Strategic Expense Lead - Financial Sr. Consultant

Strategic Expense Lead - Nationwide Financial Sr. Consultant

The Strategic Expense Lead is a senior individual contributor responsible for improving expense efficiency and strategic influence across Nationwide Financial. The role connects corporate priorities with business-unit strategy through recommendations on spend, productivity, allocations, benchmarking, AI-enabled opportunities, and other enterprise efficiencies. It brings a cross-business perspective, strengthens Corporate Expense and business-unit relationships, and turns financial and external insights into actions supporting CFO priorities.

Key job responsibilities:

• Shape enterprise expense strategy, including productivity opportunities, allocations, and prioritization.
• Lead or support business-unit expense initiatives, translating analysis into practical recommendations.
• Build trusted relationships with Corporate expense team, CFO leadership teams, and business-unit leaders.
• Standardize effective expense-management practices and lead cross-functional initiatives that build capabilities, share knowledge, and develop future leaders.
• Communicate clear recommendations to senior leaders and influence decisions without direct authority.

Required skills and capabilities:

• Advanced financial analysis, expense management, forecasting, and strategic planning skills.
• Strong understanding of cost drivers, allocations, productivity measurement, and expense prioritization.
• Ability to apply benchmarking and external insights to internal decisions, including practical AI and automation opportunities.
• Executive presence with strong communication, stakeholder-management, and influencing skills.
• Strategic business acumen linking expense decisions to business-unit performance and customer outcomes.
• Structured problem-solving skills and an enterprise-minded, collaborative approach across multiple businesses.

Role profile:

• Level: Senior individual contributor / H band
• Primary orientation:
  Enterprise expense strategy and influence
• Success measure:
  Better-informed spend decisions, stronger expense efficiency, and progress against strategic CFO priorities
• Location:
  
  This role will work a hybrid schedule from the Columbus, OH headquarters.

Job Description

Summary:

Do you have a big picture point of view as well as a keen eye for details? Our success depends on staying ahead of the curve, making sure our businesses and leaders are on top of financial trends and changes. If you are a highly skilled business professional, who can develop and communicate financial information and forecasts, we want to hear from you!

As a Senior Consultant, you'll work with financial and business unit leadership on the most complex cross-functions projects, processes, systems and other activities that support strategic financial and corporate initiatives. You'll be a recognized technical specialist and plan, coordinate and complete financial projects that impact multiple businesses/products or functional Finance areas.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develops plans, coordinates and manages the most complex financial projects. Manages all aspects of financial projects according to project guidelines, budget, impact and scope, and strategic focus.
• Prepares and presents reports to Finance and business leadership.
• Makes recommendations for improving the financial results of the supported business unit/product and/or functional Finance area.
• Analyzes proposed transactions for acceptability and desirability from a financial point of view.
• Leads studies and makes recommendations regarding business unit/company position on specialized financial actions such as investment income, systems, growth support model, corporate financial reporting, cash flow reporting, internal controls and self-assessment, mergers and acquisitions, corporate reinsurance contracts, etc.
• Maintains awareness of major developments in the insurance and financial services industries and regulatory agencies.
• Provides financial counsel and assistance to other functional areas on special projects or programs as assigned or requested.

Typical Skills and Experiences:

Education:

Undergraduate studies in finance, accounting, statistics or related subject area. Graduate level studies with advanced degree preferred.

License/Certification/Designation:
Technical industry coursework or certifications, e.g., CPCU, CPA, NASD, etc. desirable.

Experience:

Eight years of related work experience in insurance and/or financial services industry. Project management experience.

Knowledge, Abilities and

Skills:

Technical expertise in advance financial principles and concepts. Advanced knowledge of accounting, statistics, finance, insurance/financial services industry, company organizational structure, regulatory requirements and financial analysis techniques. Financial project management practices and methodologies. Broad-based knowledge of multiple financial subject areas. Advanced communication skills for verbal and written contact; presentation skills. Project management concepts and techniques.…