Associate Director, Optum People Team Planning and Operations

UnitedHealth Group•Eden Prairie, MN

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 a culture guided by inclusion, talented peers, comprehensive benefits and career development opportunities. Come make an impact on the communities we serve as you help us advance health optimization on a global scale. Join us to start Caring. Connecting. Growing together. We are seeking an experienced Associate Director, Planning & Operations to drive strategy, planning, and operational execution for the Optum People Team. This role is responsible for leading the annual and quarterly planning processes, guiding budget and investment decisions, and delivering a cohesive, data-driven narrative of organizational performance and impact across key talent initiatives. This position serves as a key integrator across the People Team and executive leadership, ensuring strategic priorities are translated into actionable plans, measurable outcomes, and operational rigor. The role combines strategy, operations, executive reporting, and program leadership, with a solid emphasis on cross-functional execution and enterprise impact. The ideal candidate is highly analytical, excels in program management, and is comfortable working directly with senior executives to drive strategic initiatives, build executive-ready insights, and develop scalable reporting solutions.

Requirements

8+ years of experience in strategy, operations, consulting, or related roles
Experience working directly with executive stakeholders and supporting enterprise-level initiatives
Experience developing and operationalizing metrics, KPIs, and executive dashboards
Advanced proficiency in Excel (e.g., complex modeling, pivot tables, scenario analysis
Proven solid analytical and critical thinking skills, with the ability to translate data into strategic insights
Proven program and project management expertise, including managing large-scale, cross-functional initiatives
Highly detail-oriented with solid quality control over deliverables

Nice To Haves

Proven solid business acumen and understanding of enterprise operations and talent strategy
Proven ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, ambiguous environment and drive structure and clarity
Proven to be collaborative, relationship-oriented, and comfortable navigating large, complex organizations
Proven continuous learner with a solid interest in industry trends and best practices

Responsibilities

Lead and support the People Team operating rhythm, including annual planning, quarterly prioritization, budgeting, and forecasting processes
Establish and manage business performance cadences (e.g., OKRs, monthly and quarterly business reviews)
Drive alignment across functions by connecting priorities, dependencies, and operating plans
Monitor industry trends, benchmarks, and emerging practices to bring an outside-in perspective to strategy and operations
Drive complex, cross-functional initiatives from concept through execution and post-implementation measurement, ensuring delivery against defined scope, timeline, and business outcomes
Manage multiple concurrent priorities, maintaining clear visibility into progress, risks, and interdependencies
Lead end-to-end program management of high-priority People Team strategic initiatives aligned to enterprise goals
Partner directly with senior executives and functional leaders to define initiative scope, success metrics, timelines, and governance
Translate strategic priorities into actionable roadmaps with clear deliverables, ownership, and measurable outcomes
Establish and implement program management standards, tools, and operating cadences to enhance execution discipline
Proactively identify risks, dependencies, and blockers, and drive mitigation strategies to ensure successful delivery
Facilitate executive-level forums (e.g., steering committees, operating reviews) to track progress, enable decisions, and ensure accountability
Own the development, standardization, and continuous improvement of Optum People Team metrics and OKRs
Build and maintain scalable reporting solutions, including Excel models, dashboards, and executive scorecards
Partner with People Analytics & Insights to deliver high-quality executive reports, board materials, and recurring dashboards
Ensure data accuracy, integrity, and consistency across reporting outputs and sources
Translate complex datasets into clear, actionable insights that inform strategic decisions
Anticipate stakeholder needs and proactively deliver relevant data, insights, and analysis
Develop executive-level presentations and materials that synthesize data, strategy, and business context into clear narratives
Create dashboards and visualizations that provide visibility into organizational performance and strategic initiatives
Partner with senior executives and People Team leadership to shape and operationalize strategic priorities
Act as a strategic thought partner to leaders by providing data-driven recommendations and decision support
Build solid relationships across a matrixed organization to drive alignment and influence outcomes