Associate Director, Strategic Operations – Remote in CA

For those who want to invent the future of health care, here’s your opportunity. We’re going beyond basic care to health programs integrated across the entire continuum of care. Join us to start Caring. Connecting. Growing together. 

 

If you reside in the state of California, you’ll enjoy the flexibility to work remotely * as you take on some tough challenges. 

 

Primary Responsibilities:

• Manage, in partnership with the Chief of Staff, all executive forums including the Accountable Team of the Market and the Senior Leadership Team
• Lead the execution of strategic initiatives that improve operational efficiency and business outcomes
• Develop and implement scalable operational processes to support growth and performance improvement
• Collaborate with leadership to align operational strategies with overall business objectives
• Leadership and Regional Performance Optimization
• Manage operating reviews with regional teams to track performance, address challenges, and drive continuous improvement
• Identify inefficiencies and develop solutions to improve provider operations, patient experience, and cost-effectiveness
• Utilize data analytics to measure the impact of operational initiatives and recommend adjustments as needed
• Implement best practices in process standardization, workflow automation, and operational excellence

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Change Management

• Work closely with clinical, financial, and administrative teams to drive operational improvements
• Manage key projects from planning to execution, ensuring alignment with corporate goals and regulatory requirements
• Lead change management efforts to ensure smooth adoption of new strategies and processes

Data-Driven Decision Making & Reporting

• Develop dashboards, reports, and performance metrics to monitor operational success
• Provide insights and recommendations to senior leadership based on business intelligence and industry trends
• Support budgeting and resource allocation decisions with data-driven analysis

 

You’ll 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 provide development for other roles you may be interested in.

Required Qualifications:

• 5+ years of experience in healthcare operations, strategy, consulting, or business management
• Solid analytical and problem-solving skills, with experience in process improvement and performance optimization
• Excellent project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities
• Solid communication and stakeholder management abilities
• Experience in value-based care, provider network operations, or healthcare service delivery
• Must be based in CA
• Ability to travel 20%

Preferred Qualifications:

• Prior experience working in a Big 5 consulting firm (e.g., Deloitte, PwC, EY, KPMG, Accenture), particularly in healthcare strategy or operations
• Knowledge of Lean Six Sigma or other process improvement methodologies
• Familiarity with data visualization tools such as Tableau or Power BI

 

*All employees working remotely will be required to adhere to UnitedHealth Group’s Telecommuter Policy

 

The salary range for this role is $106,800 to $194,200 annually based on full-time employment. Pay is based on several factors including but not limited to local labor markets, education, work experience, certifications, etc. UnitedHealth Group complies with al minimum wage laws as applicable. In addition to your salary, UnitedHealth Group offers benefits such as, a comprehensive benefits package, incentive and recognition programs, equity stock purchase and 401k contribution (all benefits are subject to eligibility requirements). No matter where or when you begin a career with UnitedHealth Group, you’ll find a far-reaching choice of benefits and incentives.

  

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: OptumCare is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action employers and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law.

 

OptumCare is a drug-free workplace. Candidates are required to pass a drug test before beginning employment.