RIS Operations Manager

Principal Financial Group; Des Moines, Charlotte (IA, NC); Hybrid; USD 89,000 - 127,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work arrangement

Job summary

Principal Financial Group in Des Moines, IA, is seeking a Manager in RIS Operations to lead a team delivering accurate, timely, and high-quality retirement plan services in a defined contribution setting. This role focuses on people leadership, coaching, accountability, and continuous improvement of work delivery.

You will direct day-to-day work, manage priorities, and collaborate with partners to resolve issues affecting participants, clients, and the business.

Qualifications

• 4+ years of experience in operations, service delivery, or a related area.
• 1+ years of experience leading operational teams, coaching or mentoring.
• Experience coordinating operational work to meet service and performance expectations.
• Ability to adapt resource plans to changing business needs.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day team activities and direct work based on priorities and business needs.
• Set expectations, monitor performance, and ensure quality and timely service delivery.
• Coach and develop employees through feedback and skill development.
• Reallocate work/resources as volumes change and coordinate escalations.
• Collaborate with peers and partners to resolve workflow challenges.
• Monitor performance metrics and identify improvement opportunities.
• Support process improvements and embed consistent practices.
• Apply governance and risk controls in daily decisions.

Skills

Operations leadership

Team coaching

Performance monitoring

Process improvement

Cross-functional collaboration

Risk & governance

Decision making

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

What You'll Do

As a Manager in RIS Operations, you will lead a team responsible for delivering accurate, timely, and high-quality operational services within a complex defined contribution environment. You will direct day-to-day work, coach team members, manage changing priorities, and collaborate with partners to resolve issues that affect participants, clients, and the business.

This is primarily a people and operational leadership role. You will help the team navigate shifting business needs, remove barriers, maintain accountability, and continuously improve how work is delivered.

Your Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day team activities and direct work based on operational priorities, capacity, service expectations, and business needs.
• Set clear expectations, monitor performance, and hold team members accountable for quality, accuracy, timeliness, and service delivery.
• Coach and develop employees through ongoing feedback, skill development, and support.
• Reallocate work and resources when transaction volumes, deadlines, or business priorities change.
• Identify operational problems, remove obstacles, and coordinate effective responses to escalations.
• Collaborate with peer leaders, service partners, business stakeholders, and global colleagues to resolve workflow challenges.
• Monitor performance information and use relevant insights to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Support process improvements and help embed consistent operational practices across the team.
• Apply internal policies, controls, governance requirements, and appropriate risk considerations in daily decision-making.
• Support initiatives and special projects that advance team and organizational goals.
• Manage team-level resources and operational tools responsibly.
• Perform other job-related duties and special projects as necessary.

Who You Are

• 4+ years of experience in operations, service delivery, or a related functional area gained through work, training, military service, or education.
• 1+ years of experience leading operational teams, coaching employees, mentoring others, or providing comparable leadership support.
• Experience coordinating operational work and helping teams achieve service, quality, and performance expectations.
• Experience assessing priorities, directing work, and adapting resource plans to meet changing business needs.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with teammates, peers, partners, and cross-functional stakeholders.
• Experience monitoring performance metrics, identifying opportunities for improvement, and implementing practical solutions.
• Sound judgment and the ability to operate within governance, risk, compliance, and control expectations.
• Demonstrated ability to learn complex processes, adapt to change, and lead effectively in dynamic operational environments.

Preferred Experience

• Experience in retirement operations, defined contribution plans, retirement recordkeeping, participant services, or a related regulated environment.
• Experience leading in a high-volume or operationally complex setting.
• Experience collaborating across geographically distributed or global teams.
• Bachelor's degree

What Will Help You Succeed

Success in this role requires the ability to:

• Make sense of complex, interconnected operational issues.
• Provide clear direction and maintain accountability.
• Build productive relationships across teams.
• Understand how decisions move through the organization.
• Address difficult issues constructively.
• Learn quickly and adjust when circumstances change.

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)

$89300 - $127000 / year

Salary Details

The following locations are examples of market-specific salary ranges across different geographies.

• Des Moines, IA: $89,300 - $120,650 / year
• Charlotte, NC: $94,000 - $127,000 / 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

Location

This position is based at Principal's Global Headquarters in Des Moines, Iowa or our Charlotte, North Carolina location. Team members in this role benefit from a hybrid work arrangement, working in the office three days per week and remotely for the remainder of the week.

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 and 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 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

9/17/2026

Most Recently Posted Date

9/17/2026

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.