Underwriting Innovation Consultant - Life

Are you passionate about being part of a team at a Fortune 100 company with nearly $70 billion in annual sales that delivers extraordinary care to help individuals and businesses prepare for and protect their future? If so, then Nationwide Financial could be the place for you! At Nationwide®, “on your side” goes beyond just words. Our customers and partners are at the center of everything we do and we’re looking for associates who are passionate about delivering extraordinary care.

This Consultant-level role is a high-visibility opportunity to help shape the next generation of life underwriting. The role sits at the intersection of research and development, technology integration, underwriting, and business transformation—with the opportunity to turn new ideas into working capabilities.

You will join a small, highly collaborative team with a start-up mindset inside a large, established organization. The team is hands-on, moves quickly, and works closely with senior leadership, internal technology partners, reinsurance partners, and third-party vendors.

What you will do

• Help design, test, and implement new underwriting capabilities, tools, and processes.
• Translate innovation concepts into practical solutions that can be delivered and adopted by underwriting teams.
• Work directly in the underwriting technology environment, including navigating Workbench and supporting user acceptance testing.
• Coordinate project activities, manage deadlines, surface risks, and keep work moving from concept through execution.
• Collaborate with IT, underwriting, data, product, operations, reinsurance, and external technology partners.
• Contribute to research and development efforts that improve underwriting speed, quality, consistency, and customer experience.
• Provide a thoughtful voice in project discussions—raising questions, challenging assumptions, and advocating for the right outcome.

What makes this role different

This is not a maintenance-oriented role with a predictable daily rhythm. Priorities may change quickly as new information emerges, and the successful candidate will be comfortable adjusting plans while maintaining focus on the outcome.

The work is transformative and execution-focused. You will help build what comes next while also navigating the practical details required to make change successful in a regulated, complex environment.

What success looks like

Success in this role means becoming a trusted, hands-on partner who can:

• Move comfortably between strategy, technical details, testing, and execution.
• Take ownership of projects and follow through on commitments.
• Build productive relationships with internal and external partners.
• Speak up with confidence and candor, including with senior leaders.
• Bring structure to ambiguity without needing every answer defined in advance.
• Help the team deliver visible progress and create meaningful improvements in life underwriting.

Direct experience with life underwriting (6 years) is strongly preferred.

This role does not qualify for employer-sponsored work authorization. Nationwide does not participate in the Stem OPT Extension program. 

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Job Description Summary

Developing the underwriting strategy and ensuring it meets our risk appetite is essential to Nationwide's profitability and overall success. Our team utilizes our analysis and problem-solving skills to enable solutions that drive underwriting efficiency and streamlined approaches. If you are a creative problem solver, have strategic agility, and are an excellent communicator, we want to know more about you!

As a Consultant, you’ll drive the development and implementation of innovative underwriting strategies and technologies. You will focus on enhancing underwriting processes, improving risk assessment accuracy, and driving efficiency through the adoption of cutting-edge solutions.

Job Description

Key Responsibilities:   

• Innovation Strategy: Supports the development and execution of plans for underwriting innovation, ensuring alignment with company goals. 
• Technology Integration: Assists in identifying and implementing new technologies to improve underwriting processes and decision-making. 
• Process Improvement: Participates in initiatives to optimize workflows, reduce turnaround times, and enhance customer experience. 
• Data Analytics: Uses data analytics and machine learning to help refine risk assessment models and improve accuracy. 
• Collaboration: Works with cross-functional teams, including IT, data science, product development, and operations, on innovation projects. 
• Training and Development: Provides support and training to underwriting teams on new tools and technologies. 
• Market Research: Stays updated on industry trends, emerging technologies, and best practices in underwriting and risk management. 
• Regulatory Compliance: Ensures that all solutions comply with relevant laws and regulations. 
• Vendor Relations: Assists in managing relationships with data vendors within the underwriting space. 

May perform other responsibilities as assigned.   

Reporting Relationships:  Reports to Director. 

Typical Skills and Experiences:   

Education: Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, actuarial science, or a related field. Advanced degree preferred. 

Experience: 6 years of experience in underwriting preferable.  

Knowledge, Abilities and Skills: Strong leadership and project management skills, with a proven track record of driving innovation and change. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate with stakeholders at all levels. Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, with a focus on continuous improvement. Proficiency in data analytics, machine learning, and underwriting software tools. 

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 Human Resource Business Partner. 

Values:  Regularly and consistently demonstrates the Nationwide Values. 

Job Conditions:   

Overtime Eligibility: Exempt (not eligible) 

Working Conditions: Normal office environment. 

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.   

We currently anticipate accepting applications until 11/13/2026. However, we encourage early submissions, as the posting may close sooner if a strong candidate slate is identified before the deadline.

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.

This position could be filled within any of the lower 48 U.S. states.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 888-944-2247.
For NY residents please review the following state law information: Notice of Employee Rights, Protections, and Obligations LS740 (ny.gov) https://dol.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2022/02/ls740_1.pdf

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.

Nationwide pays on a geographic-specific salary structure and placement within the actual starting salary range for this position will be determined by a number of factors including the skills, education, training, credentials and experience of the candidate; the scope, complexity and location of the role as well as the cost of labor in the market; and other conditions of employment. If a Sales job, Sales Incentives, based on performance goals are possible in addition to this range. Note on Compensation for Part-Time Roles: Please be aware that the salary ranges listed below reflect full-time compensation. Actual compensation may be prorated based on the number of hours worked relative to a full-time schedule.The national salary range for Consultant, Underwriting Innovation - Life : $108,000.00-$200,000.00The expected starting salary range for Consultant, Underwriting Innovation - Life : $108,000.00 - $162,000.00