Operations Leader - Speciality Finance

About the role

The Senior Investment Professional – Specialty Finance plays a critical role in supporting the investment platform of Nationwide’s Specialty Finance organization. This role is accountable for designing, managing, and enhancing operational processes that support Specialty Finance products that insure a wide variety of asset classes. The position ensures strong controls, operational accuracy, and efficient workflow execution while contributing to strategic initiatives across the investment operations ecosystem.

Additional Role-Specific Responsibilities

• Lead operational processes supporting Specialty Finance products that insure multiple asset classes, ensuring high-quality execution, data accuracy, and robust control frameworks.
• Oversee process design, workflow optimization, and product and asset-class–specific reporting.
• Maintain a strong understanding of risk frameworks and apply them in daily responsibilities.
• Collaborate with internal and external technology and business teams to innovate and streamline complex operational processes.
• Lead or contribute to strategic business initiatives and projects that enhance operational resilience and scalability.

Reporting Relationship

This role reports to the Head of Specialty Finance and is expected to lead a team of investment professionals aligned to the business’s operational needs.

Preferred Experience and Background

• Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, Business Administration, Finance or an equivalent field. Advanced degree a plus.
• 8 to 12 years of investment operations, fund accounting, or related financial services experience.
• Deep understanding of investment products, workflows, and industry best practices.
• Ability to translate current needs into scalable future-state operational models.
• Demonstrated thought leadership in driving operational efficiency and innovation.
• Strong collaboration skills with the ability to build trust across teams and external partners.
• Broad understanding of investment technology platforms and how to leverage them effectively.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead operational processes supporting Specialty Finance products that insure multiple asset classes, ensuring high-quality execution, data accuracy, and robust control frameworks.
• Oversee process design, workflow optimization, and product and asset-class–specific reporting.
• Monitor operational service levels and performance against defined SLAs.
• Manage a team responsible for daily operations.
• Oversee performance management, training, coaching, and associate development.
• Lead staffing decisions, workflow allocation, and team recognition programs.
• Act as primary liaison with technology partners, external managers, custodians, market data vendors, and other third-party providers.
• Partner across internal teams to ensure end-to-end operational processes run efficiently and align with organizational objectives.
• Oversee operational controls including FRC controls, internal/external audits, and regulatory requests.
• Identify and assess operational risk, ensuring risks are appropriately mitigated or assumed with proper visibility.
• Collaborate with internal and external technology and business teams to innovate and streamline complex operational processes.
• Lead or contribute to strategic business initiatives and projects that enhance operational resilience and scalability.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, Business Administration, Finance or an equivalent field. Advanced degree a plus.
• Experience: 8 to 12 years of investment operations, fund accounting, or related financial services experience.
• Knowledge, Abilities and Skills: Deep understanding of investment products, workflows, and industry best practices; Ability to translate current needs into scalable future-state operational models; Demonstrated thought leadership in driving operational efficiency and innovation; Strong collaboration skills with the ability to build trust across teams and external partners; Broad understanding of investment technology platforms and how to leverage them effectively.

Skills

• Leadership in driving operational efficiency and innovation.
• Strong collaboration skills and the ability to build trust across teams and external partners.
• Broad understanding of investment technology platforms and how to leverage them effectively.

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.

Pay

The national salary range for Senior Investment Professional – Specialty Finance: $138,000.00-$243,000.00

Schedule

Normal office environment. Some travel may be required.