Specialist

If you’re passionate about innovation and love working in an environment where you can constantly improve and adopt new technologies to drive business results, then Nationwide’s Information Technology team could be the place for you! 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.

This role will work a hybrid schedule coming into the Columbus, Ohio office 2 days per week on Mondays & Tuesdays.

As a Technology Innovation Analyst, you will play a pivotal role in driving transformational change across Nationwide’s Customer Solutions area, which partners closely with the Customer, Strategy, and Innovation Office (CSIO). You’ll be at the forefront of identifying, evaluating, and shaping innovative technology solutions that align with business strategy and deliver measurable value.

This is a high-impact, cross-functional role that requires strong relationship-building, strategic thinking, and the ability to synthesize complex information into actionable insights. You’ll collaborate with senior leaders, business partners, and external organizations to explore emerging technologies and develop compelling business cases for innovation.

Key Responsibilities

• Define, maintain, and share technology innovation concepts and frameworks.

• Explore industry trends and identify innovation opportunities relevant to Nationwide’s strategic goals.

• Lead and facilitate cross-functional engagements to develop recommendations and business cases.

• Apply secure software and systems engineering practices throughout the delivery lifecycle.

• Support the innovation portfolio in partnership with internal and external stakeholders.

• Align technology strategy with business strategy through collaborative planning and analysis.

• Quantify benefits and develop sound business cases for transformation initiatives.

• Evaluate and prioritize business requests, adjusting roadmaps and delivery sequencing as needed.

• Manage vendor relationships and assess product alignment with business and technology needs.

• Decompose strategic plans into outcomes, values, and capabilities.

• Maintain awareness of enterprise architecture, financial plans, workforce strategies, and technology roadmaps to inform future-state planning.

Ideal Candidate Profile

• Proven ability to lead and collaborate across large, matrixed organizations.

• Strong facilitation, communication, and problem-solving skills.

• Creative presentation and design capabilities are highly valued.

• Deep understanding of IT best practices and business case development.

• Results-oriented with a bias for action and a passion for challenging traditional thinking.

• Ability to synthesize complex strategic inputs into clear, actionable insights.

• Experience working with senior leadership and influencing strategic direction.

• Knowledge of insurance or financial services industry is a plus.

Job Description Summary

If you’re enthusiastic about delivering secure technology solutions to support a company providing extraordinary care to its customers, then Nationwide Technology is the place for you. Nationwide's industry-leading technology workforce embraces an agile work environment and a collaborative culture to deliver outstanding solutions and results. If that sounds like something you aspire to, we want to hear from you!
   
As a Technology Innovation Analyst, you’ll assist technology strategy and planning activities by analyzing technology trends including enterprise architecture, technology portfolio dimensions and benchmark and peer analyses. You’ll assess the impact of emerging technical and business trends on future technology needs and capabilities. You’ll also be expected to develop and manage the development of thought leadership articles, point-of-view papers, new ideas and concepts specifically to bring together technologies that could help Nationwide differentiate and create value. Additionally, you’ll have opportunities to define and evolve concepts aligned to the Nationwide’s technology innovation portfolio and may lead cross-functional teams focused on transformational innovation.

Job Description

Key Responsibilities:

• Looks to industry for technology developments that are relevant for Nationwide’s business

• Identifies innovation opportunities and follows through to develop the ideas in collaboration with business partners and external organizations.

• Applies secure software and systems engineering practices throughout the delivery lifecycle to ensure our data and technology solutions are protected from threats and vulnerabilities.

• Collaborates with others to ensure the technology strategy is in alignment with the business needs.

• Evaluates and prioritizes business requests, determining appropriate course of action (e.g. adjusts existing roadmaps, delivery sequencing, iterative planning efforts or aligns delivery through small project and/or enhancement efforts).

• Works with vendors to understand whether vendor products will meet business and/or technology requirements.

• Executes the decomposition of business strategic plans into outcomes, values and capabilities.

• Serves as a Tech Lead within corporate innovation or line of business technology as member of cross-functional teams.

May perform other responsibilities as assigned.

Reporting Relationships: Reports to Technology Manager, Director or AVP.

Typical Skills and Experiences:

Education: Undergraduate studies in computer science, management information systems or a related field is preferred.

License/Certification/Designation: Technology certifications or designation are not required but encouraged.

Experience: Five years or more of experience delivering technology-enabled business solutions and transformational change across industries, platforms and lines of businesses within the insurance and/or financial services industries or equivalent experience as a management consultant for a mid- to top-tier consulting firm (i.e., Accenture, Deloitte, etc.).

Knowledge, Abilities and Skills: Strong analytical and communication skills, knowledge of planning. Ability to influence, build relationships, negotiate and set priorities needed. Solid executive presence. Demonstrated capability in process modeling. Insurance/financial services industry knowledge a plus.

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 the Nationwide Values.

Job Conditions:

Overtime Eligibility: Exempt (Not Eligible).

Working Conditions: Normal office environment. Some travel may be required.

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.

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.

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.