Manager, Software Engineering Product Manager (NF) - Post-Issue Optimization

If you’re passionate about being part of a dynamic organization that enables a Fortune 100 company with nearly $70 billion in annual sales to drive innovation and adopt new technologies that deliver business results, then Nationwide’s 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.

Software Engineering Product Manager (SEPM)

Do you want to help lead one of the most important AI-enabled transformations in Nationwide Financial? Join the Metacortex line within Digital Servicing and help shape PIO, a bold effort to reinvent how post-issue servicing works.

This is an opportunity to sit at the intersection of product strategy, engineering execution, and AI innovation. As the Software Engineering Product Manager (SEPM), you will help turn complex business challenges into scalable digital capabilities, using AI-DLC to move from bold ideas to production outcomes with speed, discipline, and purpose. You will help guide teams building smarter servicing experiences, reduce manual effort, improve operational performance, and create measurable value for customers, employees, and the business.

This role is not about maintaining the status quo. It is about setting a new direction for how Nationwide Financial delivers technology and serves its customers. You will help define the roadmap, align leaders and delivery teams, remove barriers, and create the operating rhythm needed to turn transformation into results. The person in this role must bring deep technical credibility, genuine curiosity, and the ability to lead people at their very best. You should be comfortable going deep with engineers on architecture, APIs, AI patterns, and delivery mechanics, while also creating trust, growing talent, and protecting the collaborative culture that makes this space special. If you are energized by leading through ambiguity, challenging conventional thinking, and helping build the future with AI, this is the opportunity.

What you will lead

• Set and communicate the product and technology vision for PIO, connecting the roadmap to Nationwide Financial priorities and measurable business outcomes.
• Lead complex, cross-functional delivery across product, engineering, architecture, operations, and AI-DLC teams, creating alignment from strategy through production.
• Translate emerging AI capabilities into practical solutions that simplify post-issue servicing, improve speed and quality, and reduce manual effort.
• Champion the decision-making framework, delivery cadence, and accountability model needed to move a high-visibility transformation forward with urgency and clarity.
• Stay close enough to the technology to challenge assumptions, evaluate tradeoffs, ask the hard questions, and earn the trust of highly technical teams.
• Remove obstacles, challenge outdated ways of working, and create momentum when priorities, dependencies, or technical complexity threaten progress.
• Partner with senior leaders to shape investment decisions, manage tradeoffs, surface risks early, and keep the work connected to business value.
• Recruit, coach, and develop exceptional people while preserving the culture of collaboration, curiosity, and ownership that makes the space successful.
• Inspire a culture of innovation, experimentation, psychological safety, and engineering excellence across the broader team.
• Total ownership of AI assets aligned to the Post-Issue Optimization effort
• Cross business unit (Retirement, Life, Annuity) collaboration to drive program outcomes.

Why this role is different

• You will help shape an AI-enabled operating model, not simply deliver another technology project.
• You will have a direct hand in turning AI-DLC practices into repeatable ways of delivering business value.
• You will work on highly visible capabilities that can change how Nationwide Financial serves customers and operates at scale.
• You will influence both what gets built and how the organization builds it.
• You will help create the conditions for strong teams to move faster, learn continuously, and deliver with confidence.
• You will be both a technical leader and a culture carrier—someone who can raise the bar without losing the spirit that makes the team great.

What will set you apart

• Hands-on experience building, delivering, or scaling AI-enabled products and capabilities.
• Experience working across Nationwide, with the ability to connect teams, navigate enterprise complexity, and turn relationships into progress.
• A track record of translating emerging technology into practical solutions and measurable business outcomes.
• Examples of how you drove high performing teams with excellent levels of engagement.

If you are ready to lead meaningful change, turn AI innovation into enterprise impact, and help build what is next for Nationwide Financial, this is your opportunity to make a difference.

This role will work a hybrid schedule coming into the Columbus, Ohio or Des Moines, Iowa office 2 days (Mondays & Tuesdays) per week. Remote internal associates may also be considered. 

#LI-AZ1

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

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 Software Engineering Product Manager, you’ll be accountable for a suite of in house or third party applications. You'll lead teams of technology professionals to enable business outcomes and provide reliable customer-centric solutions and experiences.

Job Description

Key Responsibilities:

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

• Partners with leaders to ensure a viable total cost of ownership and ongoing health and wellness of applications.

• Assists in the development and implementation of application suite roadmaps through the evaluation of business needs, competitive landscape, technology currency and information security considerations.

• Manages risk mitigation controls and provides support for internal and external audits.

• Supports the engineering build of the application suite and non technical efforts for the products.

• Represents voice of the customer, acts in a forward-facing role to business partners as an active member of a portfolio management team in the advocation of business case development, planning, financial management and evaluation of portfolio.

• Hire and develop talent, provide consistent coaching and feedback.

• Responsible for delivery availability and resiliency following established operating mechanisms and best practices.

May perform other responsibilities as assigned.

Reporting Relationships: Reports to Technology Director or above. Leads a team of 5 or more technology professionals. 

Typical Skills and Experiences: 

Education: Undergraduate studies in management information systems, engineering, math, computer science or comparable experience and education preferred. 

Experience:  Six years of experience in application suite management with four years or more leading numerous teams across multiple technologies. Proven experience in empowering and building an engaged team.

Knowledge, Abilities and Skills:  Detailed understanding and knowledge of the systems development life cycle and modern methodologies, practices, tools, and techniques. Solid understanding of concepts and techniques in project delivery, budgeting, forecasting and financial analysis. Ability to develop and implement roadmap strategies. Proven decision-making and problem-solving skills. Coaching and career development of team. Ability to develop and maintain positive relationships. Insurance/financial services industry knowledge is 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 Human Resources Business Partner.

Values: Regularly and consistently demonstrates Nationwide Values.

Job Conditions: 

Overtime Eligibility: Not Eligible (Exempt)

Working Conditions: Normal office environment. Associates may have on-call responsibility after normal working hours and/or on weekends. 

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.

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.

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 Manager, Software Engineering Product Manager : $118,000.00-$222,000.00

The expected starting salary range for Manager, Software Engineering Product Manager : $118,000.00 - $178,000.00