Associate Director, Contracting

Optum is a global organisation 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:

As Associate Director, Contracting, you will work cross-functionally with Finance, Legal, Underwriting, and Clinical teams to develop strategic partnerships, negotiate complex contracts, and drive commercial success. You will be responsible for structuring and negotiating contracts that drive sustainable business growth, enhance product access and pricing, and deliver the best value to clients. This is an individual contributor role with a high level of ownership and impact, with the remit to influence key decisions and driving meaningful business outcomes.
We welcome applicants from a broad range of backgrounds and industries – while experience in pharma or pharmacy industries is preferred, it is not required. This is a unique opportunity to work in the US healthcare market from Ireland, with training and development provided. 
If you have experience in contracting, market access, pricing, procurement, commercial or financial strategy, life sciences consulting, business development or account management, or similar roles with a contracting and negotiation component, we encourage you to apply.

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 of the Associate Director, Contracting:

•    Develop and maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including clients, pharmacies, trade associations, and healthcare organisations, to support health equity product launches, business growth and annual re-contracting objectives. 
•    Coordination of the redlining process as well as communications and negotiations of contractual terms and conditions in tandem with internal stakeholders (Optum Rx leadership, finance, underwriting, legal, clinical, contracting).
•    Adapt departmental plans to address business and operational challenges, ensuring alignment with organisational goals.
•    Identify and resolve technical, operational, and contractual issues, collaborating with internal stakeholders to drive effective solutions.
•    Assess contract language to evaluate financial, operational, and legal implications, ensuring alignment with business objectives and compliance requirements.
•    Model financial outcomes and alternative scenarios to inform decision-making and drive financial results.
•    Monitor and analyse provider financial performance to identify opportunities for improvement and strengthen relationships.
•    Prepare and deliver regular reports to leadership, providing insights into business performance, competitor landscape, and strategic priorities.
•    Monitor and interpret market trends, competitor activities, and industry developments to inform strategy and decision-making.
•    Represent OptumRx in industry discussions, presenting market insights and strategic recommendations to internal and external audiences.

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 Associate Director, Contracting:

•    Experience with large-scale contract negotiations, strategy development and contract redlining experience.
•    Strong financial and business acumen, with the ability to assess contract implications, market trends, and risk factors.
•    Experience using data to drive commercial decision-making, pricing strategies, and strategic initiatives.
•    Proven ability to collaborate across teams in a matrix environment to drive business growth and profitability.
•    Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to present complex concepts clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.
•    Experience engaging with senior leadership and influencing high-level decision-making.

Preferred qualifications of the Associate Director, Contracting: 

•    Qualification in a finance, analytics, or a related field.
•    Experience in pharmaceutical, pharmacy or healthcare industries.

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. © 2025 Optum Services (Ireland) Limited. All rights reserved.