Jennifer Lenda
Oak Creek,WI
Summary
Results-driven business leader with a strong track record in strategic planning and execution, enhancing field and customer experiences. Skilled in aligning organizational goals and objectives to foster cohesive efforts across all levels. Proven expertise in communication, relationship-building, and cultivating partnerships.
Overview
20
20
years of professional experience
Work History
Senior Director Field Data, GenAi and Insights
Northwestern Mutual
09.2022 - Current
Assistant Director Field Experience COE -Insights
Northwestern Mutual
02.2019 - 09.2022
Assistant Director - Sales Promotion Lead
Northwestern Mutual
04.2018 - 01.2019
Divisional Vice President Omni-Channel Marketing
BonTon Stores, Inc.
05.2016 - 03.2018
Director of Merchant Marketing
BonTon Stores, Inc.
02.2013 - 04.2016
Marketing Manager
BonTon Stores, Inc.
01.2006 - 01.2013
Education
BBA -
University of Wisconsin - Whitewater
Skills
- Strategic Planning
- Field and Customer Experience
- Technology Development & Implementation
- Team building and leadership
- Analytical skills
- Cross-functional collaboration
- Effective communication
- Coaching and mentoring
- Decision making
- Complex Problem-solving
Accomplishments
Northwestern Mutual:
• Currently leading an enterprise-wide initiative for Field Entitlements, successfully aligning leaders across 7 diverse investment structures and 30 unique departments towards a shared objective and strategic comprehensive multi-year solution. Developed new field distribution standards for field roles and team in partnership Compliance, Law, Privacy and Information Risk and Cyber Security teams. These new standards are the driving the Enterprise Entitlement Initiative technological solution.
• Current Field Data Business Owner who developed a multi-year field data strategy focused on driving field business value through modernization of the field data ecosystem. Key deliverables include the data enablement of Ensembles, Strategic Groups, Entity Advisor Role, Team Based Rewards and transformation of a 30 year old field data platform (Siebel) to the cloud.
• Field Experience Business Lead of the Field GenAi team, successfully partnered with Product, Engineering and AI teams to deliver the field first GenAi tools NMgpt and Linknetgpt in 2024
• Successfully lead the expansion of the In Market Testing Program in 2024 from 50 advisors to 100 through the automation of manual processes and development of comprehensive data dashboards. The expansion drove an increase in field research and insights for Corporate Strategy, User Experience and Innovation teams. An expansion to large teams is planned for 2025.
• As Business Owner of Linknet (April 2022 - September 2022) developed and recommended a revised multi-year business case focused on driving an improved Field Experience with centralized content management resources, UX designs supported by feedback from a field Ad-Hoc committee and a technology framework that provides for future contextual learning capabilities.
• Planned and facilitated FXA leadership and department meetings as Chief of Staff for Vice President of FXA, Kevin Konopa. (2021-2022) Assisted FXA leadership team with the development of FXA 2021 objectives and key results and simplified CDLT monthly Initiative dashboard.
• Planned and successfully administered 2019 and 2020 FX Assessment and 2021 quarterly FX Pulse Surveys in partnership with Voice of Field. Shared insights with 3000+ enterprise partners and collaborated with FX Multipliers to drive action on insights through the development of shared OKR's from the FX Assessment.
• Designed and executed Journey Mapping workshops (2019) for Field Talent Acquisition, On-boarding and Training and engaged with the Field to validate findings and develop solutions (National Training Program) for pain points.
BonTon Stores, Inc.
• Strategically planned and executed promotion calendar with multi-media impressions for 270 department stores with $2.7 billion dollars in sales annually.
• Developed new digital tools, merchant marketing processes and re-aligned resources to reduce the creative marketing cycle by 4 weeks resulting in opportunities for competitive pricing opportunities to drive sales and gross margin improvements.
• Created a sales and marketing analysis planning tool to drive strategic allocation of advertising budget and resources for Senior Leadership.
• Successfully developed a merchant marketing analytics program in conjunction with Armeta Analytics resulting in a corporate localization initiative driving an 8-12% sales increase in A markets.
• Effectively planned and managed a vendor advertising coop budget in excess of $50 million annually.
• Partnered with digital team to plan merchant content for 1000+ email impressions annually.
• Strategically restructured merchant marketing division to better support digital vs. traditional media evolution while meeting cost reduction initiatives.
• Proposed innovative enhancements and offers to promotional campaigns resulting in double-digit sales increases in excess of $10 million.
• Proven effective leadership skills and direct reporting to CEO, CMO, President and Senior Executive Vice President.
• Currently leading an enterprise-wide initiative for Field Entitlements, successfully aligning leaders across 7 diverse investment structures and 30 unique departments towards a shared objective and strategic comprehensive multi-year solution. Developed new field distribution standards for field roles and team in partnership Compliance, Law, Privacy and Information Risk and Cyber Security teams. These new standards are the driving the Enterprise Entitlement Initiative technological solution.
• Current Field Data Business Owner who developed a multi-year field data strategy focused on driving field business value through modernization of the field data ecosystem. Key deliverables include the data enablement of Ensembles, Strategic Groups, Entity Advisor Role, Team Based Rewards and transformation of a 30 year old field data platform (Siebel) to the cloud.
• Field Experience Business Lead of the Field GenAi team, successfully partnered with Product, Engineering and AI teams to deliver the field first GenAi tools NMgpt and Linknetgpt in 2024
• Successfully lead the expansion of the In Market Testing Program in 2024 from 50 advisors to 100 through the automation of manual processes and development of comprehensive data dashboards. The expansion drove an increase in field research and insights for Corporate Strategy, User Experience and Innovation teams. An expansion to large teams is planned for 2025.
• As Business Owner of Linknet (April 2022 - September 2022) developed and recommended a revised multi-year business case focused on driving an improved Field Experience with centralized content management resources, UX designs supported by feedback from a field Ad-Hoc committee and a technology framework that provides for future contextual learning capabilities.
• Planned and facilitated FXA leadership and department meetings as Chief of Staff for Vice President of FXA, Kevin Konopa. (2021-2022) Assisted FXA leadership team with the development of FXA 2021 objectives and key results and simplified CDLT monthly Initiative dashboard.
• Planned and successfully administered 2019 and 2020 FX Assessment and 2021 quarterly FX Pulse Surveys in partnership with Voice of Field. Shared insights with 3000+ enterprise partners and collaborated with FX Multipliers to drive action on insights through the development of shared OKR's from the FX Assessment.
• Designed and executed Journey Mapping workshops (2019) for Field Talent Acquisition, On-boarding and Training and engaged with the Field to validate findings and develop solutions (National Training Program) for pain points.
BonTon Stores, Inc.
• Strategically planned and executed promotion calendar with multi-media impressions for 270 department stores with $2.7 billion dollars in sales annually.
• Developed new digital tools, merchant marketing processes and re-aligned resources to reduce the creative marketing cycle by 4 weeks resulting in opportunities for competitive pricing opportunities to drive sales and gross margin improvements.
• Created a sales and marketing analysis planning tool to drive strategic allocation of advertising budget and resources for Senior Leadership.
• Successfully developed a merchant marketing analytics program in conjunction with Armeta Analytics resulting in a corporate localization initiative driving an 8-12% sales increase in A markets.
• Effectively planned and managed a vendor advertising coop budget in excess of $50 million annually.
• Partnered with digital team to plan merchant content for 1000+ email impressions annually.
• Strategically restructured merchant marketing division to better support digital vs. traditional media evolution while meeting cost reduction initiatives.
• Proposed innovative enhancements and offers to promotional campaigns resulting in double-digit sales increases in excess of $10 million.
• Proven effective leadership skills and direct reporting to CEO, CMO, President and Senior Executive Vice President.
Additional Information
Northwestern Mutual Women's ERG
- Mentor and Mentee 2021 - 2025
Northwestern Mutual Leader Development
- Leading at NM (2024)
- Leading with Strategic Clarity (2024)
Timeline
Senior Director Field Data, GenAi and Insights
Northwestern Mutual
09.2022 - Current
Assistant Director Field Experience COE -Insights
Northwestern Mutual
02.2019 - 09.2022
Assistant Director - Sales Promotion Lead
Northwestern Mutual
04.2018 - 01.2019
Divisional Vice President Omni-Channel Marketing
BonTon Stores, Inc.
05.2016 - 03.2018
Director of Merchant Marketing
BonTon Stores, Inc.
02.2013 - 04.2016
Marketing Manager
BonTon Stores, Inc.
01.2006 - 01.2013
BBA -
University of Wisconsin - Whitewater