Senior Clinical Program Director of Diagnostic Imaging - Remote

UnitedHealth Group•Minnetonka, MN

20h•Remote

About The Position

The Senior Clinical Program Director of Diagnostic Imaging is responsible for leading the design, development, and continuous enhancement of modern, technology-enabled diagnostic imaging medical management programs. The Senior Director manages a small team of program managers and collaborates with clinical, operations, analytics, and technology teams to improve immediate approvals, reducing unnecessary and duplicative imaging, minimizing avoidable denials and appeals, and strengthening decision consistency through data-driven and evidence-based approaches. They will also partner on programs that include imaging for value-based care strategies to improve affordability, health outcomes, and member and provider experience. The Senior Director reports to the National Medical Director of Specialty Content and Care Pathways at UnitedHealthcare Clinical Services. The ideal candidate combines clinical expertise, strategic thinking, an innovative mindset, and program development skills to create impactful solutions for members and providers. 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 in a leadership or management role in healthcare
7+ years of healthcare operational experience with operational accountability
Experience with demonstrated ability to design, scale, or operationalize clinical programs across multiple markets or lines of business
Deep clinical understanding of diagnostic imaging, evidence-based medical policies and clinical guidelines
Demonstrated ability to apply clinical insights to program design and outcome measurement
Familiarity with health plan regulatory and accreditation requirements
Proficiency with MS-Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
Proven skilled in analyzing claims, clinical, and quality data to drive new clinical insights and identify opportunities for program development and inform program design
Demonstrated ability to work with healthcare analytics teams to model performance expectations and measure clinical and financial impact
Demonstrated experience setting clear goals, providing regular feedback, and conducting performance evaluations to support career growth and talent retention
Proven strategic thinking with proven ability to communicate a vision and drive results
Proven ability to lead, coach, and develop small teams of program managers or clinical professionals, fostering a supportive, high‑performance culture
Proven skilled in guiding teams through ambiguity, change, and complex problem‑solving while maintaining clarity, engagement, and accountability
Proven solid commitment to collaboration - encouraging cross‑functional communication, resolving conflicts constructively, and building trust within and across teams
Proven self-starter, initiates work independently
Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively and efficiently (both verbal and written) at multiple levels of large, complex organizations
Proven solid negotiation skills: the ability to gain acceptance from others of a plan or idea and achieve a mutually beneficial outcome
All employees working remotely will be required to adhere to UnitedHealth Group’s Telecommuter Policy
Candidates are required to pass a drug test before beginning employment.

Responsibilities

In partnership with the National Medical Director of Specialty Content and Care Pathways, design of large-scale diagnostic imaging medical management and site of care programs using evidence-based guidelines, clinical data, and authorization insights that drive meaningful affordability, quality, and experience outcomes across diverse populations and lines of business
Support the development of automation-first and technology-enabled prior authorization workflows to improve real-time approvals to improve provider engagement and member experience
In collaboration with data and technology teams, design innovative new clinical program initiatives that incorporate technology-enabled care pathways and bundled authorizations aligned with clinical guidelines and cost-effectiveness
Provide clinical support to the design and implementation of technology-enabled initiatives that reduce unnecessary prior authorization denials and appeals by addressing root causes such as insufficient clinical information, documentation gaps, and inconsistent ordering patterns
Work with providers, markets, and internal teams to develop standardized documentation expectations and education resources that improve first‑pass approval rates and reduce administrative burden
Incorporate evidence‑based medical policies, clinical guidelines, and a broad spectrum of actionable insights — including claims data, clinical outcomes data, utilization trends, quality metrics, member‑reported outcomes, digital engagement signals, market intelligence, provider performance patterns, and operational throughput data — gathered across markets, providers, and enterprise data sources
Develop business cases, operational models, and financial impact assessments to evaluate program feasibility and scalability
Foster stakeholder alignment and cross-functional collaboration to ensure programs are designed to support national scalability, operational sustainability, and continual innovation
Analyze claims utilization and variation, clinical, and quality data to identify opportunities for clinical program development and improvement
Analyze appeal trends, overturn rates, peer-to-peer outcomes, and clinical documentation to develop targeted interventions, provider feedback loops, and continuous improvement plans
Collaborate with analytics teams to develop Key Performance Indicators and to build dashboards tracking program performance
Seek input from network, market, and clinical teams to develop program models and performance frameworks
Build relationships with imaging provider groups/facilities, and specialty societies to align program goals with clinical practice
Build and maintain solid relationships with executive leadership across internal teams to ensure effective support and feedback loops and that deliverables are met
Collaborate with Regulatory and Compliance Teams to ensure program compliance with state and federal regulatory requirements
Speak clearly on complex problems across a wide range of audiences
Prepare decks and executive summaries for regular updates regarding the clinical program development and performance for Joint Operating Committees, Team Leadership and Executive Sessions
Use problem solving skills and make decisions to support program design and feasibility prior to transition to the Clinical Services Implementation team
Actively participate in clinical, business and operational meetings; ensure business partners, stakeholders and senior management are provided relevant and timely information on the clinical program design and scope for the approval process
Provide support to the Clinical Services Implementation team and project managers responsible for moving the program initiative through the clinical implementation lifecycle end-to-end
Actively participate in multidisciplinary teams to achieve program deliverables; Foster and promote collaborative relationships with matrix partners/stakeholders; Establish trust and credibility at all levels of the organization
Work independently and as a team member
Monitor clinical program performance and Key Performance Indicators and iterate based on feedback and data
Ensure program compliance with state and federal regulatory requirements; collaborate with Regulatory and Compliance Teams to develop and implement new regulatory and compliance requirements
Solve unique and complex problems with broad impact on the business; translate highly complex concepts in ways that can be understood by a variety of audiences, including senior management