Lead Strategist Jobs (NOW HIRING)

What You'll Do
At Principal, we believe great customer experiences don't happen by accident-they're intentionally designed.
We're looking for a Lead or Senior CX Strategist to help shape the future of our customer experience across Benefits & Protection by connecting customer insights and business strategy into experiences that make a meaningful impact. This opportunity partners closely with operations and servicing teams to deliver best in class experiences.
In this role, you'll lead strategic initiatives that enhance the end-to-end customer journey across digital, human-assisted, and operational channels. You'll partner with leaders across product, operations, technology, analytics, marketing, and frontline teams to identify opportunities, solve complex challenges, and deliver experiences that improve customer outcomes while driving business results.
This is an opportunity to influence enterprise-wide customer experience strategy, champion customer-centric thinking, and help transform insights into action.
What You'll Do
Shape Customer Experience Strategy

• Lead initiatives that improve end-to-end customer experiences across digital, human-assisted, and operational channels.
• Translate customer experience vision into actionable strategies, roadmaps, and measurable business outcomes.
• Facilitate journey mapping and experience design activities to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Translate customer insights, experience strategies, and complex concepts into compelling narratives and recommendations that drive understanding, alignment, and action across stakeholders.

Lead Cross-Functional Initiatives

• Drive complex projects from concept through execution, aligning stakeholders across product, operations, technology, marketing, analytics, and frontline teams.
• Influence decisions, build consensus, and manage priorities without direct authority.
• Identify risks, dependencies, and opportunities to ensure successful delivery.
• Support the successful adoption of experience improvements by building stakeholder engagement, managing change impacts, and fostering alignment throughout implementation.

Turn Insights into Action

• Analyze customer, employee, operational, and market data to uncover trends, root causes, and opportunities.
• Develop actionable recommendations that improve customer outcomes and business performance.
• Define and monitor experience metrics and success measures to evaluate impact.

Advance Customer-Centric Practices

• Champion customer-focused thinking, journey management, and human-centered design across the organization.
• Develop tools, frameworks, and best practices that strengthen CX capabilities.
• Demonstrate the business value of customer experience improvements through measurable results.
• Serve as a recognized thought leader and trusted advisor, influencing stakeholders and elevating organizational capabilities in customer experience, journey management, and human-centered design.

Who You Are
What We're Looking For

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience.
• 6+ years of experience in customer experience, customer insights, strategy, consulting, service design, user experience, process improvement, or a related field.
• Experience leading complex, cross-functional initiatives and influencing stakeholders at multiple organizational levels.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to translate insights into strategic recommendations.
• Exceptional communication, facilitation, and presentation skills.
• Demonstrated ability to balance customer needs, employee experiences, and business objectives.
• Proven ability to build trust, establish credibility, and drive results in a highly collaborative environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with customer experience platforms and journey management tools such as Qualtrics, TheyDo, or similar solutions.
• Familiarity with human-centered design, service design, journey mapping, and experience measurement methodologies.
• Experience working in financial services, insurance, healthcare, or other highly regulated industries.
• Knowledge of CX metrics, Voice of Customer programs, customer research, and behavioral analytics.

If you're energized by solving complex challenges, influencing enterprise strategy, and creating experiences that make a real difference for customers, we'd love to hear from you.
Job Level
We'll consider talent at the next level with the right experiences and skills.
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.
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
$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
Additional Information
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.
Date First Posted (TTF)
7/14/2026
Latest Post Date: Careers - US
8/12/2026