Director - Process Improvement

What You'll Do

We’re looking for a Director for Process Improvement to join our Transformation team. In this role, you’ll lead and champion process improvement initiatives to elevate organizational effectiveness and process excellence, and provide strategic direction and influence across departments, driving continuous improvement efforts from planning through execution to achieve measurable outcomes.

You'll have the opportunity to:

• Lead and drive continuous process improvement to enhance organizational effectiveness. Partner with key stakeholders to align on business plans and strategic direction, influencing leaders to implement solutions or organizational changes that yield significant efficiency (cost savings) and effectiveness (client satisfaction) outcomes. Collaborate with Finance to quantify and reforecast these impacts.
• Oversee and manage team operations, including headcount planning, recruitment, training, talent management, compensation administration, rewards and recognition, performance evaluations, and providing coaching and mentorship.
• Offer expert guidance in process improvement efforts by initiating, prioritizing, and allocating resources to improvement initiatives, effectively balancing the demands of scope, time, quality, and cost.
• Ensure that standards, processes, and methodologies for performance improvement are implemented and consistently shared across the organization. Establish and track key performance indicators (KPIs) to assess the success and impact of process improvement initiatives.
• Create and oversee the departmental budget, as well as establish objectives, policies, and procedures.
• Deep knowledge of Lean principles and practices.
• Working knowledge and practical application of Six Sigma methodologies.
• Experience applying Toyota Kata principles to develop organizational learning and continuous improvement capability.
• Experience utilizing Training Within Industry (TWI) methodologies to improve performance and workforce capability.
• Strong understanding of value stream management, process performance measurement, visual management, and management systems.
• Ability to translate strategic objectives into sustainable operational systems, routines, and behaviors.
• Advanced facilitation skills, including leading workshops, problem-solving events, leader sessions, and stakeholder discussions.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret performance data, identify root causes, evaluate alternatives, and prioritize opportunities.
• Demonstrated ability to influence stakeholders across organizational boundaries without direct reporting authority.
• Excellent verbal, written, presentation, coaching, and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and drive accountability in a dynamic environment. Travel
• Ability to travel quarterly to Des Moines and occasionally to other company locations as business needs require.
• Perform other job-related duties or special projects as required.

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!

• 8+ years of related work experience or equivalent demonstrated through one or a combination of the following: work experience, training, military experience, or education
• 2+ years people management experience of informal or formal leadership experience.
• Must have excellent leadership qualities, organizational, problem-solving, analytical, presentation, and oral and written communication skills, as well as good interviewing, diplomacy, and negotiation skills with the ability to be a group facilitator
• Must be able to conceptualize, analyze, and understand problems and their organizational impact, as well as demonstrate creativity
• Must be able to build relationships and work in a matrix environment while being adaptable, flexible, a self-starter and big-picture thinker, and be fluent in identification of work processes
• Requires…