Director, Deferred and LTIA

About Our Company

We’re a diversified financial services leader with more than $1.5 trillion in assets under management, administration and advisement as of year-end 2024. Our team of 22,000 people across 19 countries serves more than 3.5 million individual, small business and institutional clients. We are a longstanding leader in financial planning and advice, a global asset manager and an insurer. Our unwavering focus on our clients and strong financial foundation connects each of our unique businesses – Ameriprise Financial, Columbia Threadneedle Investments and River Source Insurance and Annuities.

Here, we foster meaningful careers, invest in the future, and make a difference for clients, institutions and communities around the world.

The Director of Deferred Compensation and Long Term Incentive Awards (LTIA) provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for the organization’s deferred compensation and LTIA programs. This role is accountable for ensuring programs are compliant, well governed, cost effective, and aligned with organizational objectives.

A critical component of the role is consulting closely with internal stakeholders and clients—often without direct reporting authority—to influence program design, simplify administration, and proactively manage 409A risk.

• Provide leadership for the administration of deferred compensation and LTIA programs for eligible employees, ensuring programs align with organizational strategy, business priorities, and talent objectives.
• Act as a trusted advisor and consultant to senior leaders and key internal stakeholders, influencing decisions related to program design, modifications, and optimization through expertise, credibility, and collaboration rather than formal authority.
• Partner cross‑functionally with Legal, Finance, HR, Payroll, HR Operations, and external advisors to balance competitiveness, employee needs, fiscal responsibility, and regulatory requirements.
• Lead analysis of existing programs and associated costs to identify opportunities to simplify plan design, enhance benefit value, and reduce operational and compliance risk, including 409A exposure.
• Ensure all deferred compensation and LTIA programs are administered in compliance with applicable federal and state regulations, with a strong focus on anticipating, mitigating, and managing 409A risk and administrative complexity.
• Guide stakeholders through complex regulatory considerations, helping translate technical requirements into practical, sustainable program designs.
• Own and maintain strong relationships with external deferred compensation and LTIA recordkeeping vendors, providing oversight to ensure service levels, accuracy, and compliance standards are met.
• Oversee vendor processes related to new awards, vesting, distributions, and participant support, ensuring operational practices reinforce simplification and risk‑management objectives.
• Develop and lead communication strategies for new or modified deferred compensation and LTIA programs, including annual enrollment materials, timelines, and participant guidance.
• Partner with stakeholders to ensure communications are clear, accurate, compliant, and designed to promote informed decision making while reducing misunderstanding and compliance risk.
• Lead, coach, and develop a team responsible for the day‑to‑day administration and governance of deferred compensation and LTIA programs, fostering accountability, technical expertise, and continuous improvement. Provide ongoing feedback, formal performance reviews, and career development guidance to direct reports. Build team capabilities in consultative leadership, stakeholder influence, and risk‑aware decision making to support both operational excellence and strategic partnership.

• Bachelors degree or equivalent (4 years)
• 10+ years of experience, with 5+ years experience in one or more benefits functional areas
• Depth of experience/knowledge in deferred compensation and equity programs
• Previous vendor management experience
• Knowledgeable of deferred compensation and equity arrangements
• Strong financial and analytical skills to…