Senior Director, Payer Innovation and Strategy - Remote

UnitedHealth Group•Eden Prairie, MN

2d•$159,300 - $273,200•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 Senior Director, Innovation and Strategy - Payer is a senior client partner and consulting engagement leader for Optum AI payer consulting services. This leader builds executive relationships, identifies and shapes high-value AI opportunities, leads complex pursuits, and converts client needs into well-scoped, commercially sound consulting engagements. From discovery through implementation, the Senior Director mobilizes capabilities across Optum and remains accountable for delivery quality, financial performance, client satisfaction, and measurable member, clinical, operational, and financial outcomes. Success will be measured through pipeline and bookings, engagement revenue and margin, billable utilization, account growth, and client value realization. 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

10+ years of experience in management consulting, professional services, business development, healthcare transformation, or AI-enabled solution delivery
10+ years of payer-industry expertise across operational domains such as claims, enrollment, utilization management, prior authorization, care management, risk adjustment, quality, or member services
8+ years of experience serving as an executive engagement leader for complex, multi-workstream programs with direct accountability for client satisfaction, delivery quality, and financial outcomes
7+ years of experience developing and leading client proposals and commercial engagements, including creation of statements of work (SOWs), business cases, pricing models, staffing plans, value propositions, and contract terms for engagements exceeding $1M in annual contract value.
5+ years of experience deploying advanced analytics, machine learning, generative AI, or automation solutions within healthcare environments
5+ years of experience working with commercial, Medicare, Medicaid, employer-sponsored, or related payer organizations
Demonstrated success originating, shaping, and closing complex consulting, technology, analytics, or AI services engagements with health plan clients
Proven track record establishing and maintaining executive relationships with C-suite and senior health plan leaders, including leading high-stakes presentations and commercial negotiations
Ability to travel up to 40%25 domestically to support client engagements, executive meetings, and business development activities

Nice To Haves

Master's degree, MBA, MPH, MHA, or related advanced degree
Experience managing a billable professional services portfolio supporting annual revenue targets of $5M+ or contract values exceeding $1M per engagement
Experience leading cross-functional, matrixed teams of 20+ professionals spanning business, operations, clinical, data science, engineering, product, finance, legal, compliance, and delivery functions
Working knowledge of healthcare privacy, security, and regulatory requirements, including HIPAA, healthcare data governance, and model-risk management practices
Practical knowledge of responsible AI principles, explainability, bias mitigation, and ethical AI deployment in healthcare workflows

Responsibilities

Build trusted relationships with health plan executives and senior leaders; identify, qualify, and develop AI consulting opportunities aligned to business, clinical, operational, technology, and member-experience needs
Lead discovery sessions, executive interviews, and working workshops to define client problems, assess current-state workflows and capabilities, establish value hypotheses, and determine where AI produces practical and measurable impact
Lead opportunities from qualification through close, coordinating proposals, RFP responses, executive presentations, statements of work, pricing, and commercial negotiations in partnership with sales, account, finance, legal, and delivery teams
Define engagement outcomes, scope, workplans, staffing models, governance, deliverables, pricing, and risk profiles to ensure differentiated, executable solutions that achieve client value and financial performance
Serve as the accountable senior partner and trusted advisor for assigned engagements, align executive stakeholders, lead steering committees, manage expectations, and maintain accountability for outcomes
Mobilize and lead cross-functional teams spanning business, clinical, data science, engineering, change management, compliance, and delivery; ensure delivery quality, timeliness, adoption, and value realization
Manage assigned pipeline, bookings, revenue, billable utilization, margin, forecasting, scope control, and delivery risk, taking corrective actions when performance is off plan
Convert market feedback into repeatable consulting offerings, playbooks, accelerators, and reference architectures while coaching multi-disciplinary teams and ensuring responsible AI standards