Director of Healthcare Economics

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. 

About the Role:

At UnitedHealth Group and Optum, we want to make healthcare work better for everyone. This depends on hiring the best and brightest. With a thriving ecosystem of investment and innovation, our business in Ireland is constantly growing to support the healthcare needs of the future.

Our teams are at the forefront of building and adapting the latest technologies to propel healthcare forward in a way that better serves everyone. With our hands at work across all aspects of health, we use the most advanced development tools, AI, data science and innovative approaches to make the healthcare system work better for everyone. 

As the Director of Healthcare Economics, you will help stand up and expand a new team created to drive efficiency and optimise processes using advanced analytics and new technologies, enhancing our capabilities to improve accuracy and completeness. The successful candidate will have a passion for innovation and a desire to make a significant impact on the healthcare industry.

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 office and telecommuting from a home-based office in a hybrid work model. 

Primary Responsibilities of the Director of Healthcare Economics:

• Lead a risk adjustment analytics processes for assigned customers and programs.  Ensure programs achieve targets leveraging advanced analytical capabilities and predictive models to provide actionable insights that support decision-making processes at the executive level.
• Act as a main point of contact for key matters related to assigned customers. This involves communicating actionable strategies, deliverables and timelines to key customers and business stakeholders. Responsible for building and maintaining relationships with key customers.
• Contribute to ongoing innovation of analytical capabilities, including refining financial models, conducting pilots, gather customer feedback to inform future analytic development life cycle.
• Ensure the quality and integrity of all analytical capabilities by establishing robust quality assurance frameworks. This includes periodic reviews of existing analytics and processes to identify opportunities for improvement and ensure they meet the changing needs of the business.
• Lead adhoc analysis and projects as needed.

You will be rewarded and recognised 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 of the Director of Healthcare Economics:

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Economics, Statistics, Mathematics, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Proven extensive experience in financial analysis, data analytics, or a related field, including significant experience in leadership positions managing healthcare data or analytics teams.
• Proficiency in major statistical and data analysis tools such as SAS, R, Python, or SQL.
• Familiarity with applicable regulations and standards in risk management relevant to the industry (e.g., financial services, healthcare).
• Demonstrated ability to lead and manage teams effectively, including strong organizational and project management skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, capable of effectively communicating risk management strategies and findings to various stakeholders

Preferred qualifications of the Director of Healthcare Economics:

• Advanced understanding of global risk regulations, especially if the company operates internationally or in highly regulated sectors.
• Advanced proficiency in data visualization tools and knowledge of big data technologies like Hadoop or Spark.
• Master’s in Finance, Economics, Statistics, Mathematics, or a related field.
• Evidence of having successfully influenced analytics strategic policies and practices at an organizational level.

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 marginalised 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 Traveller community, or any other characteristic protected by law. Optum is a drug-free workplace. © 2023 Optum Services (Ireland) Limited. All rights reserved.