Project – Program Manager

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

The Project-Program Manager is responsible for managing multifaceted IT projects ensuring scope is delivered according to deadlines, budget, and quality standards. The Project-Program Manager manages enterprise wide strategic projects with complex scope and scale, balancing the demands of multiple projects by taking ownership of all project deliverables, and reports progress or matrix reports on a project directly to Senior and Executive Leadership. The Project-Program Manager develops project plans, builds project schedules, manages project meetings, communicates progress and status, enforces quality management, and identifies, responds, and manages risks, issues, and changes and manages all information technology project activities and ensures all project phases are documented appropriately. Leads project teams of cross-functional resources in matrixed environment by using standard project management methodologies, processes and procedures. The Principal Project-Program Manager may have responsibility to lead, coach and mentor other PMO team members.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Identifies opportunities for improving the customer experience including opportunities for increased productivity, reduced costs and supporting the quadruple aims of high-quality, high-value services and outstanding patient and provider experience
• Provides leadership skills to direct project team and ensure project and organization’s goals, philosophies, and objectives are optimally supported by information technology
• Drive the full lifecycle planning and management of multiple projects to ensure they are delivered on time and with the expected results. This includes:
  • Creating and gaining approval of a formal program charter at the start of the initiative
  • Establishing program governance frameworks and processes, with regular review cadences
  • Creating and executing project work plans and revising as appropriate to meet changing needs and requirements, proactively planning and scheduling project timelines and milestones
  • Identifying resources needed, supporting leads in assigning individual responsibilities, and tracking/ monitoring completion
  • Managing day-to-day operational aspects of initiative project and scope
  • Ensuring project documents are complete, current, and stored appropriately
• Leads the development of a comprehensive communication plan with team members, stakeholders and / or customers
• Proactively drives creative resolutions to project issues and risk mitigation strategies which are recommended to project sponsors and management
• Measures program performance using appropriate tools and techniques in order to monitor the progress of the project, identifies and quantifies variances, and performs required corrective actions; all with appropriate communication to related stakeholders
• Responsible for proactive oversight of the Change Management process needed to communicate and reset expectations due to unexpected variances to project scope, schedule.  Ensures project closure activities including gathering/sharing lessons learned and facilitating post-mortems
• Creates management reports and presentations (as required) to keep project sponsor and other leaders and stakeholders up to date on the schedule and deliverable status
• Comply with the terms and conditions of the employment contract, company policies and procedures, and any and all directives (such as, but not limited to, transfer and/or re-assignment to different work locations, change in teams and/or work shifts, policies in regards to flexibility of work benefits and/or work environment, alternative work arrangements, and other decisions that may arise due to the changing business environment). The Company may adopt, vary or rescind these policies and directives in its absolute discretion and without any limitation (implied or otherwise) on its ability to do so

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Health Administration, Computer Science, MIS or related field
• 2+ years experience managing projects implementing business change and the integration of cross-functional solutions
• Experience working within an enterprise PMO
• Knowledge of IT application deployment processes
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office products, especially MS Project, Excel, Visio and PowerPoint
• Competencies:
  • Effective in creating a positive working environment within the project team that encourages collaboration and innovation
  • Ability to lead and influence others during ambiguity
  • Practices self-leadership and promotes learning in others by building relationships with cross-functional stakeholders
  • Possess Business Acumen with a seasoned understanding of the business drivers in multiple disciplines that influence project success
  • Experienced in the techniques to work in a virtual/cross cultural environment
  • Able to work on multiple concurrent activities. Able to prioritize personal workload and team work load to optimize project delivery
  • Self-directed and motivated with analytical skills, systematic and orderly planning abilities, and high attention to details
  • Customer-focused attitude and ability to work proactively and efficiently with appropriate urgency

Preferred Qualifications:

• Advanced degree in related field
• 4+ years experience managing projects implementing business change and the integration of cross-functional solution
• Experience working with project management software such as Aha, Planview and rally
• Knowledge and experience with SDLC (Systems Development Life Cycle)
• Familiarity with technology concepts, including databases, data processing, mapping, APIs, reporting, and business intelligence

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.