State Government Account Executive - Remote

UnitedHealth Group•Eden Prairie, MN

2d•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. Optum Insight is standing up a new State Government Market structure to strengthen long term partnerships with Medicaid and Health & Human Services (HHS) agencies across the United States. This role supports Optum’s strategy to partner with states at a more strategic level—helping them address complex healthcare, technology, and operational challenges through integrated, enterprise wide solutions. The Account Executive (AE) is an externally focused, individual contributor responsible for managing and growing a portfolio of State Government client relationships, with a primary focus on middle tier and smaller revenue accounts. The AE serves as the primary relationship owner for assigned states and is accountable for client satisfaction, retention, and growth. This includes understanding each state’s priorities, budget environment, legislative landscape, and long term objectives, and aligning Optum’s capabilities to meet those needs. Acting as a trusted advisor to senior state officials and agency leadership, the AE leads multi year account planning, identifies expansion opportunities, and partners across Optum Insight, UnitedHealthcare, Optum Health, and Optum Rx to deliver measurable outcomes aligned to state priorities. The role requires solid state government expertise, executive presence, and the ability to influence across a highly matrixed organization. Success in this role requires experience managing external, executive level client relationships, comfort operating in complex environments, and the ability to connect client needs with Optum’s broad portfolio of analytics, healthcare access, program operations, BPO, and technology solutions. You’ll enjoy the flexibility to work remotely from anywhere within the U.S. as you take on some tough challenges.

Requirements

7+ years of experience working directly with State Government clients or agencies (e.g., Medicaid, HHS, or other state health and human services programs)
5+ years of demonstrated external, client-facing experience serving as a primary account lead or trusted advisor to senior government stakeholders
5+ years of experience in account management, managed services, consulting, or advisory roles supporting complex State Government contracts
Proven track record of client trust, expansion, and long term partnership building
Solid ability to lead and influence highly matrixed, cross-functional teams without direct authority
Demonstrated ability to drive account growth, renewals, and measurable outcomes within regulated, politically complex environments, beyond simply delivering contracted work
Proven experience growing and retaining accounts, not just delivering contracted work
Demonstrated solid executive presence and ability to influence across highly matrixed organizations
Experience partnering with sales, product, technology, and operations teams
Willingness and ability to travel up to 50%25

Nice To Haves

Experience in state government consulting, government healthcare vendors, or Medicaid focused organizations
Demonstrated background with firms such as Deloitte, Accenture, KPMG, Cognizant (government healthcare), or similar
Experience working across large, complex enterprises
Experience with P&L ownership or account financial leadership

Responsibilities

Serve as the single point of accountability for assigned State Government clients (Medicaid / HHS)
Build and maintain trusted, executive level relationships with state officials (CIO, HHS leadership, agency executives)
Lead multi year account planning aligned to state priorities, budgets, and legislative direction
Identify and drive growth opportunities across Optum’s portfolio (Analytics, Healthcare Access, Program Operations, BPO, Technology)
Translate state needs into enterprise-wide solutions, partnering across Optum Insight, UnitedHealthcare, Optum Health, and Optum Rx
Represent the voice of the client internally, influencing without direct authority
Support contract renewals, expansions, and performance outcomes in partnership with sales, operations, and product teams
Spend the majority of time externally with clients, not managing day to day delivery