Sr Executive Assistant

What You'll Do The Sr Executive Assistant supports the EVP, general counsel, and secretary (a member of Principal Financial Group’s Executive Management Group (EMG) and/or an Executive Vice President. This role works with the highest level of confidentiality and influence, supporting a high level of complex scheduling and materials (often with individuals who have a high scope of influence). They support the enterprise's highest priority work within their administrative support, assist in facilitating enterprise priorities through appropriate communication and collaboration with key partners. This role operates as an administrative strategic partner and extension of the executive, proactively optimizing executive time, decision flow, and stakeholder engagement in alignment with enterprise priorities. This individual focuses their strategic administrative efforts on the organization’s highest level of business, industry, and community priorities. Negotiate scheduling and meeting priorities with internal and external stakeholders. Responsible for drafting agendas and collaborating with key stakeholders to ensure alignment to meeting outcomes, related emails, prior meeting highlights, action items, and discussions. Identifies presenters and attendees and seeks and distributes related materials. Prioritize tasks and resolve conflicts independently, minimizing executive involvement. Anticipate executive needs by understanding priorities, decision-making style, and risk tolerance. Proactively identify and mitigate potential conflicts related to time, sequencing, optics, or stakeholders. Manage complex, global scheduling across multiple time zones and stakeholders. Enable timely and high-quality executive decision-making by ensuring readiness of context, materials, and participants. Support interactions with the Board of Directors, investors, external partners, and global leadership. Coordinate board-related preparation and logistics. Intentionally structure and protect executive focus time. Ensure the calendar reflects strategic and enterprise priorities. Serve as a gatekeeper and control point for executive access, balancing availability with impact and effectiveness. Represent the executive with professionalism in communications and interactions. Act as liaison to EMG peers and senior leaders. Apply sound judgment to maintain trust, credibility, and strong relationships across the organization. Facilitate and attend meetings or events as needed.. May be involved in business‑value driven department or enterprise‑wide projects of a complex nature tied to strategy and business plans. Lead or support special projects when required. Collaborate closely with peer administrative teams to ensure seamless information flow and issue resolution. Who You Are 8+ years of related experience or equivalent demonstrated through one or a combination of the following: work experience, training, military experience, or education. Bachelor's degree preferred. Understanding of company and department policies/procedures, business vocabulary and well networked, or the industry the EMG member oversees. Position requires tact, excellent interpersonal skills and ability to establish trust and rapport easily across all channels. Must be able to build and maintain relationships with high-profile and diverse groups. Must have the ability to influence and negotiate. Discretion and good judgement required to resolve problems and make recommendations for solutions and actions. Must be self-directed, have highly developed communication and able to adjust to audience, planning, time management, and organizational skills, and thrive in ambiguity and fast pace/fluid environment. Commitment to excellence and service focused – perform at the highest level possible on a consistent basis and dedicated to meet the expectations of EMG. Strong sense of commitment and ability to manage highly sensitive/confidential information required. Some travel, including overnight stays, may be 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) $35.17 - $47.96 / hour Time Off Program Personal Time Off (PTO) is provided to hourly (non-exempt) employees and provides a set amount of accrued time earned each pay period. Employees can use their PTO for vacation, personal or short-term illness. Pension Eligible Yes Work Environment This role will be a hybrid opportunty, working a minimum 3-4 days in the office at our downtown Des Moines, IA location. You will work with your leader to determine what schedule works best. Work Authorization/Sponsorship At this time, we're not considering candidates that need any type of immigration sponsorship now or in the future or those needing work authorization for this role. (This includes, but is not limited to students on F1-OPT, F1-CPT, J-1, etc.) Nonimmigrant Workers and Green Card for Employment-Based Immigrants Investment Code of Ethics For Principal Global Investors 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 5/8/2026 Most Recently Posted Date 5/8/2026 The Sr Executive Assistant supports the EVP, general counsel, and secretary (a member of Principal Financial Group’s Executive Management Group (EMG) and/or an Executive Vice President. This role works with the highest level of confidentiality and influence, supporting a high level of complex scheduling and materials (often with individuals who have a high scope of influence). They support the enterprise's highest priority work within their administrative support, assist in facilitating enterprise priorities through appropriate communication and collaboration with key partners. This role operates as an administrative strategic partner and extension of the executive, proactively optimizing executive time, decision flow, and stakeholder engagement in alignment with enterprise priorities. This individual focuses their strategic administrative efforts on the organization’s highest level of business, industry, and community priorities. Negotiate scheduling and meeting priorities with internal and external stakeholders. Responsible for drafting agendas and collaborating with key stakeholders to ensure alignment to meeting outcomes, related emails, prior meeting highlights, action items, and discussions. Identifies presenters and attendees and seeks and distributes related materials. Prioritize tasks and resolve conflicts independently, minimizing executive involvement. Anticipate executive needs by understanding priorities, decision-making style, and risk tolerance. Proactively identify and mitigate potential conflicts related to time, sequencing, optics, or stakeholders. Manage complex, global scheduling across multiple time zones and stakeholders. Enable timely and high-quality executive decision-making by ensuring readiness of context, materials, and participants. Support interactions with the Board of Directors, investors, external partners, and global leadership. Coordinate board-related preparation and logistics. Intentionally structure and protect executive focus time. Ensure the calendar reflects strategic and enterprise priorities. Serve as a gatekeeper and control point for executive access, balancing availability with impact and effectiveness. Represent the executive with professionalism in communications and interactions. Act as liaison to EMG peers and senior leaders. Apply sound judgment to maintain trust, credibility, and strong relationships across the organization. Facilitate and attend meetings or events as needed.. May be involved in business‑value driven department or enterprise‑wide projects of a complex nature tied to strategy and business plans. Lead or support special projects when required. Collaborate closely with peer administrative teams to ensure seamless information flow and issue resolution. 8+ years of related experience or equivalent demonstrated through one or a combination of the following: work experience, training, military experience, or education. Bachelor's degree preferred. Understanding of company and department policies/procedures, business vocabulary and well networked, or the industry the EMG member oversees. Position requires tact, excellent interpersonal skills and ability to establish trust and rapport easily across all channels. Must be able to build and maintain relationships with high-profile and diverse groups. Must have the ability to influence and negotiate. Discretion and good judgement required to resolve problems and make recommendations for solutions and actions. Must be self-directed, have highly developed communication and able to adjust to audience, planning, time management, and organizational skills, and thrive in ambiguity and fast pace/fluid environment. Commitment to excellence and service focused – perform at the highest level possible on a consistent basis and dedicated to meet the expectations of EMG. Strong sense of commitment and ability to manage highly sensitive/confidential information required. Some travel, including overnight stays, may be required.