Senior Governance Specialist

What You'll Do Make an impact where privacy, technology, and governance intersect. We're looking for a Senior Governance Specialist – Privacy to help strengthen and mature our enterprise privacy program. In this highly visible role, you'll serve as a key first line of defense, partnering across technology, business, compliance, legal, and privacy teams to ensure privacy requirements are effectively integrated into processes, systems, and decision-making. This is an opportunity to influence how privacy governance is executed across the organization—building new processes, driving accountability, and helping teams navigate an evolving regulatory landscape. If you have a strong privacy background, are comfortable working with technology stakeholders, and enjoy solving complex organizational challenges, we'd love to hear from you. What You'll Do Serve as a trusted privacy governance advisor, helping business and technology teams identify, assess, and mitigate privacy risks. Partner closely with the Enterprise Privacy Office, Compliance, Legal, Risk, and business stakeholders to ensure privacy requirements are understood and effectively implemented. Provide thoughtful challenge and guidance on privacy-related initiatives, controls, and compliance obligations. Evaluate operational processes and technology solutions to identify privacy risks, compliance gaps, and improvement opportunities. Design, implement, and mature governance processes, controls, metrics, and reporting that strengthen privacy oversight. Help define roles, responsibilities, and accountability across stakeholders involved in privacy activities. Monitor emerging privacy regulations and translate requirements into practical business and technology solutions. Lead or support audits, examinations, assessments, and remediation activities related to privacy governance. Influence and drive change across the organization, building strong relationships and alignment among diverse stakeholder groups. Who You Are 8+ years of experience in privacy, governance, risk, or compliance, Strong understanding of privacy principles, regulations, and industry best practices, with the ability to apply them in a technology environment. Experience partnering with business, technology, legal, compliance, and risk stakeholders to address complex governance challenges. Demonstrated ability to build and improve processes, implement controls, and drive organizational change. Skilled at navigating ambiguity, influencing without authority, and balancing compliance requirements with business objectives. Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making capabilities. Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills, with the ability to communicate effectively at all levels of the organization. Preferred Qualifications Bachelor's degree. Experience supporting privacy governance programs within financial services or other highly regulated industries. Knowledge of U.S. privacy laws and regulations and global privacy experience Familiarity with technology governance, data management, cloud platforms, or information security concepts. Privacy certifications (CIPP, CIPM, CIPT, or similar) Why this role? You'll have the opportunity to shape and mature a growing privacy governance program, influence enterprise-wide decisions, and help ensure privacy protections are embedded into how we operate and innovate. This role offers significant visibility, meaningful stakeholder engagement, and the chance to create lasting impact across the organization. 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 - $130000 / 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 This role will be located at Principal World Headquarters in Des Moines IA and will benefit from a hybrid work arrangement with 3 days a week in the office in a typical work week. 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 7/20/2026 Most Recently Posted Date 7/20/2026 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 Remote Hashtag #LI-Remote