What You'll Do

We're looking for an Assistant Director to join our Investment Product Management team. In this role, you'll guide, lead, and define business direction for highly complex, high-visibility, investment related projects to successful completion. You'll manage and grow internal and key third party relationships that support investment products and services of the Principal Financial Group, partner with finance and senior leadership to allocate necessary resources to pursue targeted outcomes, develop and lead new investment product and services-related projects while providing related training, written communication and general support to sales and service representatives, financial professionals, retirement plan clients, participants and other stakeholders as needed. You'll also ensure these efforts align across organizational boundaries and ensure strategic continuity among teams. Here are some of the duties you will perform below:

Direct and lead highly complex project efforts resulting from third-party relationships, with a focus on managed accounts providers (Morningstar, Edelman, etc.)

Partner with stakeholders to ensure efforts align across organizational boundaries, provide strategic continuity, align with both business and enterprise strategies/priorities.

Partner with finance and senior leadership to allocate necessary resources to pursue targeted outcomes and provide regular communications with stakeholders and senior leaders.

Integrate business, customer, user, and partner insights to inform a clear understanding of problems to solve and risks to manage. Continuously seeks to improve the clarity and effectiveness of the product.

This function also includes monitoring of internal workflow to ensure quality and timing standards are met for the benefit of our clients, and interaction with other areas within the Principal Financial Group to help direct the business systems and drive marketing, finance, communications, compliance, and training support required for third-party investment services.

Develop strong relationships for third-party relationships that provide services to our organization for the benefit of our client.

Serve as primary point person for third party relationships. Act as primary liaison between third party and business partners in the organization. Be escalation point of contact.

This role includes driving interactions and influencing with these firms in a variety of ways including setting strategic direction & performance metrics, contract management, budget analysis/adherence, perform ongoing due diligence, drive risk mitigation initiatives and other key aspects.

Make recommendations to mitigate expense increases without disrupting business operations. This can include third-party analytics, plan sponsor fiduciary services, participant investment education services, managed accounts, and other related efforts.

Advocate for, direct, and implement work designed to enhance our investment product and service offering.

Work with and provide direction to cross-functional project teams, IT, marketing, compliance, finance, training, distribution, and other areas as needed to execute implementation of an enhancement to an existing investment product or service or roll out of a new investment product or service.

Articulates hypotheses and leads the product team(s) (design, engineering, and various business roles) to deeply understand complex problems and solutions through experimentation.

Accountable for understanding and defining key business outcomes and requirements for their product.

Responsible for bringing the data and insights to the table for product teams and stakeholders to understand and consume (in collaboration with design/experience experts)

Assesses value of experiments, collaborates to draw out insights, and shares learnings with key partners and stakeholders. Based on learnings, determines which work should be prioritized into the product.

Operates and improves an effective parallel discovery and delivery model appropriate for complex, sensitive, multi-team products.

Partner with Sourcing and Supplier Management in the contractual review and/or identification and selection of new vendors. Evaluate potential and existing suppliers using criteria such as industry experience, capacity, quality standards, and financial stability to determine wither a relationship should continue/begin. Clearly articulate and advocate business needs and cost limits.

Direct or perform other job-related duties and special projects as required.

This position requires successful completion of a criminal history check.

Operating at the intersection of financial services and technology, Principal builds financial tools that help our customers live better lives. We take pride in being a purpose-led firm, motivated by our mission to make financial security accessible to all. Our mission, integrity, and customer focus have made us a trusted leader for more than 140 years!

Who You Are

Strong knowledge of financial services and insurance industry required

Experience with retirement plan advice and managed accounts products and services required

Requires bachelor's degree (Financial or Business degree preferred) or equivalent work experience plus 10+ years of related experience

Advanced degree and/or FINRA Series 7 and 66 is a plus

Must possess strong written and verbal communication skills, organization, human relations, leadership, math, decision-making, time-management, project management and analytical skills

Will require formal presentations to both internal and external audiences

Must be proficient with PowerPoint, Excel, and Word

Must be customer service oriented and have general knowledge of investment markets, products and services, operations, and systems

Must possess the ability to communicate and influence ideas and recommendations

Confidentiality, professionalism, and business ethics required

Occasional travel and overnight stays are required

Salary Range Information

Salary ranges below reflect targeted base salaries. Non-sales positions have the opportunity to participate in a bonus program. Sales positions are eligible for sales incentives, and in some instances a bonus plan, whereby total compensation may far exceed base salary depending on individual performance. Actual compensation for all roles will be based upon geographic location, work experience, education, licensure requirements and/or skill level and will be finalized at the time of offer.

Salary Range (Non-Exempt expressed as hourly; Exempt expressed as yearly)

$123000 - $185000 / year

Time Off Program

Flexible Time Off (FTO) is provided to salaried (exempt) employees and provides the opportunity to take time away from the office with pay for vacation, personal or short-term illness. Employees don't accrue a bank of time off under FTO and there is no set number of days provided.

Pension Eligible

Yes

Additional Information

Work Environments

This role offers in-office, hybrid (blending at least three office days in a typical workweek), and remote work arrangements (only if residing more than 30 miles from Des Moines, IA or Charlotte, NC). You'll work with your leader to figure out which option may align best based on several factors.

Work Authorization/Sponsorship

At this time, we're not considering applicants that need any type of immigration sponsorship (additional work authorization or permanent work authorization) now or in the future to work in the United States. This includes, but IS NOT LIMITED TO: F1-OPT, F1-CPT, H-1B, TN, L-1, J-1, etc. For additional information around work authorization needs please use the following links.

Nonimmigrant Workers (https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/temporary-nonimmigrant-workers) and Green Card for Employment-Based Immigrants (https://www.uscis.gov/green-card/green-card-eligibility/green-card-for-employment-based-immigrants)

Investment Code of Ethics

For Principal Asset Management positions, you'll need to follow an Investment Code of Ethics related to personal and business conduct as well as personal trading activities for you and members of your household. These same requirements may also apply to other positions across the organization.

Experience Principal

At Principal, we value connecting on both a personal and professional level. Together, we're imagining a more purpose-led future for financial services - and that starts with you. Our success depends on the unique experiences, backgrounds, and talents of our employees. And we support our employees the same way we support our customers: with comprehensive, competitive benefit offerings crafted to protect their physical, financial, and social well-being. Check out our careers site (https://www.principal.com/about-us/careers) to learn more about our purpose, values and benefits.

Principal is an Equal Opportunity Employer

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.

Posting Window

We will accept applications for 3 full days following the Original Posting Date, after which the posting may remain open or be removed based upon applications received. If we choose to post the job again, we will accept additional applications for at least 1 full day following the Most Recently Posted Date. Please submit applications in a timely manner as there is no guarantee the posting will be available beyond the applicable deadline.

Original Posting Date

8/6/2025

Most Recently Posted Date

8/6/2025

LinkedIn Remote Hashtag

#LI-Remote