Corporate Strategy & Development Director

Principal Financial Group • Des Moines, IA

3d • Hybrid

About The Position

We’re looking for a Corporate Strategy & Development Director to join our Corporate Strategy and Development team. In this role, you will lead complex strategy and transaction initiatives that contribute to Principal’s long-term growth, profitability, and competitive position. This role will work flexibly across a broad range of enterprise and business-unit priorities, including mergers and acquisitions. Assignments may span different businesses, geographies, and strategic questions, requiring the ability to quickly orient to new subject matter, create structure in ambiguous situations, and drive work toward clear decisions and outcomes. You will work closely with enterprise and business-unit senior leaders to evaluate strategic opportunities, develop fact-based recommendations, translate strategic ideas into actionable plans, and drive disciplined execution. The successful candidate will combine strong financial and analytical capabilities with strategic judgment, intellectual agility, adaptability, collaborative leadership, and a high degree of ownership.
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.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting, economics, business, actuarial science, or a related field, with eight or more years of relevant professional experience.
• Significant experience in corporate development, investment banking, private equity, transaction advisory, strategic finance, management consulting, or a comparable transaction- or strategy-oriented role.
• Demonstrated M&A experience, including financial analysis and valuation, due diligence, transaction structuring, negotiation, stakeholder management, and transaction execution.
• Strong financial acumen, including the ability to evaluate financial statements, business models, valuation analyses, capital structures, and the economic implications of strategic alternatives.
• Demonstrated ability to take ownership of complex initiatives, establish structure in ambiguous situations, manage multiple priorities, and drive work from initial analysis through decision and execution.
• Ability to move effectively between strategic and long-range thinking and hands-on execution, with strong attention to detail and accountability for results.
• Strong problem-solving skills and intellectual agility, with the ability to assess new situations quickly, identify the critical issues, and develop practical, well-reasoned solutions.
• A collaborative, team-oriented leadership style characterized by ownership, adaptability, resilience, sound judgment, humility, and a willingness to contribute wherever needed.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build trust and productive working relationships across business units, functions, organizational levels, and cultures.
• Strong communication, negotiation, and influencing skills, with the executive presence required to work effectively with senior leaders and external counterparties.
• Ability to communicate directly and constructively, navigate differing perspectives, and create alignment among stakeholders with varied objectives.
• Broad understanding of the financial services industry, capital markets, and the regulatory, competitive, and economic factors affecting financial-services businesses.
• Experience working on cross-border matters or with international teams, advisors, and counterparties is preferred. A demonstrated interest in and ability to operate effectively across different markets and cultures is important.
• Additional language capabilities are welcome but are not required.

Nice To Haves

• MBA, CFA, CPA, or another relevant advanced degree or professional designation is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Develop clear, fact-based strategic and financial recommendations for senior management regarding growth opportunities, portfolio priorities, capital deployment, business performance, and other enterprise-level decisions.
• Structure and lead complex projects by defining the key questions, analytical approach, workplan, roles, and decision points required to move the work forward.
• Lead mergers, acquisitions, dispositions, strategic partnerships, financing transactions, and other capital-related initiatives across Principal’s businesses and geographies.
• Manage transactions throughout the full lifecycle, including strategic assessment, financial analysis, valuation, due diligence, transaction structuring, negotiation, governance and approval processes, signing, closing, and transition planning.
• Identify, evaluate, and advance inorganic growth and portfolio-management opportunities in partnership with business leaders, strategists, finance professionals, functional experts, and external advisors.
• Lead cross-functional teams, maintain momentum across multiple workstreams, identify and resolve execution risks, and drive initiatives toward timely decisions and outcomes.
• Quickly develop a strong understanding of unfamiliar businesses, markets, geographies and transaction structures and translate that understanding into actionable insights and recommendations.
• Build productive relationships with potential buyers, sellers, strategic partners, investment bankers, consultants, legal advisors, and other external counterparties.
• Work effectively across different businesses, functions, geographies, and cultures, including on matters involving international teams, partners, advisors, and counterparties.
• Provide strategic planning and problem-solving support to business units, including market assessment, competitive analysis, performance improvement, benchmarking, organizational design, and implementation planning.
• Serve as a trusted thought partner to senior leaders while remaining actively involved in the detailed analysis, coordination, and execution required to move initiatives forward.
• Communicate complex strategic, financial, and transaction-related matters clearly and effectively to senior executives, governance bodies, business partners, and external stakeholders.
• Coach, develop, and provide oversight to junior members of the Corporate Strategy and Development team.
• Perform other strategic initiatives and special projects as required.

Benefits

• 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.
• Pension Eligible
• Comprehensive, competitive benefit offerings designed to protect their physical, financial, and social well-being.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director