Assistant Director - Field Compliance & Business Support

Principal Financial · Des Moines · $127,000–$149,000 (stated in the posting)

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What You'll Do

This role drives strategic compliance programs for the Registered Investment Adviser and Broker Dealer for the retail product and service distribution of Principal Securities by leading a practice group accountable for retail distribution support. Responsibilities include setting compliance practice group direction, conducting complex risk assessments, overseeing compliance monitoring, regular business and compliance project engagement, and advising senior leaders on regulatory developments applicable in the space. The individual leads a practice group that contributes to policy and training strategies, leads process redesign, and collaborates across business areas. As a key liaison with Principals Securities, the role influences best practices.   Additional responsibilities include setting team goals, developing staff, managing performance, fostering collaboration, and ensuring successful delivery of compliance initiatives across business units.

• Data Analysis - Systematically collect, interpret, and utilize data to ensure compliance. Analyze data to identify trends, patterns, and anomalies that could impact compliance. Use data insights to assess regulatory requirements, identify risks, and recommend improvements. Create detailed reports and visualizations to communicate findings. Support the development and execution of data strategies to enhance compliance insights and decision-making.
• Regulatory Research - Investigate, analyze, and interpret laws, regulations, and industry guidelines to support enterprise compliance. Monitor and evaluate legal and regulatory changes, assessing their potential impact on business operations and compliance programs. Research regulatory standards and best practices, contributing insights to enhance policy development and operational alignment. Communicate research findings and compliance requirements clearly to stakeholders across business units. Contributes to research prioritization and strategy, helping guide focus areas based on risk, regulatory trends, and business needs. Support the development and execution of regulatory change management processes, ensuring timely and effective implementation.
• Risk Management - Conduct risk assessments to identify potential compliance issues. Facilitate reporting of compliance risks across business units and geographies. Evaluate scenarios to determine the best course of action and offer strategic advice. Lead implementation of oversight programs to monitor and mitigate compliance risks. Review and approve deliverables using a risk-based approach to decision-making to support business goals while ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and company policies.
• Communications/Reporting - Lead the development and execution of external communication strategies related to compliance matters, ensuring alignment with enterprise-wide messaging and brand standards. Serve as a key liaison with regulatory bodies, industry groups, and external stakeholders to advocate for the organization’s position on emerging regulatory issues. Collaborate with senior leadership to shape and deliver consistent, enterprise-level compliance messaging across business units and external platforms. Establish and oversee the communication and reporting strategy for compliance initiatives, ensuring timely, transparent, and effective dissemination of information to internal and external audiences.
• Process Improvements - Evaluate current compliance processes to identify inefficiencies and areas for improvement. Design and implement enterprise-wide or business unit compliance programs, policies, and controls that ensure regulatory adherence and support strategic business objectives. Lead and manage change initiatives to enhance compliance processes. Regularly monitor and review compliance activities for effectiveness. Collaborate with stakeholders to help ensure process improvements align with organizational goals.
• People Leadership - Foster an environment which embraces diversity and inclusion, emboldens change, provides clarity of vision and purpose, nurtures collaboration, promotes innovation and creativity, while producing results which are measured and recognized. Successfully operates within a global, matrixed organization, inspires team to embrace business evolution and helps them develop their skill sets through effective delegation and empowerment. This includes providing training, career development, performance measurement, performance management, and input into hiring, compensation administration and rewards and recognition activities.
• This position requires successful completion of a criminal background check, and is subject to firm policies regarding FINRA associated persons and SEC Access Persons/Code of Ethics.

Positioned where financial services meet technology, Principal creates financial tools that assist our customers in living better lives. We are proud to be a purpose-oriented organization, guided by our mission to ensure financial security is within everyone's reach. Our mission, integrity, and customer dedication have made us a reliable leader for more than 140 years!

Who You Are

• 8+ years of relevant financial services experience demonstrated through one or a combination of the following: work experience, training, military experience or education.
• 2+ years previous compliance, risk management, legal or regulatory experience.
• Experience in a dual registrant (RIA & BD) engaged in independent retail distribution.
• 3+ years of formal/informal leadership experience.
• FINRA licensing may be required.
• Deep understanding of financial service products, markets, laws and regulations (SEC/FINRA/state/federal, AML, KYC, GDPR) applicable to retail product distribution of a dual registrant.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Excel, PowerPoint, and Word.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to influence and build relationships across all levels of the organization.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, organizational, and attention-to-detail skills.
• Proven ability to collaborate with business partners, manage stakeholder expectations, and balance multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently while collaborating effectively across teams.
• Must be comfortable providing consultation to various organizational levels and display a high level of professionalism and ability to explain complex information.
• Travel, including overnight stays, may be required periodically.

Salary Range Information

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

Time Off Program

Pension Eligible

Work Authorization/Sponsorship

At this time, we are not considering applicants who require any form of immigration sponsorship to work in the United States now or in the future. This includes F1-OPT, F1-CPT, H-1B, TN, L-1, J-1, and similar visas. For more information on work authorization requirements, please use the following links:

Nonimmigrant Workers and Green Card for Employment-Based Immigrants

Investment Ethics Code

In Principal Asset Management positions, you are required to observe an Investment Code of Ethics regarding conduct and personal trading for yourself and those living with you. Other positions within the organization may have similar obligations.

Experience Principal

At Principal, we believe in forming connections both personally and professionally. Together, we’re crafting a future for financial services that is guided by purpose – and that begins with you. Our success depends on the outstanding experiences, backgrounds, and talents of our employees. We provide support to our employees in the same way as our customers. Our inclusive and competitive benefits protect physical, financial, and social well-being. Check our careers site 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

Original Posting Date

Most Recently Posted Date

Principal uses artificial intelligence tools to assist in reviewing and evaluating job applications, fraud prevention, and candidate matching and comparisons. These AI tools support our human recruiters in the initial review process but do not make final hiring decisions without human involvement. By submitting your application, you acknowledge this use of AI in our recruitment process. Please review our Workforce (U.S.) Privacy Notice for more details on our practices and your data privacy rights.

LinkedIn Remote Hashtag

This role drives strategic compliance programs for the Registered Investment Adviser and Broker Dealer for the retail product and service distribution of Principal Securities by leading a practice group accountable for retail distribution support. Responsibilities include setting compliance practice group direction, conducting complex risk assessments, overseeing compliance monitoring, regular business and compliance project engagement, and advising senior leaders on regulatory developments applicable in the space. The individual leads a practice group that contributes to policy and training strategies, leads process redesign, and collaborates across business areas. As a key liaison with Principals Securities, the role influences best practices.   Additional responsibilities include setting team goals, developing staff, managing performance, fostering collaboration, and ensuring successful delivery of compliance initiatives across business units.

• Data Analysis - Systematically collect, interpret, and utilize data to ensure compliance. Analyze data to identify trends, patterns, and anomalies that could impact compliance. Use data insights to assess regulatory requirements, identify risks, and recommend improvements. Create detailed reports and visualizations to communicate findings. Support the development and execution of data strategies to enhance compliance insights and decision-making.
• Regulatory Research - Investigate, analyze, and interpret laws, regulations, and industry guidelines to support enterprise compliance. Monitor and evaluate legal and regulatory changes, assessing their potential impact on business operations and compliance programs. Research regulatory standards and best practices, contributing insights to enhance policy development and operational alignment. Communicate research findings and compliance requirements clearly to stakeholders across business units. Contributes to research prioritization and strategy, helping guide focus areas based on risk, regulatory trends, and business needs. Support the development and execution of regulatory change management processes, ensuring timely and effective implementation.
• Risk Management - Conduct risk assessments to identify potential compliance issues. Facilitate reporting of compliance risks across business units and geographies. Evaluate scenarios to determine the best course of action and offer strategic advice. Lead implementation of oversight programs to monitor and mitigate compliance risks. Review and approve deliverables using a risk-based approach to decision-making to support business goals while ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and company policies.
• Communications/Reporting - Lead the development and execution of external communication strategies related to compliance matters, ensuring alignment with enterprise-wide messaging and brand standards. Serve as a key liaison with regulatory bodies, industry groups, and external stakeholders to advocate for the organization’s position on emerging regulatory issues. Collaborate with senior leadership to shape and deliver consistent, enterprise-level compliance messaging across business units and external platforms. Establish and oversee the communication and reporting strategy for compliance initiatives, ensuring timely, transparent, and effective dissemination of information to internal and external audiences.
• Process Improvements - Evaluate current compliance processes to identify inefficiencies and areas for improvement. Design and implement enterprise-wide or business unit compliance programs, policies, and controls that ensure regulatory adherence and support strategic business objectives. Lead and manage change initiatives to enhance compliance processes. Regularly monitor and review compliance activities for effectiveness. Collaborate with stakeholders to help ensure process improvements align with organizational goals.
• People Leadership - Foster an environment which embraces diversity and inclusion, emboldens change, provides clarity of vision and purpose, nurtures collaboration, promotes innovation and creativity, while producing results which are measured and recognized. Successfully operates within a global, matrixed organization, inspires team to embrace business evolution and helps them develop their skill sets through effective delegation and empowerment. This includes providing training, career development, performance measurement, performance management, and input into hiring, compensation administration and rewards and recognition activities.
• This position requires successful completion of a criminal background check, and is subject to firm policies regarding FINRA associated persons and SEC Access Persons/Code of Ethics.

Positioned where financial services meet technology, Principal creates financial tools that assist our customers in living better lives. We are proud to be a purpose-oriented organization, guided by our mission to ensure financial security is within everyone's reach. Our mission, integrity, and customer dedication have made us a reliable leader for more than 140 years!

• 8+ years of relevant financial services experience demonstrated through one or a combination of the following: work experience, training, military experience or education.
• 2+ years previous compliance, risk management, legal or regulatory experience.
• Experience in a dual registrant (RIA & BD) engaged in independent retail distribution.
• 3+ years of formal/informal leadership experience.
• FINRA licensing may be required.
• Deep understanding of financial service products, markets, laws and regulations (SEC/FINRA/state/federal, AML, KYC, GDPR) applicable to retail product distribution of a dual registrant.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Excel, PowerPoint, and Word.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to influence and build relationships across all levels of the organization.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, organizational, and attention-to-detail skills.
• Proven ability to collaborate with business partners, manage stakeholder expectations, and balance multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently while collaborating effectively across teams.
• Must be comfortable providing consultation to various organizational levels and display a high level of professionalism and ability to explain complex information.
• Travel, including overnight stays, may be required periodically.

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