Investment Associate

Cowell Financial is an established, comprehensive financial advisory firm located in the beautiful Brainerd Lakes Area. We deliver thoughtful, personalized financial planning and investment management to help clients achieve clarity and long-term financial security. 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 6, and 63 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

David T Cowell uses 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. Northwestern Mutual is the marketing name for The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company, Milwaukee, WI (NM) (life and disability insurance, annuities, and life insurance with long-term care benefits) and its subsidiaries. David T Cowell is an Insurance Agent of NM and Northwestern Long-Term Care Insurance Company, Milwaukee, WI (long-term care insurance), a subsidiary of NM. Registered Representative of Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC (securities), a subsidiary of NM, broker-dealer, registered investment adviser, member FINRA and SIPC. Representative of Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company®, Milwaukee, WI, (fiduciary and fee-based financial planning services), a subsidiary of NM and federal savings bank. There may be instances when this agent represents companies in addition to NM or its subsidiaries. Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks (CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and federally registered CFP® (with flame design) in the U.S. which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP® Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements.