AVP, Program Lead - Middle Market Transformation

If you’re passionate about helping people protect what matters most to them at a Fortune 100 company with nearly $70 billion in annual sales, as well as innovating and simplifying processes and operations to provide the best customer value, then Nationwide’s Property and Casualty team 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.

Job Description Summary

We are a versatile group of individuals, working together to meet the needs of our customers. We value knowledge, strong business savvy and contributing to a stellar team environment. If you thrive in a busy, engaging work environment, we want to know more about you!

The Program Lead is the accountable leader for a critical Middle Market transformation that advances business priorities and delivers measurable, lasting outcomes. Operating at the intersection of strategy, technology delivery, and business execution, this role partners with Middle Market, technology, and operational leaders to translate strategic priorities into an integrated transformation—spanning capabilities, processes, operating model, and enabling technology.

As the leader responsible for end-to-end program success, the Program Lead aligns cross-functional teams around shared outcomes and drives disciplined execution from strategy and design through implementation, adoption, and value realization. The Program Lead ensures that technology solutions are grounded in business needs, that changes to roles and ways of working are operationally ready, and that the future-state operating model enables Middle Market to serve customers and agents effectively while delivering its business objectives.

Job Description

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead a critical, integrated Middle Market transformation spanning business capabilities, operating model, process, and technology.

• Serve as the accountable leader for end-to-end program outcomes, aligning business, technology, operations, and enabling teams around a common vision and plan.

• Translate strategic objectives into a prioritized roadmap with defined scope, milestones, dependencies, decision points, and measurable business outcomes.

• Shape the future-state operating model, clarifying capabilities, processes, roles, governance, and decision rights needed to realize the transformation.

• Direct technology delivery in partnership with product and technology leaders, connecting business needs to solution design and maintaining alignment through build, testing, implementation, and transition into operations.

• Establish effective program governance and performance management, including transparent status, risks, issues, dependencies, financials, decisions, and escalation paths.

• Guide complex decisions and tradeoffs across scope, sequencing, investment, risk, and capacity to sustain momentum and focus on value.

• Own delivery of program objectives and value realization, using outcome measures to track progress and adjust plans as needed.

• Lead change management and organizational readiness, engaging impacted leaders and teams, preparing them for new processes and technology, and reinforcing adoption after implementation.

• Coordinate implementation and operational transition so that new capabilities, processes, and technology are supported, adopted, and sustained.

• Strengthen execution capabilities across the program through disciplined planning, continuous improvement, and clear accountability.

• Directly and indirectly lead, coach and provide feedback to teams across operations, technology, project management 

May perform other responsibilities as assigned.

Reporting Relationships: Reports to an executive leader and may lead a team of program/project professionals. 

Typical Skills and Experiences:

Education: Undergraduate degree in Business, Finance or related field. Graduate degree (MBA) preferred. 

Experience: Ten years’ related experience with emphasis on strategy development and implementation, business process design, large scale program/initiative leadership and execution.

Knowledge, Abilities and Skills: Strong drive with proven results.  Proven background in leadership and relationship management. Strong technical and industry knowledge is required. Ability to leverage strategic insight and foresight to mobilize people and resources quickly and effectively to drive objectives. Proven success collaborating with technical and business teams across the organization and leveraging cross functional teams to complete large, complex programs involving significant levels of organizational change.  Demonstrated success building and managing programs while maximizing and investing in people development.   Futuristic and visionary using data, analytics, competitive intelligence and industry experience to drive innovation and decision making.  

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 Resources Business Partner.

Values: Regularly and consistently demonstrates Nationwide Values.

Job Conditions:

Overtime Eligibility: Not Eligible (Exempt)

Working Conditions: Normal office environment. Occasional travel. Non-standard 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.

We currently anticipate accepting applications until 11/17/2026. 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 AVP, Program Lead - Middle Market Transformation : $154,000.00-$290,000.00

The expected starting salary range for AVP, Program Lead - Middle Market Transformation : $154,000.00 - $258,000.00