TA Operations and Compliance Lead

What You'll Do We’re seeking a Talent Acquisition (TA) Operations & Compliance Lead to join our Talent Acquisition team. In this role you'll lead, coordinate, carry out and provide compliance expertise on recruiting related projects and processes, and lead and direct our Talent Acquisition Specialist Team. Lead key TA compliance initiatives tied to new regulations, operational improvements, and technology rollouts. You’ll figure out what changes are needed, assess risks, translate requirements into effective approaches, and make sure teams are prepared through clear communications and training. Manage compliance across the recruiting process, including areas like background checks and I-9s. You’ll partner with Talent Acquisition leaders and team members to ensure we’re hiring the right way, spot and investigate potential issues, and keep policies, audits, and training up to date. Act as a trusted advisor on complex compliance topics. You’ll dig into challenging issues, recommend practical solutions, and help resolve critical or escalated situations with good judgment and expertise. Stay ahead of what’s changing. You’ll keep a pulse on industry trends, regulatory updates, and best practices—then translate what matters into clear actions that reduce risk and improve how we hire. Lead and develop a high-impact TA Specialist team. This team supports candidate and hiring leader experience through scheduling, background checks, and other critical processes. You’ll hire, mentor, and develop the team while managing performance and resources. Collaborate closely with partners across Compliance, Legal, Risk, and Privacy to ensure our hiring practices are not only effective, but also fully compliant. 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! Who You Are Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent experience plus an additional 8+ years of HR and/or compliance experience, with at least 5 years of exposure to Talent Acquisition processes Professional experience with risk mitigation, regulation adherence, or related activities Formal or Informal leadership experience Demonstrated consulting mindset with strong leadership, problem-solving, and analytical skills Proven ability to plan, organize, and manage projects while building relationships and influencing results across all levels of stakeholders Ability to manage multiple competing priorities Ability to maintain a high level of confidentiality Experience working with enterprise grade applicant tracking systems a plus 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) $110200 - $148200 / 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 & Work Environment Role is based out of our corporate headquarters in Des Moines, IA and offers a hybrid work arrangement, blending at least three in‑office days during a typical workweek. 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 6/17/2026 Most Recently Posted Date 6/17/2026 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. LinkedIn Hashtag #LI-MT1 We’re seeking a Talent Acquisition (TA) Operations & Compliance Lead to join our Talent Acquisition team. In this role you'll lead, coordinate, carry out and provide compliance expertise on recruiting related projects and processes, and lead and direct our Talent Acquisition Specialist Team. Lead key TA compliance initiatives tied to new regulations, operational improvements, and technology rollouts. You’ll figure out what changes are needed, assess risks, translate requirements into effective approaches, and make sure teams are prepared through clear communications and training. Manage compliance across the recruiting process, including areas like background checks and I-9s. You’ll partner with Talent Acquisition leaders and team members to ensure we’re hiring the right way, spot and investigate potential issues, and keep policies, audits, and training up to date. Act as a trusted advisor on complex compliance topics. You’ll dig into challenging issues, recommend practical solutions, and help resolve critical or escalated situations with good judgment and expertise. Stay ahead of what’s changing. You’ll keep a pulse on industry trends, regulatory updates, and best practices—then translate what matters into clear actions that reduce risk and improve how we hire. Lead and develop a high-impact TA Specialist team. This team supports candidate and hiring leader experience through scheduling, background checks, and other critical processes. You’ll hire, mentor, and develop the team while managing performance and resources. Collaborate closely with partners across Compliance, Legal, Risk, and Privacy to ensure our hiring practices are not only effective, but also fully compliant. 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! Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent experience plus an additional 8+ years of HR and/or compliance experience, with at least 5 years of exposure to Talent Acquisition processes Professional experience with risk mitigation, regulation adherence, or related activities Formal or Informal leadership experience Demonstrated consulting mindset with strong leadership, problem-solving, and analytical skills Proven ability to plan, organize, and manage projects while building relationships and influencing results across all levels of stakeholders Ability to manage multiple competing priorities Ability to maintain a high level of confidentiality Experience working with enterprise grade applicant tracking systems a plus