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Principal Financial Group · 1 day ago

AVP, Enterprise Business Transformation

Charlotte, NC

Full-time

Hybrid

Senior Level, Lead/Staff

$179K/yr - $243K/yr

12+ years exp

Principal Financial Group is looking for an AVP - Enterprise Business Transformation to join their Transformation team. This role is responsible for setting the strategic direction and governance model for expense management, overseeing enterprise-wide efficiency initiatives, and guiding transformation leaders to deliver measurable outcomes.

Financial ServicesInsurance

No H1B

U.S. Citizen Only

Responsibilities

Set the enterprise expense optimization strategy and oversee the design of a cohesive, multi-year portfolio aligned to organizational priorities

Partner with stakeholders to drive enterprise-level aspiration setting, ensuring savings targets, capability goals, and investment requirements reflect strategic priorities

Establish and govern the enterprise expense opportunity portfolio, providing clear prioritization, resource alignment, and accountability frameworks

Partner with ELT/SLT to drive trade-off decisions, scenario evaluations, and enterprise investment choices that balance cost, risk, and capability advancement

Oversee the team responsible for day-to-day portfolio execution, ensuring strong governance, transparency, and disciplined delivery

Architect the enterprise capability model for expense optimization, including methodologies, tools, standards, and talent structures

Build and sponsor the network of Transformation Champions across business units and shared services; ensure enterprise consistency, shared learning, and adoption of best practices

Define the capability roadmap for digital enablement, operational efficiency, cost transparency, and insight-driven decision-making

Lead the evolution of enterprise processes, governance cadences, and change mechanisms that allow the organization to operate with greater agility and efficiency

Serve as the senior advisor to the VP and ELT on expense optimization strategy, emerging risks, structural efficiency opportunities, and capability requirements

Oversee enterprise benchmarking, unit-cost frameworks, multi-year aspiration modeling, and proprietary insight development

Ensure executive-level reporting provides clear, actionable narratives that connect financial and operational trends to business outcomes

Guide Sr. Directors and analytical teams in developing strategic insights, evaluation models, and forecasting tools that enable effective enterprise decision-making

Lead alignment across Finance, Procurement, Strategic Planning, PMO, Actuarial, and business units to ensure integrated portfolio oversight and benefit realization

Establish enterprise governance routines that standardize intake, sizing, validation, attribution, and tracking of savings and efficiencies

Partner with Finance and Actuarial to integrate expense insights into planning cycles, pricing allowances, and long-term strategic forecasting

Drive consistent, enterprise-wide transparency into cost structures, spend drivers, value realization, and investment capacity

Set the enterprise innovation agenda for expense optimization, including AI/GenAI analytics, automation, next-gen workflow tools, and global shared service models

Sponsor pilot programs and proof-of-concept initiatives that demonstrate value and scale emerging capabilities across the enterprise

Identify enterprise-wide technology needs, define business requirements, and champion funding and adoption of new digital tools

Serve as the enterprise leader for evaluating external benchmarks, emerging technologies, and strategic capability gaps

Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing team of transformation professionals

Cultivate an enterprise mindset, influencing senior leaders to shift away from siloed decision-making toward enterprise value creation

Represent the Business Transformation Office at executive forums, serving as a strategic partner and thought leader on expense optimization and transformation strategy

Build cultural momentum for continuous improvement, innovation, and disciplined execution across the organization

Qualification

Enterprise StrategyExpense OptimizationTransformation LeadershipAdvanced AnalyticsFinancial AnalysisGovernance StructuresStakeholder EngagementRelationship ManagementCommunication SkillsTeam Leadership

Required

Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Management, or related discipline required

12+ years of progressive leadership experience in business transformation, enterprise strategy, finance, expense management, or equivalent fields

Significant experience leading enterprise-wide transformation initiatives, including oversight of large portfolios, multi-year programs, and cross-functional workstreams

Demonstrated ability to partner with senior executives, shape strategy, and drive alignment on enterprise priorities

Strong judgment, strategic thinking, and ability to simplify complex issues for executive audiences

Proven ability to architect operating models, governance structures, and enterprise capabilities

Deep experience in building and scaling new capabilities, transformation methods, and enterprise operating frameworks

History of delivering measurable outcomes through operational efficiency, portfolio governance, and cross-functional alignment

Strong command of expense analysis, benchmarking, forecasting, and unit cost modeling

Experience with advanced analytics, automation, or AI/GenAI tools; ability to evaluate and scale digital solutions across an enterprise

Comfort leading innovation pilots, building business cases, and aligning technology investments with strategic goals

Exceptional communication skills with the ability to shape executive narratives and influence senior-level decision-making

Proven experience leading through ambiguity, mobilizing large teams, and fostering enterprise mindsets

Strong relationship management and stakeholder engagement capabilities across highly matrixed environments

Preferred

Master's degree strongly preferred

6+ years of people leadership preferred

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

Company

Principal Financial Group

Glassdoor3.9

Principal Financial Group® is dedicated to improving the wealth and well-being of people and businesses around the world—helping more than 62M customers plan, protect, invest, and retire as of December 31, 2023.

Founded in 1879

Des Moines, Iowa, USA

10001+ employees