Associate, Distribution Intelligence and Case Design (Life Sales)

Are you passionate about being part of a team at a Fortune 100 company with nearly $70 billion in annual sales that delivers extraordinary care to help individuals and businesses prepare for and protect their future? If so, then Nationwide Financial 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.

We will be hiring two Associate (Consultant level), Distribution Intelligence and Case Design positions to support the Life Sales organization. This role will be part of the sales enablement team, providing specialized support across channels, particularly for complex and high-value opportunities. By bringing intelligence, case design, and sales enablement closer together, we are creating a more connected support model that empowers our field teams, strengthens execution, and accelerates growth.

This role does not qualify for employer sponsored work authorization. Nationwide does not participate in the STEM OPT extension program.

It is our intention to fill this role in Columbus, OH. The hired associate must reside within 35 miles of One Nationwide Plaza, Columbus OH, 43215.

This position will be hired on a SuccessFlex basis. You will be required to come into the office, according to the department's current hybrid schedule.

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Job Description Summary

The Consultant, Distribution Intelligence and Case Design serves as an enterprise-wide resource supporting all Life Insurance distribution channels through advanced case consultation, competitive strategy development, product positioning, and field enablement. This role partners with Wholesalers, Regional Internal Consultants (RICs), Competitive Intelligence, Product Management, Underwriting, Distribution Leadership, and other business partners to support complex opportunities.

The Consultant is responsible for developing advanced case strategies, evaluating sophisticated planning and funding solutions, providing competitive positioning guidance, and creating field-ready resources that improve sales effectiveness across distribution channels. This role serves as a subject matter expert for complex life insurance concepts, Nationwide product solutions, competitive differentiation, and advanced planning applications.

This role serves as the enterprise subject matter expert responsible for advanced case design, competitive intelligence translation, product positioning strategy, and field education. The position creates and maintains the sales strategies, competitive resources, advanced planning frameworks, and enablement materials used by distribution partners across all Life Insurance channels.

Unlike territory-based sales support roles, this position operates as a centralized enterprise resource and does not maintain advisor ownership, assigned territory responsibility, sales production goals, or wholesaling responsibilities. The primary focus is on strategic consultation, enterprise knowledge development, advanced case expertise, competitive strategy, and field enablement.

Job Description

Key Responsibilities:

Advanced Case Design & Consultation

• Consult on complex life insurance opportunities involving advanced planning strategies, to include case design analysis providing alternatives with recommendations designed to meet advisors’ objectives while maximizing Nationwide product capabilities.
• Support complex ownership and funding arrangements, including executive bonus, split-dollar, collateral assignment, business-owner planning, premium financing, loan rescue and other advanced planning strategies.
• Create comprehensive strategy recommendations that outline assumptions, trade-offs, alternatives, risks, and implementation considerations.

Competitive Strategy & Market Intelligence

• Serve as the primary field-facing liaison between Distribution and Competitive Intelligence to ensure competitive insights are translated into actionable business strategies.
• Analyze competitor products, rider structures, underwriting philosophies, policy features, illustrations, and positioning approaches to identify Nationwide advantages, gaps, and opportunities.
• Translate competitive intelligence, marketplace trends, and field observations into advanced case strategies, positioning recommendations, and business insights, including galaxy charts and heat grids.
• Lead recurring competitive reviews with sales leadership, wholesalers, RICs, and field partners to identify emerging competitor gaps and sales opportunities for Nationwide.
• Develop and maintain enterprise-approved competitive positioning resources, advisor-facing messaging frameworks, and advanced planning guidance used across all Life Insurance distribution channels.
• Present monthly competitive intelligence updates, marketplace developments, product differentiators, and positioning strategies to distribution teams, sales leadership, wholesalers, and field partners.

• Identify recurring competitive objections and collaborate with Competitive Intelligence, Product, and Distribution partners to create approved messaging, educational content, and practical field solutions.

Product Positioning & Field Enablement

• Serve as a subject matter expert on Nationwide Life Insurance products, product enhancements, rider capabilities, and advanced planning.
• Develop and maintain enterprise-wide product positioning frameworks, competitive battlecards, advanced planning guides, sales playbooks, job aids, and educational resources.
• Deliver recurring product, competitive intelligence, and advanced planning education to wholesalers, RICs, field partners, advisors, and sales leadership.
• Conduct training sessions focused on competitive differentiation, advanced planning concepts, product strategy, and marketplace trends.
• Serve as a technical subject matter expert during advisor meetings, firm presentations, conferences, and strategic planning discussions when specialized life insurance, advanced planning, or competitive expertise is required.
• Create scalable training programs and knowledge-sharing resources that improve field readiness, sales effectiveness, and competitive positioning across all distribution channels.

Enterprise Strategy & Business Insights

• Maintain a centralized repository of competitive positioning resources, advanced case studies, marketplace analysis, best practices, and field enablement content.
• Identify recurring field challenges, market trends, competitor activity, and product opportunities and communicate findings to leadership and key stakeholders.
• Partner with Product, Distribution, Competitive Intelligence, and Sales Leadership teams to influence business strategy and drive continuous improvement initiatives.
• Provide recommendations on product positioning, competitive readiness, training priorities, and field enablement opportunities based on case outcomes and marketplace observations.

Knowledge Management & Continuous Improvement

• Document and create case studies, competitive insights, product gaps, and strategic lessons learned to improve future effectiveness.
• Recommend opportunities for process improvement, product enhancements, and field enablement initiatives.
• Contribute to enterprise knowledge-sharing efforts across Product, Distribution, Competitive Intelligence, and Sales organizations.

May perform other responsibilities as assigned.

Reporting Relationships: Reports to Manager and does not typically have direct or indirect reports.

Typical Skills and Experiences:

Education: Bachelor’s degree in business, Finance, Financial Planning, Marketing, Economics, Insurance, Risk Management, Communications, or a related field preferred. Equivalent combinations of education, professional designations, and relevant experience in life insurance, advanced planning, wholesaling, underwriting, financial services, product management, competitive intelligence, or related disciplines may be considered in lieu of a degree.

License/Certification/Designation:

• Active Life and Health Insurance license required or must be obtained within the timeframe established by the business unit.
• FINRA Series 6 and Series 63 licenses required or must be obtained within the timeframe established by the business unit.
• Professional designations such as CLU, ChFC, CFP®, RICP®, FLMI, or similar industry credentials are preferred.

Experience:

• Minimum of 7 years of experience in life insurance, advanced case design, wholesaling, sales support, underwriting, advanced planning, competitive intelligence, product management, financial planning, or related financial services roles.
• Demonstrated expertise in life insurance product design, policy mechanics, funding strategies, and advanced planning concepts.
• Experience consulting with wholesalers, advisors, field partners, or financial professionals on complex insurance opportunities.
• Experience presenting to internal and external audiences, including training, education, sales meetings, or client-facing discussions.
• Proven ability to influence outcomes through technical expertise, consultation, collaboration, and strategic problem solving.

Knowledge, Abilities and Skills:

• Advanced knowledge of life insurance products, riders, policy mechanics, funding strategies, and advanced planning concepts.
• Strong understanding of industry trends, competitive market dynamics, and carrier positioning.
• Expertise in competitive analysis, product positioning, and case strategy development.
• Ability to evaluate complex planning scenarios and communicate recommendations clearly and effectively.
• Exceptional presentation, facilitation, and training skills.
• Strong written communication skills with the ability to develop sales enablement and educational content.
• Ability to simplify complex technical concepts for diverse audiences.
• Strong consultative, relationship-building, and influencing skills.
• Demonstrated strategic thinking, business acumen, and analytical problem-solving capabilities.
• Ability to influence stakeholders and drive business outcomes without direct authority.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.

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 Resource Business Partner.

Values: Regularly and consistently demonstrates the Nationwide Values.

Job Conditions:

Overtime Eligibility: Not Eligible (Exempt).

Working Conditions: Normal office environment.

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.

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 Consultant, Distribution Intelligence and Case Design : $97,000.00-$180,000.00

The expected starting salary range for Consultant, Distribution Intelligence and Case Design : $97,000.00 - $145,000.00