Benefits:

Retirement
Bonus based on performance
Company parties
Dental insurance
Flexible schedule
Health insurance
Opportunity for advancement
Training & development
Vision insurance

Transition Your Teaching Skills into Financial Services:

Leverage Your Communication Expertise: Educators excel in financial services because they have the confidence and communication skills needed to guide clients through important decisions that can shape their financial futures.
Build Lifelong Relationships: While educators often lose touch with students as they move into new life stages, financial services allow you to maintain close, long-term relationships with clients, helping them at every stage of life.
See the Impact of Your Work: Just as you’ve witnessed the difference you made in the classroom, this career offers the chance to see how your guidance positively affects clients’ lives, both now and in the future.
Achieve Greater Rewards: Transitioning into financial services can offer not only a more rewarding career path but often greater financial opportunities as well.

Meet Our Local Leaders:

Jim Zara – Wealth Management Advisor

How long with NM? 34 years.
Prior Experience? Prior to joining NM, Jim graduated from the University of Missouri's Business School.
Passionate About? Jim is passionate about his family—his wife and their three children. Outside of work, Jim is an avid supporter of Mizzou sports, particularly football and basketball, where he enjoys game days from his suite on the 50-yard line. He loves the outdoors, especially hunting and fishing, with memorable trips to Africa and Alaska alongside his son. Jim also values coaching, leadership development, personal growth, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Cassandra Clemens – Director of Recruitment and Selection:

How long with NM? 4 years.
Prior Experience? Graduated from Mizzou’s Journalism School in 2010. Spent 3 years selling Personal Lines Insurance before transitioning into a Sales Training & Development Specialist role for a large insurance and travel organization, where she worked for 7 years.
Passionate About? Outside of business, Cassandra is passionate about traveling and spending weekends at the Lake of the Ozarks, where she enjoys boating. She co-runs an online boutique with her aunt and splits time between St. Louis and Arizona to visit family. She loves being active outdoors, especially hiking with her Chocolate Lab.

Jesstine Kemper – Financial Advisor:

How long with NM? 6 years.
Prior Experience? Before joining NM, Jess held leadership roles in various departments within the casino industry, working as a hotel manager, casino floor supervisor, slot supervisor, and marketing manager.
Passionate About? Jess loves spending time with her husband and their 1.5-year-old son. They recently renovated a historic 1890s home in Soulard and enjoy exploring new restaurants in St. Louis, especially those featuring ethnic cuisine. Adventurous travelers, they are committed to leaving the country at least once a year—her favorite destination is Vienna, Austria.

Brian LaValle – Private Wealth Advisor:

How long with NM? 22 years.
Prior Experience? Before joining NM, Brian worked in software sales and engineering. He started his career as an engineer and later founded a small company, where he was responsible for software architecture and selling their products.
Passionate About? Brian is deeply committed to his family, including his significant other, his four children, and six grandchildren. He loves spending time outdoors, especially hunting and fishing, and enjoys relaxing on his property in Bowling Green, MO.

Jakob Junker – Financial Representative:

How long with NM? 6 months.
Prior Experience? Before joining NM, Jakob worked in the mortgage industry as a loan coordinator for a large U.S. lender.
Passionate About? Outside of work, Jakob enjoys spending time with his fiancée Sarah. They love hiking on his parents' farm in Warrenton, MO, with their Pit Mix. Jakob is an enthusiast of trying new microbreweries in downtown St. Louis and enjoys playing slow-pitch softball. He is also a big fan of attending sporting events, especially Cardinals and Blues games.

About Us: As a valued member of The Zara Group, you’ll be part of a Top 10% District Office in NM for production, recognized as a 2024 Best Place to Work. Our commitment to excellence is reflected in the fact that 100% of our Veteran Advisors (5+ years in the business) qualify for Industry MDRT (Million Dollar Round Table)—a testament to the strength of our mentorship, training, and culture of success. We’re also proud to be home to one of the Top 10 Internship Programs in the Country, providing emerging professionals with an unparalleled foundation for a thriving career. At Zara Group, our core values—Faith, Personal Responsibility, Personal & Professional Growth, Feedback Rich & Generosity—shape everything we do. Beyond financial services, we’re dedicated to giving back, supporting initiatives like Alex’s Lemonade Stand in the fight against childhood cancer and contributing as a Davenport Society Member to the Mizzou School of Business.

Position Responsibilities for a Financial Representative:

Educate clients on financial planning and insurance options.
Provide excellent customer service and build lasting relationships.
Collaborate with a local supportive team.

Position Requirements:

Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
Goal-oriented with a desire to succeed.
Life insurance license and FINRA certifications (or willingness to obtain).

Our Unique Angle: Meticulous Training and Support

We distinguish ourselves by prioritizing a meticulous focus on the process, ensuring sustainable business practices and a predictable high-activity approach, setting us apart from an industry often fixated on end results.

Position Perks:

Significant bonus opportunity commensurate with outcomes
Dental insurance
Health insurance
Life insurance
Retirement plan
Vision insurance
Ongoing professional development
Local culture of support and positive recognition

Northwestern Mutual is the marketing name for The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company (NM) and its subsidiaries in Milwaukee, WI. Jim Zara is a General Agent of NM and not in legal partnership with NM, or its subsidiaries.

Flexible work from home options available.

Compensation: $147,000.00 - $190,000.00 per year

(if you already have a resume on Indeed)