Executive Director, Workforce Management Aetna Service Operations

CVS Health • Hartford, CT

2d • Hybrid

About The Position

We’re building a world of health around every individual — shaping a more connected, convenient and compassionate health experience. At CVS Health®, you’ll be surrounded by passionate colleagues who care deeply, innovate with purpose, hold ourselves accountable and prioritize safety and quality in everything we do. Join us and be part of something bigger – helping to simplify health care one person, one family and one community at a time. The Executive Director, Workforce Management will lead enterprise workforce strategy, planning, and execution for Aetna Service Operations, supporting large scale, multichannel service environments including Contact Center Operations, Aetna 1 Advocate, Integrated Service Model, and expansion of workforce management capabilities to Claims Operations and additional Service Operations functions over time. This role serves as the senior authority for workforce management, accountable for establishing scalable models, Centers of Excellence, governance, and operating discipline while enabling effective execution through LOB-specific lenses. The Executive Director will lead a multidisciplinary organization responsible for forecasting, capacity planning, scheduling, real-time management, and labor analytics across internal teams, contingent labor, and vendor partners. This leader will operate in an environment where workforce management maturity varies by function and channel, requiring a thoughtful balance of standardization and flexibility, near-term delivery and long-term transformation, and influence-based leadership in a highly matrixed operating model. This leader will balance cost optimization with service quality, regulatory compliance, and operational readiness—while advancing innovative labor strategies and vendor models to support both steady state and peak operations.

Requirements

• 12+ years of experience supporting large, complex service, claim, or contact center operations, including advanced forecasting across geographically dispersed environments.
• 7+ years of workforce management leadership experience spanning forecasting, scheduling, capacity planning, and real-time management.
• Demonstrated experience expanding or building workforce management capabilities beyond traditional contact center models (e.g., Claims, back office, or non-call operations).
• Strong knowledge of workforce management platforms such as Aspect strongly preferred.
• 7+ years of experience managing call and workflow routing processes and real-time operational adjustments.
• Strong background across operations, strategy, analytics, workforce technology, and financial planning.
• Proven track record of leading large, matrixed teams and influencing senior executives through data driven insights.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex analytics into clear executive narratives.
• Demonstrated ability to lead enterprise change, balance long-term strategy with near-term delivery, and operate effectively through ambiguity.
• Strong analytical, problem solving, and decision-making capabilities.
• Experience driving large‑scale operational transformation and continuous improvement initiatives in regulated environments.
• Bachelors degree or equivalent

Responsibilities

• Enterprise Workforce Strategy & Capability Expansion Own and lead the enterprise workforce management strategy for Aetna Service Operations, spanning forecasting, demand modeling, capacity planning, scheduling, and real-time management.
• Drive the expansion of workforce management capabilities beyond Contact and Digital channels into Claims and other service COEs, building new labor models where formal WFM practices are emerging or not yet mature.
• Establish a scalable hybrid operating model, combining enterprise WFM Centers of Excellence with LOB specific execution to ensure consistency, best practice leverage, and sensitivity to business nuances.
• Develop and continuously refine labor models to reflect seasonality, regulatory requirements, demand variability, operational complexity, and evolving service strategies.
• Labor Optimization & Operational Performance Transform staffing, scheduling, and roster management practices to improve productivity, service outcomes, colleague experience, and cost efficiency.
• Identify and execute opportunities to optimize labor ROI through alternative capacity models (e.g., flex, part‑time, onshore/offshore), pilot programs, and innovative workforce approaches.
• Balance cost optimization initiatives with service quality, member experience, and operational stability.
• Ensure workforce preparedness for Welcome Season, steady state operations, and unplanned demand events.
• Financial Management & Executive Analytics Lead labor financial planning, forecasting, and budgeting, ensuring alignment between demand forecasts, staffing strategies, and financial commitments.
• Monitor actuals versus forecast, proactively addressing variances to meet or exceed financial targets.
• Build and sustain reliable operational and financial analytics that translate complex workforce data into clear, executive level insights.
• Establish disciplined business case evaluation and governance for workforce investments, technology enablement, and transformation initiatives.
• Vendor Strategy, Governance & Performance Own enterprise vendor workforce strategy, including footprint design, resourcing mix, work from home strategy, and long-term capacity planning.
• Lead vendor performance management across service delivery, staffing plans, scheduling effectiveness, cost efficiency, and invoice reconciliation.
• Direct RFP processes with clear standards for capability, scalability, performance outcomes, and financial rigor.
• Hold vendor partners to the same performance, quality, compliance, and operational discipline standards as internal teams.
• Technology Enablement & Innovation Provide executive oversight of workforce management, contact routing, and real-time adherence technologies.
• Partner closely with Technology and DDAT teams to implement system enhancements, new capabilities, and workforce tooling required to support back office and non-call work.
• Stay current on emerging WFM technologies and industry trends, introducing innovative solutions as appropriate to meet evolving business needs.
• Change Leadership & Cross Functional Partnership Lead phased workforce transformation initiatives while protecting delivery of critical in‑flight operational priorities.
• Partner closely with Service Operations, Claims leadership, Finance, HR, Training, Quality, Technology, and Enterprise stakeholders to ensure alignment and shared accountability.
• Influence quality strategies and operational improvements that impact workload drivers, member experience, and staffing requirements.
• Ensure workforce strategies support NCQA, URAC, Medicare Part D, Medicaid, and other regulatory requirements.
• Oversee workforce related escalations, driving root cause analysis and preventative improvement actions.
• People Leadership & Capability Development Lead and develop a high performing organization through direct and indirect leadership in a complex, matrixed environment.
• Build and evolve team capabilities through targeted hiring, internal redeployment, and upskilling to support new workforce management domains such as Claims and non-call operations.
• Establish clear accountability, performance management, mentoring, and development practices to strengthen leadership bench and colleague engagement.
• Foster a culture of analytical rigor, innovation, continuous improvement, and operational excellence.

Benefits

• This position is eligible for a CVS Health bonus, commission or short-term incentive program in addition to the base pay range listed above.
• This position also includes an award target in the company’s equity award program.
• This full‑time position is eligible for a comprehensive benefits package designed to support the physical, emotional, and financial well‑being of colleagues and their families.
• The benefits for this position include medical, dental, and vision coverage, paid time off, retirement savings options, wellness programs, and other resources, based on eligibility.
• Additional details about available benefits are provided during the application process and on Benefits Moments.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director