Note: The job is a remote job and is open to candidates in USA. UnitedHealth Group, through Optum, delivers technology-enabled care and health services that help people live healthier lives. The Associate Director, Strategic Operations & Client Transformation leads strategic planning, operational transformation, AI initiative integration, client engagement, and performance improvement across healthcare operations and service delivery teams.
Responsibilities
- Develop and execute strategic roadmaps that align operational priorities across Service Operations, Markets, CDOs, PMOs, and call delivery teams
- Lead transformation initiatives focused on operational excellence, scalability, efficiency, and customer experience improvement
- Evaluate current-state operations and identify opportunities for process optimization, standardization, and service model enhancements
- Drive continuous improvement efforts that support enterprise and client objectives
- Serve as a champion for innovation by identifying emerging capabilities, technologies, and best practices that enhance service delivery
- Synthesize complex data and strategic initiatives into executive-ready presentations, delivering clear, actionable insights and recommendations along with updates to senior leaders
- Act as the primary operational liaison for AI initiatives and operational integration efforts
- Partner with business leaders and CDO stakeholders to ensure successful deployment and adoption of AI-enabled solutions
- Translate operational requirements into actionable implementation strategies
- Monitor operational impacts and partner with stakeholders to optimize outcomes
- Build and maintain solid executive-level relationships with Markets, CDOs, PMOs, and operational leaders
- Serve as a trusted advisor and strategic consultant to clients and partners
- Manage high-touch customer interactions and escalation support, ensuring timely issue resolution and stakeholder satisfaction
- Facilitate alignment between client needs and enterprise operational standards
- Present recommendations, business cases, and performance updates to senior leadership
- Consult with CDOs and market leaders to identify opportunities for operational improvements and service enhancements
- Support migrations into Enterprise Clinical Services (ECS) call teams and related operating models
- Assess operational readiness, risks, dependencies, and change management needs
- Recommend solutions that improve efficiency, effectiveness, quality, experience and customer outcomes
- Ensure recommendations are grounded in standard service models and customer experience best practices
- Serve as a subject matter expert (SME) for implementation, transformation, and operational improvement projects
- Partner with PMO, operations, client and implementation teams to ensure successful project execution
- Provide operational guidance throughout planning, deployment, stabilization, and optimization phases
- Facilitate cross-functional collaboration across multiple business units and teams
- Advocate for exceptional patient and provider experiences across all service delivery models
- Monitor operational performance and customer satisfaction metrics
- Identify barriers impacting service quality and lead corrective action planning
- Ensure operational decisions support both customer outcomes and organizational goals
Skills
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience
- Lean, Six Sigma, PMP, or related operational excellence certifications
- 7+ years of experience in healthcare operations, contact center operations, client management, consulting, program management, or related fields
- Experience leading large-scale operational improvement or transformation initiatives
- Experience developing strategic plans and delivering executive-level presentations
- Experience supporting healthcare call center operations or service delivery organizations
- Experience supporting enterprise implementations, migrations, or organizational change efforts
- Experience working within matrixed healthcare organizations
- Familiarity with AI-enabled service delivery and healthcare technology solutions
- Demonstrated success managing complex stakeholder relationships across multiple organizational levels
- Demonstrated solid analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills
- Proven exceptional communication, facilitation, and influencing capabilities
Benefits
- Comprehensive benefits package
- Incentive and recognition programs
- Equity stock purchase
- 401k contribution
- Flexibility to work remotely from anywhere within the U.S.
- Career development opportunities
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