Director - PL Property Claims (West/Midwest)

Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company; Austin (TX); Remote; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical/dental/vision

Life insurance

Paid time off

401(k) with match

Pension plan

Casual attire

Job summary

Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company in the United States seeks a senior Property Claims Director to lead a geographic territory with focus on performance, customer experience, and leadership development. Remote role with travel up to 40% and relocation assistance may be considered for qualified candidates.

The ideal candidate has 10+ years in property claims, prior leadership of claims managers, and strong collaboration across Claims, Legal, SIU/Fraud, and Subrogation. Bachelor's degree required.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of claims leadership experience including property claims, complex losses, estimation, coverage interpretation, investigation, and settlement.
• Proven ability to lead and develop claims managers and teams with focus on performance, coaching, succession planning, and talent development.
• Experience managing claims performance against metrics and implementing operational strategies to improve loss cost and customer experience.

Responsibilities

• Manages property claims processes within a geographic location and coordinates with quality assurance, legal, subrogation, fraud and service centers.
• Develops and implements new processes to ensure optimization and regulatory compliance.
• Ensures quality work standards and alignment with corporate metrics and regulations.
• Leads cross-functional collaboration with Claims Directors and other lines of business to drive priorities.
• Delivers outstanding customer service to Nationwide customers and partners.

Skills

Property claims leadership

Executive communication

Strategic leadership

Change management

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Property estimating systems

Job description

If you’re passionate about helping people protect what matters most to them at a Fortune 100 company with nearly $70 billion in annual sales, as well as innovating and simplifying processes and operations to provide the best customer value, then Nationwide’s Property and Casualty team could be the place for you! At Nationwide®, “on your side” goes beyond just words. Our customers and partners are at the center of everything we do and we’re looking for associates who are passionate about delivering extraordinary care.

This is a remote position, but will require approximately 30%-40% travel, including overnight travel.

The ideal candidate is an experienced property claims leader who can effectively balance operational performance, technical excellence, customer experience, and associate development across a geographic territory.

The preferred location for this position is Texas or west of Texas, including: Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, or New Mexico. Relocation assistance may be considered for qualified candidates.

• Property Claims Expertise: 10+ years of claims experience with strong knowledge of personal lines property claims, including complex losses, estimating, coverage interpretation, investigation, and settlement. Prior property claims leadership experience is strongly preferred.
• Leadership of Leaders: Proven experience leading and developing claims managers and teams, with a strong focus on performance management, coaching, succession planning, talent development, and building a strong leadership pipeline.
• Operational & Strategic Leadership: Demonstrated ability to manage claims performance against key metrics, identify opportunities for improvement, and implement operational strategies that positively impact loss cost, expense management, quality, compliance, and customer experience.
• Influence & Collaboration: Strong executive communication and relationship-building skills with the ability to partner across Claims, Legal, SIU/Fraud, Subrogation, Quality Assurance, and other business areas to solve complex issues and drive organizational priorities.
• Change & Decision Leadership: A strategic, analytical leader who is comfortable making decisions in a complex environment, leading through change, and translating broader organizational objectives into measurable results.
• CAT & Field Readiness: Ability and willingness to support catastrophe operations, travel as business needs require, work non-standard hours when necessary, and operate effectively in both office and field claims environments.

What will differentiate top candidates: A track record of improving property claims results while simultaneously developing strong leaders, elevating the customer experience, and successfully leading teams through operational or organizational change.

#LI-JR1

Job Description Summary

No two property claims are ever the same and each customer has unique needs. Our team thrives on providing the very best service and building lasting, successful relationships with our customers. If you are confident, curious, driven to learn and grow, and have a desire to help people when they most need it, we want to know more about you!

As a Director, you'll drive claims performance for a property claims unit within a geographic territory. We'll count on you to assure compliance and successfully balance adjusted loss expense, loss cost and customer satisfaction.

Job Description

Key Responsibilities

• Manages the claims processes consistently within property claims and a geographic location. Coordinates efforts with other claims functions such as quality assurance, claims legal, subrogation, fraud, service centers, claims technical and claims staff support.

• Develops and implements new solutions and operational processes to ensure optimization and compliance with established company metrics, government standards and regulations.

• Formulates, communicates and implements quality work standards. Monitors progress and resolves any identified issues. Suggests possible improvements in execution.

• Ensures the best use of organization's resources by assisting with the development and implementation of the organization's strategic plans, projects and initiatives.

• Coordinates cross-claims and cross-functional issues with Claims Directors for other lines of business and leaders. Handles select administrative functions.

• Evaluates existing operational plans to ensure growth and feasibility and makes appropriate adjustments to assist organizational movement toward future success.

• Formulates and coordinates corporate, organizational and regional plans and develops measurable long-range goals and objectives.

• Delivers an outstanding customer service experience to all internal, external, current and prospective Nationwide customers.

• Identifies, develops and retains associates who have the potential for or are ready to fill critical roles in the organization.

• Supervises associate management, including performance, salary planning and administration, training and development, workflow and organizational planning, hiring and placement and disciplinary actions.

May perform other responsibilities as assigned.

Reporting Relationships: Typically reports to Claims Associate Vice President. Direct and indirect reports include Claims Managers, Associate Claims Directors, and/or Claims Specialists.

Typical Skills and Experiences

Education: Undergraduate degree or post-graduate studies preferred.

License/Certification/Designation: State licensing where required. Successful completion of required/applicable claims certification training/classes.

Experience: Minimum ten years of experience in a claims operation including at least two years in claims management.

Knowledge, Abilities and Skills: General knowledge of insurance theory and practices, and contracts and their application. Property estimating and automated claims systems. Demonstrated knowledge of the investigation, consultation and settlement activities used to resolve extensive property damage claims. Proven ability to meet customer needs and provide exemplary meaningful service by guiding customers through the claims process and ensuring a positive customer experience. Analytical and problem-solving skills necessary to make decisions and resolve issues related to application of coverages to submitted claims, application of laws of jurisdiction to investigation facts, and application of policy exclusions and exceptions. Ability to establish repair requirements and cost estimates for property losses. Ability to evaluate and successfully advise on property claims. Organizational skills to prioritize work. Command of written and verbal communication skills to effectively communicate with policyholders, claimants, repairpersons, attorneys, agents and the general public. Ability to efficiently operate a personal computer and related claims and business software. Able to provide leadership to less experienced claims associates. Must be able to safely access and inspect rooftops using a ladder. Must be prepared and capable of conducting physical inspections on rooftops, including first and second story roofs with pitches up to 8/12.

Other criteria, including leadership skills, competencies and experiences may take precedence.

Staffing exceptions to the above must be approved by the business unit executive and HR Business Partner.

Values: Regularly and consistently demonstrates Nationwide Values.

Overtime Eligibility: Not Eligible (Exempt)

Working Conditions: Normal office or field claims environment. May require ability to sit and operate phone and personal computer for extended periods of time. Able to make physical inspections of property loss sites; including climb ladders, balance at various heights and rooftops up to 8/12 pitch stoop, bend and/or crawl to inspect vehicles and structures; work outside in all types of weather. Must be willing to work irregular hours and to travel with possible overnight requirements. May be on-call. Must be available to work catastrophes (CAT). Extended and/or non-standard hours as required. Must have a valid driver’s license with satisfactory driving record in accordance with Nationwide standards.

ADA: The above statements cover what are generally believed to be principal and essential functions of this job. Specific circumstances may allow or require some people assigned to the job to perform a somewhat different combination of duties.

Credit/Background Check: Due to the fiduciary accountabilities within this job, a valid credit check and/or background check will be required as part of the selection process.

We currently anticipate accepting applications until 10/20/2026. However, we encourage early submissions, as the posting may close sooner if a strong candidate slate is identified before the deadline.

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.

Nationwide is an equal opportunity employer. We