Senior Clinical Pharmacist, Oncology Strategy - Remote

UnitedHealth Group•Minneapolis, MN

12h•$134,600 - $230,800•Remote

About The Position

UnitedHealthcare is seeking an experienced oncology pharmacist to serve as a clinical and strategic leader for oncology medications across medical and pharmacy benefits. The role develops clinically sound, operationally feasible, and affordable coverage strategies while supporting appropriate member access and providers, customers, and enterprise partners. As a primary pharmacy subject matter expert for the oncology portfolio, the pharmacist works across the Cancer Guidance Program, clinical policies and pathways, Prescription Drug List and preferred-product strategies, utilization management, site-of-care optimization, medical drug exclusions, biosimilars, dose optimization, and emerging therapies. The pharmacist translates evolving oncology evidence into coverage, program, and affordability recommendations and advances them through governance and implementation. The role includes clinical evidence review, policy and pathway oversight, committee presentations, program leadership, analytics, affordability initiatives, and stakeholder engagement. It also includes leading assigned Value Based Care delegation, capitation, clinical, claims, system, and operational-readiness implementations across applicable lines of business. The position works remotely from anywhere within the United States, subject to UnitedHealth Group’s Telecommuter Policy. Depending on organizational design, it may include direct people leadership.

Requirements

Doctor of Pharmacy degree.
Active, unrestricted pharmacist license in at least one U.S. jurisdiction, with the ability to maintain licensure throughout employment.
Board Certified Oncology Pharmacist (BCOP).
At least 2 years of progressive oncology pharmacy experience in direct patient care, managed care, a health plan, PBM, oncology pathways, medical benefit management, specialty pharmacy, pharmaceutical industry, or a closely related setting.
Experience presenting complex clinical recommendations to multidisciplinary committees or senior stakeholders.
Solid written, verbal, analytical, project leadership, and relationship-management skills.
Ability to critically evaluate oncology literature, guidelines, compendia, clinical pathways, treatment sequencing, supportive care, and emerging therapies.
Remote employees must adhere to UnitedHealth Group’s Telecommuter Policy.

Nice To Haves

Postgraduate residency training, preferably PGY1 plus PGY2 oncology, or equivalent advanced oncology practice experience.
Experience within a national or regional health plan, PBM, medical benefit manager, oncology pathway organization, integrated delivery network, or large oncology practice.
Experience developing, interpreting, or operationalizing oncology coverage policies, prior authorization criteria, pathways, formularies, or utilization-management programs.
Experience with oncology site-of-care programs, biosimilars, dose rounding or banding, duration management, therapeutic or medical drug exclusions, and preferred-product strategies.
Experience using claims, utilization, market-share, and financial analyses to develop and monitor affordability initiatives.
Experience engaging providers, employers, brokers, consultants, manufacturers, or external clinical stakeholders.
Experience leading complex, cross-functional initiatives in a matrixed organization; formal people leadership or mentoring experience is a plus.
Working knowledge of medical and pharmacy benefit design, HCPCS/J-codes and NDCs, buy-and-bill, white-bagging or alternate sourcing models, specialty pharmacy, provider reimbursement, and oncology network considerations.

Responsibilities

Lead clinical pharmacy strategy for oncology drugs across medical and pharmacy benefits, balancing evidence, safety, member access, provider impact, operational feasibility, and affordability.
Evaluate FDA approvals, clinical and real-world evidence, NCCN recommendations, compendia, professional guidance, comparative effectiveness, safety, treatment sequencing and duration, and the oncology pipeline.
Identify clinically supported oncology management opportunities, including preferred products, biosimilars, therapeutic alternatives, exclusions, dose rounding or banding, duration management, and site-of-care strategies.
Translate complex clinical findings into recommendations for clinical, operational, financial, executive, customer, and provider audiences.
Own or provide senior clinical oversight for oncology medication policies, pathway maintenance, and supporting clinical criteria.
Develop, revise, and maintain prior authorization and medical-necessity criteria, policy language, coding considerations, and operational guidance for oncology therapies and supportive care medications.
Prepare and present oncology recommendations to Pharmacy & Therapeutics, PDL Management, and Oncology Advisory Committee governance forums.
Coordinate pathway updates and governance materials, documenting evidence, rationale, implementation impacts, and stakeholder decisions.
Serve as a pharmacy partner for the Cancer Guidance Program, including policy interpretation, prior authorization workflows, escalations, implementation readiness, and program enhancements.
Partner with oncology medical leadership and the oncology value creation team on Cancer Therapy Pathways and future oncology strategies.
Provide clinical leadership for oncology site-of-care initiatives, considering drug and setting suitability, sourcing, providers, network implications, and exception criteria.
Advance oncology affordability programs and monitor for unintended disruption to members or providers.
Analyze utilization, claims, market share, prescribing, reimbursement, and financial information to assess oncology trend drivers and quantify management opportunities.
Partner with PDL strategy, contracting, analytics, specialty pharmacy, network, and medical cost teams on recommendations balancing savings, affordability, access, and provider feasibility.
Monitor program performance and clinical outcomes; identify leakage, exceptions, operational barriers, and opportunities for improvement.
Provide oncology expertise for high-cost claimant reviews, executive summaries, trend discussions, customer questions, and emerging-therapy planning.
Act as an oncology pharmacy resource for UnitedHealthcare and Optum stakeholders, including pharmacy, medical leadership, benefit management, network, specialty pharmacy, product, finance, marketing, customer teams, and account management.
Participate in provider and health-system discussions about oncology policy, pathways, site of care, medication access, and implementation.
Develop or review customer-facing presentations, issue briefs, clinical summaries, FAQs, and educational materials.
Build cross-functional relationships and drive work through influence, clinical credibility, follow-through, and clear communication.
Mentor colleagues and share oncology expertise across the clinical pharmacy team.
Lead assigned Value Based Care delegation, capitation, clinical, claims, system, and operational-readiness implementations across Medicare Advantage, Commercial, Special Needs Plans, and/or Medicaid.
Develop and manage integrated project plans defining scope, deliverables, milestones, dependencies, target dates, accountable owners, and go-live requirements.
Facilitate mid- to large-size cross-functional workgroups, establish expectations, and drive completion of actions and decisions.
Coordinate implementation activities across provider setup, benefits, ID cards, claims, portals, member and provider services, enrollment, encounters, capitation, clinical operations, utilization management, and misdirected claims.
Identify, document, and manage project risks, issues, assumptions, and dependencies; remove barriers and escalate critical concerns with options and recommendations.
Confirm regulatory, system, process, operational, and business requirements are completed and validated before go-live.
Partner with stakeholders to clarify requirements, sequence work, resolve open items, and maintain alignment with project scope and strategic objectives.
Prepare timely status reporting on progress, readiness, risks, decisions, and support needed.
Coordinate handoffs to operational owners, including documentation, ownership confirmation, knowledge transfer, and stabilization support.
Use Smartsheet and other team tools for project planning, status management, reporting, workflow execution, and portfolio visibility.
Maintain relationships with delegated entities, internal customers, subject matter experts, business partners, technology teams, operations, and leadership.
Apply project lifecycle experience and lessons learned to improve implementation standards, tools, governance, and delivery consistency.
Drive process improvement by defining problems, gathering information, facilitating stakeholder input, and implementing practical solutions.
Develop end-to-end knowledge of global risk, capitation, delegation, applicable regulations, supporting platforms, and involved business teams.