Associate Manager - 401K, Compliance Testing

Principal Financial Group; Hyderabad; On-site; INR 1,200,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Job summary

Principal Financial Group in Pune, Maharashtra, India, seeks an Associate Manager - RIS Operations to lead retirement plan processes and a team of associates. You will ensure accurate, timely transactions, adhere to regulatory guidelines, and drive operational excellence with cross-functional collaboration.

The role emphasizes Lean, automation, and data-driven decision-making to boost efficiency and client service.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in finance, business administration, or related field.
• 5+ years of experience in retirement operations or financial services.
• Strong understanding of retirement plans (401(k), IRA, pension, etc.).

Responsibilities

• Lead routine tasks associated with retirement plans.
• Ensure transactions are accurate and timely, aligned with guidelines.
• Lead a group of associates and promote performance.
• Coordinate daily operations and improvements.
• Collaborate with multiple teams and leadership for updates.
• Drive quality, risk mitigation, and compliance.

Skills

Team leadership

Analytical skills

Excel

Power BI

MS Office

Data-driven decisions

Education

Bachelor's degree in finance, Business Administration, or related field

Tools

Retirement plan administration systems

Job description

If you want an outstanding opportunity to develop your career and make a strong impact, consider our Associate Manager - Operations position in Pune, Maharashtra, India. At Principal Financial Group, you will join a company that prizes excellence, collaboration, and innovation.

What You'll Do

As an Associate Manager - RIS Operations, you will lead routine tasks associated with retirement plans. You will guarantee transactions are handled accurately and swiftly, align with regulatory guidelines, and deliver excellent client assistance. This position requires leading all functions of a group of associates, promoting enhanced performance, and partnering with multiple teams to boost operational effectiveness.

Key Responsibilities

Team Management & Leadership

• Lead, coach, and mentor team members to achieve performance targets.
• Conduct regular one-on-one meetings, performance reviews, and development discussions.
• Foster a positive, inclusive, and high-accountability team culture.
• Lead team schedules, staffing, and workload distribution.

Operational Excellence

• Coordinate the daily operations of assigned processes to ensure accuracy, timeliness, and compliance.
• Drive process improvements through Lean, automation, and data-driven decisions.
• Maintain and track benchmarks (SLAs, quality scores, efficiency).
• Identify operational risks and implement mitigation plans.

Collaborator Management

• Act as the primary point of contact for internal and external collaborators.
• Partner with multiple groups to eliminate barriers and streamline operations.
• Present performance updates and business insights to leadership.

Planning and carrying out projects

• Translate organizational priorities into team-level action plans.
• Support resource planning, project execution, and organizational change initiatives.
• Contribute to departmental strategy by identifying trends, gaps, and opportunities.

Compliance & Quality Assurance

• Ensure adherence to company policies, regulatory requirements, and audit standards.
• Implement guidelines in documentation and process controls.
• Drive quality improvement initiatives and root-cause analyses.

Reporting, Analytics & Governance

• Prepare and maintain daily MIS, weekly performance dashboards, and monthly business reviews.
• Track KRAs, critical metrics, and efficiency benchmarks at individual and team levels.
• Provide insights through trend analysis—SLA performance, quality issues, volume patterns, and case aging.
• Recommend data-driven improvements to improve efficiency and accuracy.

Process Improvement & Transformation

• Identify workflow inefficiencies and collaborate with cross-functional groups to streamline or automate processes.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives using methodologies like RCA, Lean, and 5 Whys.
• Support system enhancements—UAT, requirement gathering, feedback loops.
• Lead pilots for new processes, transitions, or volume migrations.

Qualifications

Technical & Functional Skills

• Solid understanding of operations management, workflow allocation, and SLA-based delivery.
• Strong analytical and reporting skills (Excel, Power BI, operational dashboards).
• Experience with quality and process improvement frameworks (Lean, RCA, 5 Whys, Six Sigma exposure preferred).

Behavioral Skills

• Strong leadership with the ability to motivate and guide teams.
• Excellent communication and collaborator management skills.
• Problem-solving attitude with data-driven decision-making ability.
• Ability to handle pressure, blocking issues, and dynamic business needs.
• Excellent communication, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Proficiency in MS Office and retirement plan administration systems.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in finance, Business Administration, or related field.
• 5+ years of experience in retirement operations or financial services.
• Strong understanding of retirement plans (401(k), IRA, pension, etc.).
• Proven leadership and team management experience.

Additional Information

Shift Timings: 5.30 PM - 2.30 AM IST