Program Manager, Financial Operations Transformation

As a team member in the Finance department at Nationwide, the opportunities are endless! You can grow and learn in diverse areas across many disciplines such as Advanced Analytics, Investments, Actuarial, Accounting, Risk Management, Critical Business Advisor, Internal Audit, and so much more. Let Nationwide help create your career journey! At Nationwide®, “on your side” goes beyond just words. Our customers are at the center of everything we do and we’re looking for associates who are passionate about delivering extraordinary care.

Accountabilities:

Program Management

Strategic Planning: Partner with finance and technology leadership to define program scope, objectives, success criteria, and develop roadmaps aligned to business strategy.

Lead the planning, execution, and governance of multiple transformation initiatives within Finance Operations, such as process reengineering, automation, shared services, and regulatory reporting improvements.

Drive disciplined delivery across the end-to-end program lifecycle through value realization.

Risk & Issue management: Identify and mitigate risks, roadblocks, and escalate critical issues with recommendations for resolution.

Collaborate with stakeholders to define program goals, success metrics, roadmaps, and deliverables aligned with broader Finance and enterprise strategies.

Manage interdependencies across initiatives, ensuring milestones are achieved and risks are proactively mitigated.

Performance Measurement: Define and track KPIs to measure program success including program health, budgets, and outcomes for executive leadership.

Stakeholder Engagement & Cross-Functional Leadership

Serve as the primary liaison between Finance, Technology, Risk, and other business units to ensure alignment and collaboration. Communicate project updates, risks, and outcomes to stakeholders.

Coordinate and lead cross-functional teams—including indirect reports—by driving accountability, fostering engagement, and resolving conflicts.

Influence decision-making across organizational layers without direct authority.

Change Management

Develop and implement program management and structured change management strategies in alignment with Nationwide’s change strategy, methods, tools, and program plans, to support organizational readiness, adoption, and sustainment of new processes and systems. Creates project plans, implementation strategy and consults with business and program leaders to ensure plans meet business need. Drives implementation of change enablement plans for successful completion of assigned projects.

Create communication plans, stakeholder maps, training strategies, and feedback loops in collaboration with HR and Communications.

Act as a change champion, coaching teams and leaders on how to navigate and lead through transformation.

Technology & Process Enablement

Partner with IT on the deployment of key platforms (e.g., ERP, data management, workflow tools) to enhance Finance capabilities.

Support data governance, controls, and standardization efforts to ensure consistent, accurate, and compliant financial operations.

Leverage digital tools and process automation to improve operational efficiency and accuracy.

May perform other responsibilities as assigned.

This role does not qualify for employer sponsored work authorization. Nationwide does not participate in the STEM OPT extension program.

This position will be hired on a SuccessFlex basis.

The hired associate must reside within 35 miles of the following location(s):

Scottsdale: 18700 Hayden Road Scottsdale AZ, 85255

Columbus: Three Nationwide Plaza, Columbus OH, 43215

Des Moines: 655 Walnut St. Ste 136, Des Moines, IA 50309

Work schedule: 2 days in office, 3 days remote.

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Job Description SummaryAre you a change agent who is process focused and detail oriented? Do you thrive in a busy, engaging work environment? If so, we want to know more about you!

As a Consultant, you'll lead design, planning and implementation of change strategies. This work includes implementation of program management, business readiness, and business release management capability projects to increase engagement, performance, and capacity for change. You’ll be responsible for multiple simultaneous medium and large-scale projects across channels, businesses and functions.

Job Description

Key Responsibilities:

Manages program management and change management activities in alignment with Nationwide’s change strategy, methods, tools and program plans. Creates project plans, implementation strategy and consults with business and program leaders to ensure plans meet business need. Drives implementation of change enablement plans for successful completion of assigned projects.

Assists in building program and change enablement methods, frameworks, tools and learning modules to evolve the enterprise change portfolio management capability into well-managed Business Releases, or improve the delivery of strategic programs, or increase operations capacity for change, engagement and performance.

Consults with program leaders and executives from assigned program or business units to identify and addresses critical gaps that if not removed or reduced may prevent the sustainable adoption of change or the benefits realization of strategic investments including decision-making, risk and issue escalation, role clarity, change communication, business readiness, and other enabling competencies.

Partners with program leaders to identify opportunities to strengthen sponsorship and key constituent support to drive the change work with the assigned program or business unit. This includes focus on building capacity for change within the program or business unit.

Proactively supports and participates in program and change enablement Community of Practice networks to encourage capability uplift and proliferation of program and change competency and community. This includes identification and implementation of common development needs across program and change leaders. Networks include individuals and groups inside and outside of the organization who can provide quick advice or solutions; influence internal and external leaders, and share program and change enabling methods, tools and expertise.

Responsible for developing in program and business unit leaders working knowledge and pragmatic application of program and change management methods and tools to deliver program results and business unit objectives.

Contributes to the integration of change management strategies within broader business model to build growth and profitability.

Contributes to the development of department and project budgets.

Assists and coaches the internal staff; provides functional advice or training to less experienced team members; facilitates planning activities.

May perform other responsibilities as assigned.

Reporting Relationships: Reports to Director or Officer.

Typical Skills and Experiences:

Education: Undergraduate studies in business, applied management, or related field. Related graduate work (Organizational Development, Organizational Performance Improvement, MBA) preferred.

License/Certification/Designation: Project Management Professional (PMP), Certified Performance Technologist (CPT), or similar certification a plus.

Experience: Ten years of business experience with five years of experience in program and organizational change management, preferably in an Insurance or Financial services environment, delivering strategic programs and/or building organizational capability at the work group level. Two years management experience is preferred.

Knowledge, Abilities and Skills: Knowledge of strategic planning, program/project management, organizational development, and process management. Ability to consult with program leaders and lead program teams including developing plans, objectives and resource requirements within budgetary limitations. Negotiation and group facilitation skills; ability to evaluate and apply problem-solving methodology including needs assessment, data acquisition and root cause analysis, and interpretive/strategic planning analysis; verbal and written communication skills for contact with all levels of company personnel in direct and indirect reporting relationships, and other external parties; ability to direct and motivate associates in all aspects of work. Ability to understand how the business is leveraging core competencies for growth and profitability; understands the value proposition to external customers.

Other criteria, including leadership skills, competencies and experiences may take precedence.

Staffing exceptions to the above must be approved by the hiring manager’s leader and HR Business Partner.

Values: Regularly and consistently demonstrates Nationwide Values.

Job Conditions:

Overtime Eligibility: Not Eligible (Exempt)

Working Conditions: Normal office environment. Occasional travel. Nonstandard or extended work may be required based on project needs.

ADA: The above statements cover what are generally believed to be principal and essential functions of this job. Specific circumstances may allow or require some people assigned to the job to perform a somewhat different combination of duties. Regularly and consistently demonstrates the Nationwide Values.

Benefits

We have an array of benefits to fit your needs, including: medical/dental/vision, life insurance, short and long term disability coverage, paid time off with newly hired associates receiving a minimum of 18 days paid time off each full calendar year pro-rated quarterly based on hire date, nine paid holidays, 8 hours of Lifetime paid time off, 8 hours of Unity Day paid time off, 401(k) with company match, company-paid pension plan, business casual attire, and more. To learn more about the benefits we offer, click here.

Nationwide is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive culture where everyone feels challenged, appreciated, respected and engaged. Nationwide prohibits discrimination and harassment and affords equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants without regard to any characteristic (or classification) protected by applicable law.

Smoke-Free Iowa Statement: Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, its affiliates and subsidiaries comply with the Iowa Smokefree Air Act. Smoking is prohibited in all enclosed areas on or around company premises as well as company issued vehicles. The company offers designated smoking areas in which smoking is permitted at each individual location. The Act prohibits retaliation for reporting complaints or violations. For more information on the Iowa Smokefree Air Act, individuals may contact the Smokefree Air Act Helpline at .

NOTE TO EMPLOYMENT AGENCIES:

We value the partnerships we have built with our preferred vendors. Nationwide does not accept unsolicited resumes from employment agencies. All resumes submitted by employment agencies directly to any Nationwide employee or hiring manager in any form without a signed Nationwide Client Services Agreement on file and search engagement for that position will be deemed unsolicited in nature. No fee will be paid in the event the candidate is subsequently hired as a result of the referral or through other means.

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