Associate Director Client Service Account Management

UnitedHealth Group•Minnetonka, MN

17h•$112,700 - $193,200•Remote

About The Position

Optum is a global organization that delivers care, aided by technology to help millions of people live healthier lives. The work you do with our team will directly improve health outcomes by connecting people with the care, pharmacy benefits, data and resources they need to feel their best. Here, you will find talented peers, comprehensive benefits and career development opportunities. Come make an impact on the communities we serve as you help us advance health equity on a global scale. Join us to start Caring. Connecting. Growing together. The Director, Health Plan Enablement is the people leader responsible for the strategy, performance, and ongoing evolution of the Health Plan Enablement team. This leader builds and develops a high-performing team that serves as a critical bridge across Account Management, Operations, Implementation, Product, and client stakeholders to drive operational readiness, issue resolution, and strategic initiatives. The Director provides oversight of complex client readiness and enablement activities, including annual readiness, go-live support, operational transitions, benefit and file updates, process maintenance, client-facing systems and tools, and cross-functional execution. The role establishes governance, priorities, resource plans, performance standards, and escalation pathways to ensure work is delivered accurately, timely, and consistently with client commitments and enterprise requirements. The Director also serves as a strategic advisor to senior leadership, translates vision into actionable plans, influences stakeholders across the enterprise, and ensures the team anticipates upstream and downstream impacts while advancing client satisfaction, operational excellence, cost avoidance, and continuous improvement. You’ll enjoy the flexibility to work remotely from anywhere within the U.S. as you take on some tough challenges.

Requirements

6+ years of healthcare, PBM, health plan, managed care, account management, operational enablement, or related experience
Experience leading annual PBM client readiness, go-live support, operational transitions, or large-scale change initiatives
Advanced program level and project management skills, including governance, resource planning, dependencies, risk mitigation, and cross-functional execution
Experience developing KPIs, dashboards, impact reporting, root cause analysis, remediation plans, SOPs, and executive materials
Experience using PBM tools for operational reporting, issue management, claims adjudication, and client support, with the ability to guide and teach others
Demonstrated people leadership with the ability to build high-performing teams, coach diverse talent, manage performance, and lead through change
Strategic and operational leadership with strong critical thinking, problem solving, conflict resolution, decision making, and organizational effectiveness capabilities
Executive-level written, verbal, and presentation skills, with the ability to translate complex information into clear direction and actionable plans
Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders and drive outcomes across teams without direct authority
Solid client orientation, consultative mindset, resilience, resourcefulness, and ability to manage competing priorities in a complex environment
All employees working remotely will be required to adhere to UnitedHealth Group’s Telecommuter Policy
Candidates are required to pass a drug test before beginning employment.

Nice To Haves

4+ years of project or program management experience leading complex, cross-functional initiatives
3+ years of people leadership, team leadership, or comparable leadership responsibility
Governance or PMO experience and experience working with large data sets and making data-driven decisions
Knowledge of PBM, health plan, or managed care operations; experience across multiple lines of business, including Medicare Part D, Medicaid, and CMS requirements
Proficiency with Microsoft applications and experience with Microsoft Project or Smartsheet; experience with ServiceNow dashboards

Responsibilities

Lead, coach, and develop the Health Plan Enablement team; set clear expectations, provide ongoing feedback, support career development, and strengthen succession and retention
Create an inclusive, engaged, and high-performing team culture grounded in accountability, innovation, collaboration, continuous learning, and strong client advocacy
Align team structure, capacity, assignments, and skill development to client needs, enterprise priorities, seasonal readiness demands and changing business requirements
Ensure team members are trained and effective in PBM tools, client-facing systems, readiness practices, project management, reporting, issue management, and applicable health plan requirements
Provide leadership oversight for employee performance, workload balancing, quality, risk management, and timely escalation of barriers
Define and evolve the Health Plan Enablement operating model, service standards, governance, roles, processes, and measures to support consistent execution and a best-in-class client experience
Translate executive vision and enterprise priorities into actionable team plans, roadmaps, operating rhythms, and measurable outcomes
Establish governance for complex cross-functional initiatives, including decision rights, milestones, dependencies, risks, resourcing, issue resolution, and executive reporting
Oversee the creation, negotiation, interpretation, implementation, and maintenance of SOPs, reporting, and operational requirements
Identify opportunities for process improvement, organizational effectiveness, cost avoidance, automation, and standardization; ensure successful adoption and sustained results
Provide leadership oversight of end-to-end annual readiness, go-live support, operational transitions, and the Readiness Governance Model
Ensure enterprise operational readiness plans include appropriate task sequencing, duration, ownership, dependencies, resources, risk mitigation, and full cross-functional execution
Monitor readiness health, aging inventory, key risks, client impacts, and execution progress; intervene when performance or client commitments are at risk
Ensure issues are resolved promptly and accurately through effective coordination, impact assessment, root cause analysis, remediation, and communication
Oversee training and enablement for Optum Rx client-facing systems and tools, including development of scalable materials and consistent delivery practices
Serve as an executive escalation point and strategic consultant for complex readiness, operational, and client-impacting matters
Build strong partnerships with Health Plan clients and internal leaders across Account Management, Operations, Implementation, Product, Technology, Compliance, and other functional teams
Ensure the team effectively translates client and enterprise requirements into executable plans and anticipates upstream and downstream impacts
Lead or sponsor cross-functional projects, process improvements, and organizational readiness efforts that improve client outcomes and advance enterprise priorities
Deliver and develop concise executive communication, decision support, dashboards, recommendations, and presentations for senior internal and external stakeholders
Establish and monitor KPIs for readiness, service delivery, aging work, issue resolution, client impact, quality, team capacity, and process performance
Use data and business analytics to identify trends, risks, resource needs, and improvement opportunities; drive corrective actions and sustained accountability
Ensure appropriate oversight of CMS-related and regulated health plan requirements, including Medicare Part D and Medicaid considerations, client guidance, and corrective action support where applicable
Promote disciplined project, change, and risk management practices across the team and partner organizations