
We have a highly professional, service oriented culture committed to serving our clients and the community. We strive to create an environment where people like to work and do their best. Our atmosphere is fast-moving and our culture is strong.

Corporate connection
You’ll travel to our corporate offices for training initially and in the future. With 5,000 employees at our home office in Milwaukee and a second campus in Franklin, WI, Northwestern Mutual is truly a community within a community. You’ll learn in a vibrant and innovative atmosphere where employees are challenged, camaraderie and a sense of team are strong, and you can build your skills and knowledge as you stimulate your mind and make important internal connections. 

The power of diversity
We believe that a diverse and inclusive work environment attracts and engages the best talent—people with unique ideas, points of view, and passions. We foster a culture of inclusion where everyone can be their best, and are committed to hiring a talented and diverse workforce. At Northwestern Mutual we take a holistic approach to both raise our brand awareness and recruit new talent for corporate and national sales opportunities at diversity events across the country. We reach tens of thousands of professionals and students through our affiliations with:

• ALPFA
• National Association of Black Accountants (NABA)
• National Association of Women MBAs (NAWMBA)
• National Black MBA Association (NBMBAA)
• National Society of Hispanic MBAs (NSHMBA)

Excellent compensation
In addition to a competitive salary and bonus incentive opportunity, we offer a comprehensive slate of benefits including insurances, PTO and more.

Keys to Success

Naturally, you’ll need to dedicate yourself to knowledge gain and become expert in all of the technology you will support. However, as already noted, to be successful in the role of Technology Coordinator / Desktop Support in Manhattan, you will also need outstanding interpersonal skills and the ability to earn credibility and establish rapport. At times you'll need a bit of a thick skin and the empathy to understand what it's like in your customers' shoes. For example, a Financial Representative might be on an appointment and struggling with technology. It will be up to you to fix things quickly and get them moving again. It will also be important to keep an eye on inventory so that you have the resources you need to get new FRs and staff up and running from day one.

Because you will serve in a position that is a dual resource (corporate and local), you’ll build relationships on both fronts. You will perform your daily tasks locally, and your goals will be centered on local offices, but you’ll also build partnerships and create resources on the wider technology team and within the corporate office, especially with your Level 3 counterpart. You'll know you're hitting the mark when there is a strong reduction in calls to the Corporate Tech Team because your customers are turning to you and you're solving their problems. The number of people you will support and the demand for technology is high, so you will also need to be skilled at multitasking and balancing requests. You'll need a certain level of interpersonal finesse as you prioritize so that no one feels ignored. The ability to remain calm, even as those you are helping are under stress, will also be an advantage.

About Us

As achieving financial security becomes more complex for more people, a few simple truths are becoming even more powerful: Relationships are built on trust. Our lives and businesses matter. And we're much stronger together than we are apart. These beliefs launched our company nearly 160 years ago. Today they're hardwired into our DNA and are just some of the reasons why people turn to Northwestern Mutual to help secure their futures.

At Northwestern Mutual, financial security is built on the lasting relationships our financial advisors establish with their clients. Our advisors get to know their clients' hopes and dreams so they can help them make life's financial decisions with confidence. Working with some of the best-trained financial professionals in the business*, clients benefit from a distinctive planning approach that includes protecting what they already have and high-quality products that perform for the long term.

Doing what's right, taking a long-term view and sharing our success with clients sets up apart. In the past 10 years -- including the Great Recession -- we've paid clients more than $47 billion in dividends. In 2016, we expect to pay a record $5.6 billion in total dividends, including industry-leading dividends on life and disability insurance.**

*Training Magazine's annual "Training Top 125" list, January/February 2015 issue.
**Northwestern Mutual analysis of dividends based on historical data. The dividend scale and the underlying interest rates are reviewed annually and are subject to change. Future dividends are not guaranteed, although Northwestern Mutual has paid a dividend every year since 1872.

Pictured: Milwaukee.