Creative Project Manager (Strategist)

About the Role

Join our passionate and fast-paced in-house creative team, the Content Studio, where thoughtful problem-solvers come together to deliver for our brand and business. As a Creative Project Manager (Strategist), you’ll lead creative projects from start to finish—defining project scope, leading client consultations, developing briefs, building timelines, assigning and prioritizing resources, and ensuring projects meet deadlines, business objectives, and more. This opportunity stands out because you will be leading a variety of creative initiatives that bring our brand to life, while collaborating with a dedicated team of creative experts. Your work will be instrumental in spearheading projects that represent Principal, captivate our audience, and drive us toward achieving ambitious goals.

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.

Responsibilities

• Creative management: Own and drive the creative project lifecycle for medium and large, multi-faceted initiatives—from creative briefing and timeline creation to prioritization and client communication. Work hand-in-hand with business partners to define creative project scope, aligning everyone toward a common purpose and goal. Assess project requests to ensure they are clear and complete, addressing any gaps to support business objectives. Lead strategic consultations that help turn ideas, recommendations, and requests into executable creative plans. Oversee a diverse portfolio of paid brand initiatives, shepherding creative work across channels and formats—including web, social, video, animation, and more—while partnering with stakeholders and creative experts to bring ideas to life.
• Client management: Keep teammates and business partners aligned through the duration of the project with clear, ongoing communication. Educate business partners and proactively manage needs and expectations while serving as the lead point of contact for all Content Studio team activities. Provide strategic counsel to stakeholders, connecting creative solutions to business objectives and driving successful project outcomes.
• Collaboration management: Establish an environment where great creative work can thrive. Evolve our processes with an eye toward optimization, collaboration, efficiency, and efficacy. Share key processes, guidelines, and standard methodologies. Manage interdependencies among projects, prioritizing and redistributing workloads if needed among creative resources. Maintain project management collaboration tool standards. Share lessons learned from past projects to help inform future work.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree, or equivalent experience, preferably in marketing, communications, advertising, public relations, or a related field is required.
• 4+ years of experience managing creative projects, including but not limited to, video production, social media content, graphic design, websites, brochures, and other marketing or creative deliverables is required.
• Candidates with marketing agency experience are highly encouraged.

Skills

• Experience using project management software or platforms (e.g., Wrike, Asana, Monday.com, etc.) to manage timelines and foster team collaboration.
• Ability to present ideas, negotiate, and problem-solve.
• Ability to balance multiple projects at a time while maintaining sharp attention to detail.
• Displays resiliency and adaptability while working under pressure in an environment with shifting deadlines and deliverables while maintaining a positive attitude.
• Consistent record of being organized, accountable, and dependable.
• Strong leadership and problem-solving skills with a demonstrated ability to exercise critical thinking.
• Collaboration skills with the ability to build positive relationships.
• Knowledgeable of the latest marketing trends and maintain proficiency with numbers, budget, and time management.
• Great listening, written, and verbal communication skills.

Pay

Salary ranges 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): $73,150 - $99,750 / year

Benefits

• Time Off Program: Flexible Time Off (FTO) is provided to salaried (exempt) employees and offers 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

Schedule

This role offers in-office, hybrid (blending at least three office days in a typical work week) from Des Moines, IA.

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 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.