Associate Director, Network Contracting - Virtual / Telehealth

UnitedHealth Group•Minnetonka, MN

12h•$112,700 - $193,200•Remote

About The Position

UnitedHealthcare is seeking an Associate Director to lead strategy and operations for its virtual care and telehealth provider networks. The role guides the development and support of expanding virtual provider networks, network strategy, and unit cost management through financial and network pricing modeling, analysis, and reporting. The position is remote and may be performed from anywhere within the United States. The Associate Director develops and manages national virtual care networks and contracts, ensuring competitive access, broad specialty and primary care coverage, network stability, affordability, quality, and line-of-business alignment. The role works across clinical, technology, policy, operations, and business teams to vet providers, establish safety and quality standards, monitor performance, and respond to emerging trends, innovations, technologies, and devices in virtual care. This highly visible leadership role manages unit cost budgets, targets, financial models, reporting, network configuration, and incentive-based payment approaches. It leads complex, cross-functional initiatives, influences senior leadership and business strategy, and develops innovative offerings to meet customer needs. Employees working remotely must comply with UnitedHealth Group’s Telecommuter Policy.

Requirements

At least 10 years of experience in a network management-related role handling complex network providers with accountability for business results.
At least 10 years of experience in the health care industry.
At least 8 years of experience with provider contracting, including product pricing development and use of financial modeling in rate decisions.
In-depth knowledge of physician contracting and state and federal telehealth requirements.
Experience with virtual products and/or virtual contracting.
Ability to solve unique, complex problems with broad business impact and participate in business strategy development.
Ability to lead large, complex projects and influence senior leadership to adopt new ideas, products, or approaches.
Remote employees must adhere to UnitedHealth Group’s Telecommuter Policy.

Nice To Haves

At least 5 years of provider contracting experience in virtual care or telehealth.
Demonstrated strong program management experience.

Responsibilities

Develop strategies for virtual provider networks that deliver value and meet line-of-business needs, including monitoring innovations, technologies, and devices affecting care delivery and contracting.
Build strategic relationships with virtual care providers and ensure network composition meets business needs, market priorities, specialty distribution, access requirements, and emerging trends.
Develop and manage the national virtual care provider network, providing competitive access, broad specialty and primary care coverage, network stability, unit cost performance, trend management, and affordable, predictable solutions.
Evaluate, negotiate, implement, and manage contracts in compliance with company templates, reimbursement standards, and key process controls.
Work with all lines of business to assess ongoing needs for virtual care categories that support member experience, affordability, and quality.
Establish provider vetting processes with input from clinical, technology, policy, operations, and line-of-business experts.
Develop safety, quality, and performance standards for virtual-only providers and ensure ongoing performance monitoring.
Improve pre-contract checklists and processes, and ensure contracts include performance expectations and data sharing beyond claims.
Negotiate, implement, and manage national virtual care contracts for all lines of business.
Coordinate with national physician strategy, regional, and market network teams on local virtual care strategies and issues.
Lead the Governance Council in collaboration with the National Physician Team.
Coordinate with clinical and policy teams to track virtual care innovations, technologies, and devices that may affect codes and contracts.
Develop dashboards to monitor virtual care provider performance.
Develop enterprise-level virtual and telehealth offerings, including program design and network strategy, to improve quality and affordability.
Manage unit cost budgets, targets, performance reporting, and related financial models.
Apply network configuration and incentive-based payment models to improve quality and efficiency.
Lead development of new concepts, technologies, and products to meet emerging customer requirements.
Anticipate and respond to emerging trends among virtual and telehealth providers.
Direct cross-functional and industry-wide teams with segment-wide or enterprise-wide impact.
Influence senior management decisions affecting business direction.
Develop and manage business plans, lead complex projects, contribute to business strategy, and translate complex concepts for varied audiences.
Serve as a company thought leader, functional subject matter expert, and resource to senior leadership; develop pioneering approaches and solutions to emerging industry trends and customer needs.