Early Careers EMEA Lead – Dublin

UnitedHealth Group is a health care and well-being company that’s dedicated to improving the health outcomes of millions around the world. We are comprised of two distinct and complementary businesses, UnitedHealthcare and Optum, working to build a better health system for all. Here, your contributions matter as they will help transform health care for years to come. Make an impact with a diverse team that shares your passion for helping others. Join us to start Caring. Connecting. Growing together.

 

Are you passionate about shaping the future of work and empowering the next generation of professionals? At Optum, we’re looking for a visionary Early Careers EMEA Lead to drive our early talent strategy across Ireland and emerging EMEA markets.

 

This is more than a recruitment role—it’s a chance to build something meaningful, influence global strategy, and leave a lasting legacy in the careers of early talent.

 

Be the architect of tomorrow’s talent!

 

Primary Responsibilities

As the Early Careers EMEA Lead, you’ll be at the forefront of our mission to attract, develop, and retain top early career talent. Your role will include:

• Strategic Leadership: Design and execute a comprehensive early careers strategy across EMEA, aligned with global goals and local market needs
• Campus Engagement: Build solid relationships with universities—especially in Ireland—to elevate Optum’s brand and attract top talent
• Candidate Experience: Deliver a standout, personalized experience from first contact through onboarding
• Collaboration & Influence: Partner with global teams, senior leaders, and business stakeholders to align hiring needs and drive program success
• Program Development: Standardize recruitment processes, support signature events, and scale our early careers model across the region
• Data-Driven Impact: Establish KPIs, monitor performance, and continuously improve our approach based on insights and trends
• Cultural Awareness: Ensure our programs reflect local laws, customs, and cultural nuances across EMEA

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 

• Bachelor’s or postgraduate degree in any discipline
• Significant experience in talent acquisition across EMEA, ideally in tech or pharma
• Proven success in building early careers strategies or resource development programs
• Proven solid relationship-building skills with internal and external stakeholders
• Proven excellent communication and influencing skills, especially with senior leaders
• Demonstrated agility and adaptability in fast-paced, complex environments
• Comfort working in a global matrixed organisation
• Based in Dublin, Ireland, with a hybrid work model (3–4 days in-office)
• Willingness to travel across EMEA

 

Why Join Us?

At Optum, you’ll be part of a global team that’s transforming healthcare and creating opportunities for people to thrive. You’ll have the autonomy to innovate, the support to grow, and the platform to make a real difference.
Join us in building the future—one career at a time.

UnitedHealth Group is working to create the health care system of tomorrow. 

Already Fortune 6, we are totally focused on innovation and change. We work a little harder. We aim a little higher. We expect more from ourselves and each other. And at the end of the day, we’re doing a lot of good.

Through our family of businesses and a lot of inspired individuals, we’re building a high-performance health care system that works better for more people in more ways than ever. Now we’re looking to reinforce our team with people who are decisive, brilliant – and built for speed.

Come to UnitedHealth Group, and share your ideas and your passion for doing more. We have roles that will fit your skills and knowledge. We have diverse opportunities that will fit your dreams.

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.

 

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.