Director, Advisory Services - Payer Strategy and Management Consulting - Remote

UnitedHealth Group•Eden Prairie, MN

7h•$134,600 - $230,800•Remote

About The Position

Optum Insight is improving the flow of health data and information to create a more connected system. We remove friction and drive alignment between care providers and payers, and ultimately consumers. Our deep expertise in the industry and innovative technology empower us to help organizations reduce costs while improving risk management, quality and revenue growth. Ready to help us deliver results that improve lives? Join us to start Caring. Connecting. Growing together. The Director, Advisory Services has overall responsibility and authority across high-complexity, multi-workstream strategy and management consulting engagements serving payer clients and oversees engagement managers and project teams. The Director has overall responsibility to own, coordinate, and harmonize the overall project approach and final deliverable quality – ensuring cohesive analysis, evaluation, and compelling recommendations are aligned to the client's unique business situation and needs. The Director must possess relevant strategy, management consulting, and healthcare industry and payer knowledge to serve as a trusted advisor to C-suite payer client executives. The Director must be able to help clients identify strategic priorities, improve financial and market performance, rationalize services, improve customer experiences, and address their specific business challenges. The Director serves as a key point of contact with the seniormost clients with client delivery and is expected to be a driving force with new lead generation and end-to-end business development efforts with new and existing payer client executives. The Director plays a critical role in team member mentorship and professional development, practice development, and strategic thought leadership. You’ll enjoy the flexibility to work remotely from anywhere within the U.S. as you take on some tough challenges. For all hires in the Minneapolis or Washington, D.C. area, you will be required to work in the office a minimum of four days per week.

Requirements

5+ years of experience in management consulting (McKinsey-BCG-Bain / Big 4 / Boutique)
4+ years of experience in strategy and/or healthcare consulting
4+ years of experience with project management, developing and presenting deliverables to C-suite executives
4+ years of experience leading strategy work and/or strategic initiatives
2+ years of experience building, developing, and managing high-performing strategy consulting teams leveraging AI; ability to coach managers and senior consultants to create delivery leverage
2+ years of business development experience and success selling in the payer and life sciences commercial (for-profit and non-profit) market generating at least $1M+ annually in new sales
Demonstrated familiarity with variety of problem-solving approaches
Proficiency in MS Office Suite – Word, PowerPoint, Excel
Demonstrated proficiency in AI-enabled productivity tools (e.g., Microsoft Copilot, ChatGPT, AI-driven analytics platforms) to drive day-to-day delivery and team workflows
Demonstrated ability to work independently with minimal supervision and collaborate effectively in team settings
Demonstrated ability to drill down to the root cause of issues and be creative in problem solving
Proven solid written and verbal communication skills
Willing or ability to travel domestically, up to 50%25 when required

Nice To Haves

10+ years of professional experience preferably in healthcare
Experience working in and successfully navigating a matrixed environment
Experience or subject matter expertise in: Health plan operations, organizational redesign and transformation, administrative cost management, growth and market entry strategy, AI enablement, and/or life sciences
Experience successfully driving end-to-end sales and business development life cycle in a consulting environment (e.g., lead generation, proposal development, RFP response)
Hands-on experience designing or deploying agentic AI tools or automation solutions within a consulting or operational context
Background in healthcare consulting and ability to lead and motivate cross-functional teams within a consulting project environment
Demonstrated active network of senior buyer relationships within U.S. health plans (inclusive of any of the following: national, regional, mission-driven non-profit, or for-profit)

Responsibilities

Overall project lead across high-complexity, multi-workstream strategy and transformation focused consulting engagements for payer clients
Build consensus among senior client stakeholders who play a critical role in the client's ability to successfully implement the identified solutions
Oversees the day-to-day engagement manager(s) of projects and sets direction for development of key deliverables
Serve as a subject matter expert in one or more areas (e.g., health plan operations, enterprise strategy, organizational redesign and transformation, AI enablement, GTM approaches, product strategy, administrative cost management, and life sciences)
Provide subject matter expertise to other Optum Advisory and Optum/UnitedHealth Group Company business units as it relates to strategy development and addressing client issues
Key point of contact for the most senior project client executive and helps establish optimal communication cadence with C-Suite executives
Critical role in developing project team manager and direct reports to expand their core consulting skills
Accountable for budget. Focuses on project economics and directs team to follow practices needed to ensure both quality and profitability including close monitoring of actual vs. expected team utilization
Accountable for meeting delivery timelines
Communicate effectively and accurately in writing and verbally to prospects, clients, and other staff
Demonstrate strong client relationship management skills, ability to handle challenging interpersonal situations, and executive presence
Drive and contribute to end-to-end business development efforts – both extensions of existing work as well as new business. Lead writing of proposals to prospect for additional work either with existing clients or greenfield ones. Create and generate new leads.
Experience leveraging AI tools (e.g., Microsoft Copilot, generative AI platforms, AI-driven analytics) as part of day-to-day delivery and team workflow; model AI-first behaviors for the broader practice
Manage and grow a book of business, cultivating long-term relationships with senior payer client buyers to drive sustained sales and revenue growth
Contribute to internal practice initiatives including shaping product / offering development and strategic thought leadership beyond client project work