Consultant, Product Architect - Columbus - OhioX, Inc.

Description

Overview

Nationwide's Technology team invites you to join a dynamic organization that supports a Fortune 100 company with nearly $70 billion in annual sales. We enable innovation and adoption of new technologies that deliver business results. Our culture prioritizes putting customers at the center of everything we do and values associates who are passionate about delivering extraordinary care.

Role Summary

This Mainframe Product Architect will work a hybrid schedule, coming into the Columbus, Ohio office two days per week (Mondays & Thursdays). The role sits within Nationwide's Security & Infrastructure Architecture organization, supporting the enterprise mainframe platform that underpins critical applications across Personal Lines, Commercial Lines, Nationwide Financial, and shared services. The team owns the long‑term strategy, modernization, and resiliency of our z/OS environment and its surrounding ecosystem (CICS, IMS, Db2, storage, security, and integration patterns), partnering with infrastructure engineering, application teams, and vendors.

Key Technical Competencies

• Deep knowledge of z/OS, JES2, and core subsystems (CICS, IMS, Db2, z/OS Connect) to guide infrastructure and application decisions.
• Mainframe connectivity & integration patterns (APIs, MQ, SFTP/file movement, data replication, event streaming) for resilient flows between mainframe and distributed/cloud platforms.
• Mainframe automation, CI/CD/DevOps practices, storage and disaster‑recovery strategies (including immutable copies).
• Experience with IBM and ISV batch tools (Debug, Fault Analyzer, FileManager, JCLPlus, UAC) and strong performance/capacity management to optimize cost and service levels.
• Understanding of how AI and advanced analytics will be applied with the mainframe and mainframe applications.

Day‑to‑Day Responsibilities

• Set and evolve reference architectures and guardrails, review and approve significant solution designs impacting the mainframe.
• Lead deep‑dive design sessions with engineering and application teams (on and off platform) and translate platform needs into actionable roadmaps and investment proposals.
• Mentor and develop talent—coach engineers and architects, contribute to architecture talent programs and communities of practice, and help grow the next generation of leaders.
• Collaborate with security, infrastructure, application, and vendor teams to keep the platform secure, scalable, and cost‑effective.
• Drive modernization initiatives, including automation, CI/CD, AI, and data protection.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain systems architecture for a product domain, business function or the technology portfolio, ensuring functional and non‑functional requirements are met.
• Contribute to strategies, blueprints and roadmaps for product/application/technology areas focused on technical directions such as Cloud First.
• Apply secure software and systems engineering practices throughout the delivery lifecycle to protect data and technology solutions.
• Identify technology risk, technical currency and technical debt related to applications when planning for new solutions, upgrades, and maintenance.
• Craft build patterns, accelerators, and building codes standard, ensuring compliance with architecture standards.
• Drive technical quality through architecture, design, and code reviews, capacity planning, modeling and testing.
• Provide feedback on technical talent and assist in mentoring when new technologies are introduced.

Reporting Relationship

Reports to Director or AVP, Chief Architect.

Typical Skills and Experience

• Undergraduate studies in computer science, management information systems, or a related field (preferred).
• Eight to ten years of experience in a technology domain, with skill in multiple architectural domains and technologies.
• Experience with cloud technologies (preferred).

Knowledge, Abilities, and Skills

• Excellent communication and facilitation skills.
• Ability to make decisions and recommendations on technology strategies while considering options and business needs.
• Aptitude to influence, build relationships, negotiate, and set priorities.
• Strong executive presence.
• Industry knowledge in insurance/financial services is a plus.

Values and Culture

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 generally believed principal and essential functions of this job. Specific circumstances may allow or require some people to perform a somewhat different combination of duties.

Benefits

Wide array of benefits including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short and long‑term disability coverage, paid time off (minimum 18 days for new hires, plus holidays and additional PTO), 401(k) with company match, company‑paid pension plan, business casual attire, and more. To learn more about the benefits we offer, click here.

Equal Employment Opportunity

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 protected by applicable law.

Note to Employment Agencies

Nationwide does not accept unsolicited resumes from employment agencies. All resumes submitted by employment agencies directly to any Nationwide employee or hiring manager will be deemed unsolicited if there is no signed Nationwide Client Services Agreement on file.

Compensation

National salary range for Consultant, Product Architect: $118, $222, Expected starting salary range: $118, $178,000.00.