Vice President, Strategy and Operations

UnitedHealth Group•Eden Prairie, MN

10d•Hybrid

About The Position

UnitedHealth Group is a health care and well-being company that’s dedicated to improving the health outcomes of millions around the world. We are comprised of two distinct and complementary businesses, UnitedHealthcare and Optum, working to build a better health system for all. Here, your contributions matter as they will help transform health care for years to come. Make an impact with a team that shares your passion for helping others. Join us to start Caring. Connecting. Growing together. The Vice President of Strategy and Operations is an innovative senior leader responsible for shaping, operationalizing, and accelerating the People Team strategy, with a significant focus on leading the People Team Reinvention. This role integrates strategic insight, operating rigor, and transformation leadership to drive the organization’s most critical people priorities and enable scaled, high‑impact execution. Reporting to the SVP, Strategy, Talent & Innovation (ST&I), this leader will partner closely with peers across the People Team and with cross‑functional enterprise leaders to translate strategy into action, ensure disciplined execution, and deliver meaningful transformation outcomes—while orchestrating a unified, enterprise‑first approach. The Vice President leads a team of project, process, and operational professionals and indirectly guides and aligns a network of workstream leads responsible for People Team Reinvention initiatives. This executive ensures integration and alignment of enterprise‑wide talent, culture, workforce, and HR operational priorities, enabling the People Team to deliver consistent, scaled, high‑impact capabilities that support business growth, foster a culture of innovation and performance excellence, and elevate employee and leader experiences. Hybrid in MN: This position follows a hybrid schedule with four in-office days per week.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree (MBA, MHRIR, MS Strategy, etc.) strongly preferred
15+ years of progressive experience in Human Resources
7+ years of senior-level experience as a strategic Human Resources business partner with prior experience leading organization design/operating model work
3+ years’ experience leading a Human Resources Center of Expertise (e.g., Talent Acquisition, HR Operations, Total Rewards, etc.)
Demonstrated success leading enterprise-level transformation efforts within a large, complex organization
Proven experience overseeing strategy development, portfolio governance, program management, and operating model transformation
Executive-level communication skills with experience preparing materials for Board- and C-suite-level audiences
Solid analytic, financial, and problem-solving skills with the ability to translate data into decisions
Demonstrated ability to lead and inspire high-performing teams
Superior analytical thinking, structured problem solving, and communication skills
Demonstrated ability to influence at senior levels and lead through ambiguity

Nice To Haves

Previous experience leading HR Operations or shared services capabilities
Background working in highly matrixed environments, ideally within healthcare, technology, or Fortune 100 enterprises
Deep understanding of modern HR operating models, digital HR capabilities, and emerging talent trends
Proven track record influencing at the executive level and driving enterprise alignment

Responsibilities

Shape, operationalize, and accelerate the People Team strategic agenda in alignment with enterprise priorities
Partner with the CPO and People Leadership Team to define long-term strategic direction, performance goals, and transformation outcomes
Understand the business and functional aligned People Team priorities and annual business plans to help drive strategic clarity and alignment across key priorities for the People Team and across the Strategy, Talent, and Innovation team
Lead the multi-year People Team Reinvention, ensuring strong stakeholder engagement and alignment, disciplined execution, strong governance, and measurable business value
Orchestrate cross-functional transformation initiatives that ensure enhance enterprise capability, operating model effectiveness, AI and technology innovation and workforce experience
Champion a culture of innovation, simplification, and continuous improvement
Ensure strong change management and communication plans are established and operationalized
Lead a PMO team aligned to deliver key enterprise priorities for the People Team
Ensure business cases and/or project charters are completed with clear outcomes, milestones and KPIs
Establish simple yet clear frameworks that translate strategy into actionable plans supported by robust metrics and performance management
Actively sequence and prioritize, including making tradeoff decisions, to protect and effectuate the right outcomes
Ensure clear roles, responsibilities and governance to ensure projects are delivered on-time and with high quality outcomes and results
Oversee strategic planning, operating rhythms, business planning cycles, and executive reporting including MBRs and Board materials
Strengthen Strategy, Talent and Innovation team operational rigor through portfolio governance, resource alignment, and operational standardization
Provide HR operations support for the Strategy, Talent & Innovation organization
Serve as a trusted advisor to the SVP, Strategy, Talent and Innovation leader, CPOs and People Leadership Team and extended leadership team bringing insights, foresight, and strategic recommendations
Build strong relationships across business segments to drive enterprise-first execution of people strategies
Lead the People Team functional transformation and Reinvention efforts and provide regular workstream and SteerCo updates aligned to established operating rhythms