Director, Deferred Compensation 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 RiverSource Insurance and Annuities. Here, we foster meaningful careers, invest in the future, and make a difference for clients, institutions and communities around the world.

Job Description

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.

Key Responsibilities

• 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.

Required Qualifications

• 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 analyze cost and effectiveness.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills for preparing benefit program communications and delivering information to others.
• Experienced people leader with demonstrated track record of building an effective team.

Base Pay Salary

The estimated base salary for this role is $131,000 - $180,100 / year. We have a pay-for-performance compensation philosophy. Your initial total compensation may vary based on job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and geographical work location. In addition, most of our roles are eligible for variable pay in the form of bonus, commissions, and/or long-term incentives depending on the role. We also have a competitive and comprehensive benefits program that supports all aspects of your health and well-being, including but not limited to vacation time, sick time, 401(k), and health, dental and life insurances.Full timeExemptHuman CapitalHR Human Resources

Ameriprise Financial is an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ancestry, age, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy, military status, veteran status, genetic information, citizenship, disability status, marital status, family status or any other basis prohibited by law.

We are committed to fostering an inclusive and accessible recruitment process for individuals with disabilities. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate in the application or interview process, speak to your recruiter to discuss how we can support you.