Manager, Managed Care

Unlock Health • Chicago, IL

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

This role involves leading high-impact client engagements and helping healthcare organizations navigate their most complex managed care challenges. Working at the intersection of strategy, analytics, relationships, and communication, you’ll lead complex initiatives, influence critical decisions, and see the tangible impact of your work. The position requires a strategic thinker, trusted advisor, and collaborative partner who can turn challenging managed care issues into smart, actionable strategies that create meaningful results for hospitals, health systems, and physician groups. This includes uncovering insights in financial data, shaping payor negotiation strategies, advising senior leaders, and crafting communications that build alignment and momentum.

Requirements

• Equivalent of 5 to 7 years of experience in healthcare consulting or managed care is a must, ideally within a consulting environment or health system.
• Proven success leading managed care or reimbursement strategy projects — such as benchmarking, negotiation preparation, or contract modeling.
• Strong understanding of managed care models, provider reimbursement methodologies, and healthcare market dynamics.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including experience with data analysis, and translating findings into actionable insights.
• Excellent writing, presentation, and storytelling skills — capable of translating financial and strategic insights into compelling communications.
• Demonstrated experience managing multiple clients, projects, and cross-functional teams simultaneously.
• Experience with client-facing facilitation including running meetings, presenting analyses, and conducting stakeholder interviews.
• Proficiency in analyzing data and metrics to inform strategy and measure impact.
• Entrepreneurial mindset with a drive to innovate and grow the managed care consulting practice.
• Bachelor’s degree required.

Nice To Haves

• Advanced degree in health administration, business, or public policy preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic insight and recommendations on contract negotiation positioning, payor mix, rate benchmarking, operational efficiencies, and network strategy.
• Interpret client claims data, revenue cycle metrics, price transparency data, and market trends to inform managed care strategies.
• Translate complex reimbursement and contracting concepts into clear, actionable strategies and communications for various audiences.
• Identify and assess risks, scenarios, and potential impacts of contract terminations or out-of-network situations for clients.
• Support the creation and implementation of organizational change management initiatives, including governance structures, executive decision-making, risk mitigation, and cross-functional coordination.
• Serve as manager for managed care clients, overseeing strategic consulting engagements and ensuring high-quality deliverables across all workstreams.
• Develop and manage project timelines, ensuring milestones and deliverables are met while maintaining alignment across client and internal teams.
• Build and maintain strong client relationships by understanding their business objectives, identifying opportunities for strategic growth, and providing proactive counsel.
• Manage internal cross-functional teams (analytics, creative, media, and communications) to ensure alignment and on-time delivery.
• Oversee vendor and partner relationships (research firms, data vendors, call centers) to support client programs.
• Lead client presentations and facilitate executive-level discussions.
• Lead the creation of strategic communication plans supporting managed care negotiations, issues management, and stakeholder engagement.
• Oversee message development, creative concepting, and asset production across paid, earned, owned, and internal channels.
• Review and refine all materials for clarity, tone, and alignment with client and regulatory standards.
• Collaborate closely with internal creative and media teams to ensure communications are data-informed and audience-targeted.
• Develop junior team members, providing feedback and professional growth opportunities.
• Collaborate across Unlock’s Managed Care, Strategic Communications, and Analytics teams to develop best practices and enhance integrated client delivery.
• Contribute to internal training, client workflows and processes and methodologies.
• Stay ahead of healthcare industry trends, including reimbursement policy, payor performance, and regulatory changes impacting provider-payor dynamics.
• Translate insights into actionable strategies for clients and contribute to Unlock Health’s managed care knowledge base.

Benefits

• Competitive Salary
• Health, Dental and Vision benefit packages
• Life, Short- and Long-Term Disability Insurance paid 100% by the company
• FSA / HSA Options
• 401(K) with a generous company match program
• Flexible Paid Time Off (aka- unlimited)
• Paid Parental Leave
• Hybrid and Remote work schedules available
• Employee Assistance Program (unlimited free telephonic counseling for a variety of issues such as mental health, financial support, and legal advice)
• Employee Referral Program

What This Job Offers

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