Director, Inclusive Culture- Strategic Partnerships & Programs

Nationwide•Columbus, OH

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

This is a delivery-focused leadership role responsible for integrating, executing, and scaling Nationwide’s inclusive culture strategy through external partnerships and enterprise programming. The role translates enterprise direction into operational plans, governance, and measurable outcomes. The Director acts as a people leader, enterprise integrator, and external facing execution leader, ensuring that partnerships, programming, and recognition efforts are aligned to business priorities, deliver return on investment, and reinforce Nationwide’s reputation as an inclusive employer of choice. Success in this role is defined by the ability to translate strategy into disciplined execution at scale within a highly cross-functional and visible environment. This leader ensures that Nationwide’s inclusive culture strategy is effectively operationalized and consistently delivered, bringing clarity, structure, and measurable impact to complex work. The role requires strong execution discipline, sound judgment, and the ability to lead through complexity, including interpreting and operationalizing strategy without fully defined direction, navigating competing priorities, and bringing clarity to ambiguous work. Inclusive leadership is essential, requiring the ability to seek diverse perspectives, demonstrate intellectual humility, lead with curiosity, empathy, and respect, and build alignment across differences.

Requirements

Undergraduate degree in human resources, multicultural or diversity studies, business, marketing, or a related field.
Typically, ten or more years of progressively responsible experience developing and delivering inclusion, culture, belonging, branding, or strategic partnership programs in a large, complex organization, preferably a Fortune 500 company.
Experience leading cross-functional initiatives, managing external partnerships or sponsorships, and delivering large-scale programming and events is required.
Deep knowledge of inclusion and belonging principles, inclusive culture strategies, and enterprise programming that drive engagement, talent, and reputation outcomes.
Demonstrated ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment while leading multiple, high-impact initiatives with clarity, focus, and alignment to strategy.
Strong capabilities in strategic planning, program and event design, execution, and evaluation, including the use of metrics, dashboards, and ROI analysis.
Proven ability to build and manage strategic partnerships, including governance, contract and vendor management, and resource optimization.
Excellent communication, storytelling, and presentation skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate effectively with senior leaders, associates, and external partners.
Strong data analysis, insight generation, and consulting skills to translate complex information into clear recommendations and action plans.
Thorough understanding of federal and state employment laws and regulations.
Operates as a connector across complex stakeholder environments.
Demonstrates strong judgment, influence, and execution discipline.
Leads with inclusion, clarity, and accountability.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree strongly preferred.
Knowledge of the insurance and financial services industry preferred.

Responsibilities

Operationalize inclusive culture and partnership strategy established by the Senior AVP, ensuring consistent execution across the enterprise.
Integrate external partnerships with internal priorities across HR, Talent Acquisition, Marketing, ARGs, and Business Units.
Serve as the primary owner of execution plans, timelines, and delivery for strategic partnerships and inclusive programming.
Manage the day-to-day health, performance, and activation of assigned strategic partnerships.
Implement and maintain a structured partnership lifecycle (evaluation, activation, optimization, sunsetting).
Ensure compliance with enterprise governance standards, contracts, and financial controls.
Escalate strategic, reputational, or investment decisions to the Senior AVP as appropriate.
Oversee planning and delivery of inclusive culture programming, events, sponsorships, awards, and experiential activations.
Ensure programming drives engagement, connection, and meaningful associate and leader participation.
Coordinate executive involvement in key moments while maintaining operational ownership of delivery.
Own operational metrics, dashboards, and reporting related to partnerships, programming, and ROI.
Analyze performance data and trends to inform recommendations to senior leadership.
Support external survey submissions, recognition efforts, and benchmarking activities from an execution and data standpoint.
Lead, develop, and coach a team of consultants responsible for partnership execution and program delivery.
Set priorities, manage capacity, and ensure accountability and consistency across workstreams.
Manage budgets, forecasts, invoice approvals, and vendor relationships tied to partnerships and programs.
Represent Nationwide in external forums, events, and partner engagements aligned to execution and relationship management.
Partner with Marketing and Communications to amplify initiatives internally and externally.
Build strong, trust-based relationships with internal stakeholders and external partners.
Identify tools, technologies, and best practices that improve scalability, efficiency, and impact.
Monitor industry and marketplace trends to continuously elevate the partnership and program model.

Benefits

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