Consultant, Procurement

Nationwide Mutual Insurance•Columbus, OH

4d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Consultant, Procurement is responsible for procuring goods and services that deliver near- and long-term sourcing value for Nationwide. The role advises business units on acquiring complex, specialized, and highly technical products and services, including SaaS software licenses and other technology, and enhances procurement processes and efficiency. It supports Corporate Technology and Workspace Solutions by developing category strategies that seek to maintain the lowest total cost of ownership while delivering high quality and service. The position partners with Business, Finance, Technology, Procurement, and risk stakeholders to manage sourcing requests, contract pipelines, supplier relationships, competitive bids, and negotiations. It develops category strategies, cost-reduction and savings plans, forecasts, risk assessments, and executive reporting. The role also mentors and trains associates on procurement policies and sourcing practices. The position follows Nationwide’s SuccessFlex model: three remote workdays and two in-office days each week, with on-site attendance at the Columbus, Ohio office for team collaboration. It is exempt and not eligible for overtime. Occasional extended and non-standard hours may be needed based on business and information needs. It does not qualify for employer-sponsored work authorization, and Nationwide does not participate in the STEM OPT extension program.

Requirements

Typically eight or more years of experience in all aspects of supply chain management, including relationship management, or equivalent professional experience in closely related industries.
Specialized knowledge of supply-chain-management principles, practices, and procedures or a related industry.
In-depth knowledge of the legal environment and the impact of major or complex initiatives on the company.
In-depth understanding of enterprise structure and business objectives.
Knowledge of financial controls, insurance business concepts, systems and data-processing concepts, and financial planning and analysis.
Excellent verbal and written communication and math skills for supplier negotiations.
Ability to develop and maintain strong supplier relationships.
Ability to conceptualize projects and lead teams toward common objectives.
Ability to influence with limited authority.
Ability to train others on complex and technical procurement policies, practices, and processes.
Proficiency with common office software, including Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
Regularly and consistently demonstrate Nationwide Values.

Nice To Haves

Undergraduate degree in supply chain, procurement, business, finance, accounting, management information systems, economics, or a related field.
Procurement, purchasing, or project management designations, as applicable.

Responsibilities

Develop category strategies that maximize customer value and use continuous improvement practices.
Create and implement communication plans for contracting events and categories.
Develop and execute leverage-management strategies for negotiations.
Implement cost-reduction strategies and annual savings, cash-improvement, and action plans aligned with corporate and business objectives.
Monitor appropriate KPIs to measure and improve category strategies and supplier performance.
Support supplier partnerships through alternative-supplier identification, market analysis, risk mitigation, performance management, and category innovation.
Generate end-to-end category innovations that meet timelines, include critical terms and conditions, minimize risks, leverage marketplace shifts, and maximize value.
Benchmark historical performance, forecast future price movements, and communicate necessary plan adjustments.
Identify and execute procurement strategies such as payment-term improvements, supply-base consolidation, and channel optimization.
Prepare executive summaries for senior Technology and Business leaders, highlighting trends, issues, and opportunities.
Develop pipeline reporting and PowerPoint presentations, and facilitate internal contract-governance meetings.
Partner with Business, Finance, Technology, and Procurement colleagues to manage sourcing requests, contract pipelines for multimillion-dollar categories, and vendor agreements.
Work with reporting teams to develop data analytics and recommend procurement policy and procedure revisions.
Conduct ongoing industry research and benchmark analysis within assigned spend categories.
Establish category strategies for technical domains, monitor purchasing trends, and identify leading suppliers and innovations.
Build demand forecasts, service-level requirements, total-cost-of-ownership models, and contractual and other risk requirements with business partners; identify cost-reduction opportunities and develop recommendations.
Act as a project manager with business partners, Finance, and Technology as needed.
Facilitate moderately complex to complex RFP, RFQ, and RFI competitive bid activities, as applicable.
Negotiate contract terms, conditions, clauses, and service-level agreements.
Document achieved savings for Finance approval.
Assess supplier risk before contracting and coordinate specialized assessments or contract provisions with risk partners, including Information Risk Management, Technology Review Boards, and Privacy.
Align category goals and objectives to encourage approved-supplier use and sustainability best practices.
Mentor and train new associates on procurement policies, processes, and sourcing skills.
Perform other responsibilities as assigned.

Benefits

Medical, dental, and vision coverage.
Life insurance.
Short- and long-term disability coverage.
Paid time off; newly hired associates receive a minimum of 18 days per full calendar year, prorated quarterly based on hire date.
Nine paid holidays.
Eight hours of Lifetime paid time off.
Eight hours of Unity Day paid time off.
401(k) with company match.
Company-paid pension plan.
Business-casual attire.