Area Product Owner – Automation

Optum is a global organization that delivers care, aided by technology to help millions of people live healthier lives. The work you do with our team will directly improve health outcomes by connecting people with the care, pharmacy benefits, data and resources they need to feel their best. Here, you will find a culture guided by diversity and inclusion, talented peers, comprehensive benefits and career development opportunities. Come make an impact on the communities we serve as you help us advance health equity on a global scale. Join us to start Caring. Connecting. Growing together. 

As a Fortune 5 business, we’re one of the world’s leading healthcare companies. There are no limits here on the resources you’ll have or the challenges you’ll encounter.

We have been supporting global healthcare systems from Ireland and the UK for more than 20 years, building a dynamic and diverse team of more than 2,100 talented individuals. With a continued record of growth and stability, we’re on the constant lookout for fresh talent to join our expanding teams. 

The Optum Ireland Automation Centre of Excellence supports the organization through the delivery of automation solutions, using existing, new, and emerging technologies to enhance savings, improve productivity and quality and reduce cost. The Area Product Owner (APO) is part of the Scrum Team and acts as Product Owner for part of the product. The APO is a primary point of contact on behalf of the customer to identify the product requirements for the Feature Team and is responsible for defining user stories and helping create the Product Backlog. Along with the Product Owner, the APO has a significant role in maximizing the value produced by the Feature Team and ensuring Stories meet the user’s needs and comply with the Definition of Done. This role has significant relationships and responsibilities outside the local team, including working with other APOs, Customers, Business Owners, and other stakeholders

Schedule: Full-time position, Monday – Friday with standard working hours 

Careers with Optum offer flexible work arrangements and individuals who live and work in the Republic of Ireland will have the opportunity to split their monthly work hours between our Dublin or Letterkenny Offices and telecommuting from a home-based office in a hybrid work model. 

Primary Responsibilities:

• Product Roadmap Development: Collaborate with the Product Owner, Transformation Team, and Business stakeholders to shape and refine the product roadmap using an iterative, MVP-driven approach
• Backlog Ownership: Own and manage the Product Backlog for assigned Feature Team(s), ensuring alignment with strategic objectives and business priorities
• Iteration Planning & Delivery: Define and prioritize iterations and user stories, accept iteration increments, and evaluate product progress at each sprint
• Stakeholder Engagement: Act as the primary liaison between the business and Feature Teams, ensuring clear communication of product vision, priorities, and expectations
• Backlog Refinement & Story Development: Work closely with Feature Teams to create and refine backlog items, ensuring clarity, feasibility, and alignment with business needs. Facilitate direct engagement with SMEs for deeper insights
• Sprint Planning & Prioritization: Prioritize sprint work in collaboration with the Product Owner and business partners, balancing new features, enhancements, technical debt, and maintenance
• Definition Alignment: Ensure shared understanding of the Definition of Ready and Definition of Done across the Scrum Team
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Engage with leadership across value streams to understand business challenges and promote cross-functional solutions that support enterprise transformation goals
• Customer Communication & Feedback: Lead customer communication efforts, gather feedback, and ensure the product delivers measurable value
• Risk & Issue Management: Proactively manage risks and issues in partnership with the Product Owner and Feature Teams
• Portfolio Reporting & Governance: Maintain accurate product portfolio data in JIRA and support reporting requirements across the organization
• Emerging Technology Awareness: Stay informed on emerging technologies, industry trends, and thought leadership to help guide innovation and ensure best-in-class practices within the automation and transformation teams
• Innovation Advocacy: Promote a culture of innovation by identifying opportunities to leverage new tools, platforms, and methodologies that enhance product delivery and business outcomes

You will be rewarded and recognized for your performance in an environment that will challenge you and give you clear direction on what it takes to succeed in your role, as well as providing development for other roles you may be interested in.

 

Required Qualifications:

• Proven experience as a Product Owner or Area Product Owner, with relevant certification (e.g., CSPO, SAFe POPM) or equivalent practical experience
• Understanding of Agile and DevOps frameworks (e.g., Scrum, SAFe, LeSS)
• Demonstrated experience in delivering software or business transformation projects from ideation through to implementation
• Familiarity with backlog management tools such as JIRA, Confluence, or similar platforms
• Knowledge of the U.S. Health Insurance industry, particularly in claims adjudication, payments, and eligibility
• Understanding of Payment Integrity’s Fraud, Waste, Abuse & Error product offerings
• Fluency in English, both written and spoken

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with end-to-end delivery of automation solutions using RPA platforms such as UiPath, Blue Prism, or Automation Anywhere
• Business Analysis experience, particularly in process improvement or digital transformation contexts
• Lean or Six Sigma certification or practical experience in process optimization
• Familiarity with the full Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC), including both Agile and Waterfall methodologies
• Demonstrated interest in emerging technologies and digital innovation, with the ability to assess their relevance and potential impact on business solutions

Soft Skills:

• Communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to convey complex concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences
• Proven ability to work collaboratively in cross-functional, team-oriented environments
• Analytical and problem-solving skills, with a continuous improvement mindset

Please note you must currently be eligible to work and remain indefinitely without any restrictions in the country to which you are making an application. Proof will be required to support your application.

All telecommuters will be required to adhere to the UnitedHealth Group’s Telecommuter Policy.

 

At UnitedHealth Group, our mission is to help people live healthier lives and make the health system work better for everyone. We believe everyone–of every race, gender, sexuality, age, location and income–deserves the opportunity to live their healthiest life. Today, however, there are still far too many barriers to good health which are disproportionately experienced by people of color, historically marginalized groups and those with lower incomes. We are committed to mitigating our impact on the environment and enabling and delivering equitable care that addresses health disparities and improves health outcomes — an enterprise priority reflected in our mission.

 

 

Diversity creates a healthier atmosphere: Optum is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to gender, civil status, family status, sexual orientation, disability, religion, age, race, and membership of the Traveler community, or any other characteristic protected by law. Optum is a drug-free workplace. © 2024 Optum Services (Ireland) Limited. All rights reserved.

 

 

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