Consultant, Product Architect (Mainframe)

**This role will work a hybrid schedule coming into the Columbus, Ohio office 2 days per week on Mondays & Thursdays.****The Mainframe Product Architect 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. This 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 to keep the platform secure, scalable, and cost‑effective.****This is an attractive opportunity for someone who wants broad, enterprise‑wide impact and is passionate about unlocking capabilities of the mainframe. The Mainframe Product Architect leads the technical vision and architecture roadmap for one of Nationwide’s most critical platforms, driving modernization (automation, CI/CD, AI, and data protection) and designing how the mainframe integrates with off‑platform solutions—APIs, event streams, distributed services, and cloud. The role defines simple, secure, reusable patterns that allow other platforms to consume mainframe data and services.****Key technical competencies include:****Deep knowledge of z/OS, JES2, and core subsystems (CICS, IMS, Db2, z/OS Connect) to guide infrastructure and application decisions**Experience with IBM and ISV batch tools (e.g., Debug, Fault Analyzer, FileManager, JCLPlus, UAC) and strong performance/capacity management to optimize cost and service levelsDay to day, this architect sets and evolves reference architectures and guardrails, reviews and approves significant solution designs impacting the mainframe, leads deep‑dive design sessions with engineering and application teams (on and off platform), and translates platform needs into actionable roadmaps and investment proposals. They also play a visible role in mentoring and talent development—coaching engineers and architects, contributing to architecture talent programs and communities of practice, and helping grow the next generation of leaders at Nationwide.* Develop and maintain systems architecture for a product domain, business function or the technology portfolio. Ensuring that the product meets functional and non-functional requirements.* Key contributor on strategies, blueprints and roadmaps for a given product/application/technology area focused on technical directions like Cloud First. Ensure product/application roadmaps are aligned with solution and enterprise roadmaps with the correct guard rails.* Responsible for applying secure software and systems engineering practices throughout the delivery lifecycle to ensure our data and technology solutions are protected from threats and vulnerabilities.* Identifies technology risk, technical currency and technical debt related to applications when planning for new solutions, technology upgrades and maintenance of product/application platforms.* Crafts moderate to sophisticated build patterns, accelerators, building codes standard and carrying out compliance with architecture standards.* Drives technical quality by conducting or participating in architecture, design and code reviews, capacity planning, modeling and testing.* Runs the vitality of technical talent in area of responsibility and provides feedback, suggestions to other people leaders on technical talent.* Assists in mentoring lines involved in a product/application development when unfamiliar, new technologies or techniques are introduced.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,At Nationwide, we find purpose in protecting people, businesses and futures with extraordinary care – and we’ve been doing that since 1926. Our financial strength and caring culture extend beyond our associates into the communities we serve. You really can *feel* the difference at Nationwide, which is why we continue to be named one of the Fortune 100 Best Companies To Work For. Check out why others think we're , too, and let us know – #J-18808-Ljbffr