Insurance OPT Jobs in Iowa
Iowa's insurance sector, anchored by major employers like Principal Financial Group, Nationwide, and EMC Insurance in Des Moines, offers F-1 OPT candidates real entry points into actuarial, underwriting, and data analytics roles. Companies in this state have an established pattern of sponsoring international talent, making Iowa a practical target for OPT job seekers in insurance.
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Get Access To All JobsWe are driven to do more. More for our customers and the financial professionals who offer our products. If you are driven to do more and love the challenge of pursuing more, Athene is your kind of company. You will find we offer more than the basics to create an inclusive and dynamic work environment at our various locations.
Purpose:
The Derivative Operations team is responsible for managing the operational aspects of Athene's Derivative investment and hedging strategy. This role will have responsibilities associated with derivative middle-office trade support, collateral management, settlements and affirmations, data management, investment accounting oversight, and derivative legal compliance.
This role will demand the ability to balance production and project responsibilities – Performing derivative trade lifecycle functions and maintaining relationships, as well as collateral management functions, with internal and external stakeholders while also supporting projects to drive the strategy of the department and the wider organization.
Accountabilities:
- Partner with Portfolio Management, Trading, Legal, Treasury, Investment Accounting, and external counterparties to support the end-to-end lifecycle of derivative transactions.
- Manage trade settlements, margin, collateral, and cash movements while ensuring accurate and timely execution across domestic and international counterparties.
- Perform trade validation, reconciliation, and data management to ensure accurate trade capture and seamless downstream processing for accounting, reporting, and risk systems.
- Oversee third-party service providers, investigate complex operational issues, and drive timely resolution to support business continuity.
- Administer and maintain derivative trading documentation, including ISDAs, CSAs, MCAs, and related legal agreements across counterparties and legal entities.
- Support operational excellence by identifying process improvements, strengthening risk controls, and, based on experience, managing FX, swap, and option pre- and post-trade activities through platforms such as CLS TradeMonitor, GTSS, and MarkitWire.
Work Schedule
- Standard hours are 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., with one scheduled day per week from 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Qualifications and Experience:
- 1+ year of investment operations, capital markets, or derivatives operations experience, or relevant experience.
- Working knowledge of derivative post-trade processes, including trade lifecycle, settlements, reconciliations, collateral, and legal documentation.
- Experience with investment operations platforms such as MarkitWire, triResolve, Acadia, GTSS, PAM/PFI, or similar trade processing systems preferred.
- Advanced Excel skills required; experience with VBA, SQL, or other data analysis and automation tools is a plus.
- Strong analytical, organizational, and communication skills with exceptional attention to detail, sound judgment, and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
- Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Business, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
Drive. Discipline. Confidence. Focus. Commitment. Learn more about working at Athene.
Athene is a Military Friendly Employer! Learn more about how we support our Veterans.
Athene is committed to inclusion and is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, veteran status or any other status protected by federal, state or local law.
We are driven to do more. More for our customers and the financial professionals who offer our products. If you are driven to do more and love the challenge of pursuing more, Athene is your kind of company. You will find we offer more than the basics to create an inclusive and dynamic work environment at our various locations.
Purpose:
The Derivative Operations team is responsible for managing the operational aspects of Athene's Derivative investment and hedging strategy. This role will have responsibilities associated with derivative middle-office trade support, collateral management, settlements and affirmations, data management, investment accounting oversight, and derivative legal compliance.
This role will demand the ability to balance production and project responsibilities – Performing derivative trade lifecycle functions and maintaining relationships, as well as collateral management functions, with internal and external stakeholders while also supporting projects to drive the strategy of the department and the wider organization.
Accountabilities:
- Partner with Portfolio Management, Trading, Legal, Treasury, Investment Accounting, and external counterparties to support the end-to-end lifecycle of derivative transactions.
- Manage trade settlements, margin, collateral, and cash movements while ensuring accurate and timely execution across domestic and international counterparties.
- Perform trade validation, reconciliation, and data management to ensure accurate trade capture and seamless downstream processing for accounting, reporting, and risk systems.
- Oversee third-party service providers, investigate complex operational issues, and drive timely resolution to support business continuity.
- Administer and maintain derivative trading documentation, including ISDAs, CSAs, MCAs, and related legal agreements across counterparties and legal entities.
- Support operational excellence by identifying process improvements, strengthening risk controls, and, based on experience, managing FX, swap, and option pre- and post-trade activities through platforms such as CLS TradeMonitor, GTSS, and MarkitWire.
Work Schedule
- Standard hours are 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., with one scheduled day per week from 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Qualifications and Experience:
- 1+ year of investment operations, capital markets, or derivatives operations experience, or relevant experience.
- Working knowledge of derivative post-trade processes, including trade lifecycle, settlements, reconciliations, collateral, and legal documentation.
- Experience with investment operations platforms such as MarkitWire, triResolve, Acadia, GTSS, PAM/PFI, or similar trade processing systems preferred.
- Advanced Excel skills required; experience with VBA, SQL, or other data analysis and automation tools is a plus.
- Strong analytical, organizational, and communication skills with exceptional attention to detail, sound judgment, and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
- Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Business, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
Drive. Discipline. Confidence. Focus. Commitment. Learn more about working at Athene.
Athene is a Military Friendly Employer! Learn more about how we support our Veterans.
Athene is committed to inclusion and is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, veteran status or any other status protected by federal, state or local law.
OPT Insurance Job Roles in Iowa
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Search Insurance Jobs in IowaInsurance OPT Sponsorship Jobs in Iowa: Frequently Asked Questions
Which insurance companies in Iowa are known to sponsor F-1 OPT workers?
Principal Financial Group, EMC Insurance, and Nationwide have offices in Des Moines and have historically hired international students in actuarial, finance, and technology roles. Farm Bureau Financial Services and Transamerica, also active in Iowa, are worth researching. Sponsorship decisions vary by role, business need, and year, so confirming OPT acceptance directly with each employer's recruiting team is essential before applying.
Which cities in Iowa have the most insurance F-1 OPT sponsorship jobs?
Des Moines is by far the leading city. It's one of the largest insurance hubs in the United States, home to the headquarters of Principal Financial Group, EMC Insurance, and Transamerica, among others. Cedar Rapids has a smaller but active insurance market. For F-1 OPT candidates, concentrating your search on Des Moines maximizes exposure to employers with dedicated international hiring infrastructure.
What types of insurance roles typically qualify for F-1 OPT sponsorship in Iowa?
Roles that align closely with STEM-designated fields attract the most OPT activity, including actuarial analyst, data scientist, financial analyst, and software developer positions within insurance companies. Standard OPT (12 months) covers any degree-related role, while STEM OPT extension (24 additional months) applies to graduates in qualifying fields like statistics, mathematics, or computer science working in directly related positions.
How do I find insurance F-1 OPT sponsorship jobs in Iowa?
Migrate Mate is built specifically for international students and filters job listings by visa type, including F-1 OPT, and by industry, so you can search insurance roles in Iowa without sifting through listings from employers who don't sponsor. Beyond the platform, attending Drake University or Iowa State University career fairs and connecting with Des Moines insurance professionals directly can surface unadvertised OPT-friendly opportunities.
Are there any Iowa-specific considerations for F-1 OPT candidates pursuing insurance jobs?
Iowa's insurance industry is heavily concentrated in Des Moines, so relocation within the state is often necessary. Many actuarial roles require progress toward CAS or SOA exam credentials, which strengthens your profile regardless of visa status. Iowa employers tend to be familiar with OPT authorization given the volume of international graduate students from Iowa State University and the University of Iowa entering the local workforce each year.