Director, Media Planning & Buying

At Nationwide®, “on your side” goes beyond just words. Our customers are at the center of everything we do and we’re looking for associates who are passionate about delivering extraordinary care.
SEO and Search Leadership Role We are seeking a strategic, experienced search marketing leader to oversee Nationwide's SEO function while also leading our Paid Search and in‑house Programmatic teams. This role requires deep expertise in SEO, strong cross‑channel fluency, and the leadership presence to guide internal teams, agency partners, and senior stakeholders.
Core Experience and Expertise Deep, hands‑on SEO experience and a strong understanding of how organic search supports broader marketing and business objectives.
Ability to set strategy, identify growth opportunities, translate insights into action, and lead SEO as a high‑impact discipline.
Experience helping organizations adapt to the rapidly changing search and content landscape shaped by AI.
Additional experience in both B2C and B2B environments is highly preferred.
Exposure to, or direct expertise in, paid search and programmatic media buying is also strongly preferred.
What You'll Do Head up the SEO function.
Lead the Paid Search team, including one associate.
Lead the in‑house Programmatic team, including three team members.
Manage the external agency partner that serves as an embedded extension of the team and is closely integrated into the organization.
Balance strategic leadership with operational oversight, team development, agency management, and strong cross‑functional partnership.
What We’re Looking For Deep SEO expertise, including strategy development, execution, and performance optimization.
Strong working knowledge of paid search and programmatic media.
Experience operating in complex, matrixed organizations and partnering effectively across teams.
Strong people leadership skills, including coaching, development, and alignment of direct reports and agency partners.
Excellent relationship‑building and communication skills.
Confidence presenting to senior leaders and cross‑functional stakeholders.
Executive presence, sound judgment, and the ability to lead with credibility and authority.
Location This hybrid position is based in Columbus, OH. Candidates located near a Nationwide campus will collaborate in office two days per week. Current Nationwide Remote Associates may also be considered.
Key Responsibilities (Media Planning & Buying) Lead all aspects of scalable campaign execution operation and procedures.
Guide the team on specific campaign actions and develop partner relationships.
Work directly with tech partners, media publishers, advertising agencies, and internal partners to design, build and optimize marketing media buys.
Support and elevate Nationwide’s online presence and engagement across digital platforms.
Collab internally with other Marketing areas and lead external media agencies in planning, activation, and analytics.
Research and build partnerships with new media publishers, data partners, and technology companies.
Administer associate management: performance, salary, training, workflow, hiring, and disciplinary actions.
Typical Skills and Experiences Undergraduate degree in a quantitative field; graduate degree preferred.
Ten or more years of digital media experience, with a focus on addressable display, video, social, search, and mobile campaign management.
Experience managing and mentoring associates in a rapid growth environment.
Deep knowledge of programmatic media supply chain and current practices.
Proficiency with demand side platforms, ad servers, and web analytics tools.
Strong analytical, critical‑thinking, and listening skills.
Ability to lead and prioritize projects and function independently or in a team.
Benefits Medical, dental, and vision coverage.
Life insurance and disability coverage.
Paid time off: 18 days for new hires and additional paid holidays and benefits.
401(k) with company match and company‑paid pension plan.
Business casual attire and additional benefits.
Equal Opportunity 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.

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