Director, Payer Solutions Implementation - Remote

Optum Insight is improving the flow of health data and information to create a more connected system. We remove friction and drive alignment between care providers and payers, and ultimately consumers. Our deep expertise in the industry and innovative technology empower us to help organizations reduce costs while improving risk management, quality and revenue growth. Ready to help us deliver results that improve lives? Join us to start Caring. Connecting. Growing together.

The Director, Payer Solutions Implementation - Remote is a senior, client‑facing people leader who plays a critical role in shaping Optum's payer growth strategy by setting the standards for pre‑sales solutioning, deal shaping, and scalable delivery execution. This role sits at the intersection of Sales, Product, Implementation, and Operations, ensuring payer client problems are accurately diagnosed, the right combination of Optum solutions is positioned, and commitments made during sales can be delivered predictably at scale.

With a focus on Optum Real multi‑payer implementations, this leader brings deep payer domain expertise to pre‑sales and early client engagements-helping Sales identify the most effective, integrated Optum solutions to address payer challenges across medical network operations, connectivity, claims, eligibility, remittance, enrollment, and regulatory needs. The Director is accountable for architecting a team that will raise the quality of solution design upfront, reduce downstream delivery risk, and enable consistent, repeatable payer outcomes across the Optum portfolio.

This role leads and develops a team of Solution Implementation Consultants, setting expectations, building capability, and reinforcing standards for how Optum engages payer clients from first conversation through steady‑state operations.

You'll enjoy the flexibility to work remotely * from anywhere within the U.S. as you take on some tough challenges. For all hires in the Minneapolis or Washington, D.C. area, you will be required to work in the office a minimum of four days per week.

Primary Responsibilities:

People Leadership & Talent Development 

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of Payer Solutions Implementation Consultants and Implementation Leaders, setting clear expectations, performance standards, and career paths
• Set expectations for consultative presence, sales partnership, and delivery discipline
• Build a solid payer domain bench by hiring, onboarding, and upskilling talent with deep medical payer, clearinghouse, and network expertise
• Foster a culture of execution discipline, accountability, client advocacy, and continuous improvement
• Act as an escalation point for complex payer issues, client concerns, and cross functional delivery risks

Payer Solution Strategy & Advisory 

• Serve as a senior trusted advisor to payer executives, guiding solution strategy across claims, eligibility, ERA, attachments, enrollment, connectivity, APIs, and regulatory considerations
• Serve as a senior pre‑sales partner to Sales and Growth leaders, engaging early in pursuits to shape client strategy, solution positioning, and deal structure
• Establish the team and standards for partnering with Sales to improve deal quality, win confidence, and long‑term client satisfaction by aligning solution ambition with delivery reality
• Influence solution designs to balance payer specific needs with multi-payer standardization, protecting long-term operational sustainability
• Represent payer perspectives in senior level roadmap, investment, and prioritization discussions

Implementation Portfolio Ownership 

• Own a portfolio of complex payer implementations from solution design through go live and transition to steady state operations
• Establish and enforce implementation governance, including scope control, milestones, success criteria, risk management, and readiness standards
• Ensure consistent delivery quality across implementations by standardizing playbooks, templates, tooling, and assurance checkpoints
• Drive alignment between sales commitments, delivery execution, and operational handoff to reduce rework and post-go live issues

Cross Functional Leadership 

• Act as the primary connective leader across:  
  • Sales & Growth 
  • Product Management 
  • Engineering & Architecture 
  • Implementation & Onboarding 
  • Support & Operations 
• Ensure payer requirements are clearly translated and not degraded across handoffs from sales through delivery
• Influence platform and roadmap decisions by bringing real‑world payer insights from sales pursuits and implementations
• Establish solid feedback loops to Product and Engineering based on payer insights, implementation friction, and emerging market needs

Operational Excellence & Scale 

• Identify systemic implementation challenges and drive improvements in:  
  • Standardization and repeatability 
  • Tooling and automation 
  • Delivery assurance and risk controls 
  • Time to value and cycle time reduction 
• Establish and enforce solutioning and implementation standards to ensure consistency across payer deals, markets, and teams
• Own accountability for reducing gaps between sales commitments and execution, minimizing rework, escalations, and post‑go‑live issues
• Ensure implementations are delivered with a focus on long-term operational stability, not just initial launch success
• Lead initiatives to mature Optum Real's multi-payer delivery operating model

Success Measures 
Success in this role is measured by: 

• High quality, low risk payer implementations delivered on time with minimal rework
• Solid payer satisfaction, trust, and executive confidence
• Reduced post-go live defects, escalations, and operational instability
• A scalable, standardized multi-payer implementation model that supports growth
• A solid, engaged, and developing implementation leadership team

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:

• 7+ years in healthcare payer / clearinghouse / healthcare technology domains (claims, eligibility, ERA/remittance, enrollment, connectivity, regulatory)
• 5+ years leading complex implementations and/or solution consulting functions (portfolio governance, risk, delivery assurance, operational handoffs)
• 3+ years of people leadership (hiring, coaching, building teams, setting standards, performance management)
• Experience operating at both strategic and execution levels within healthcare technology or payer ecosystems
• Deep expertise in medical payer operations, including claims, eligibility, ERA/remittance, attachments, enrollment, connectivity, and regulatory considerations
• Demonstrated success influencing senior stakeholders and executives, internally and externally. 
• Solid portfolio, risk, and delivery management capabilities in ambiguous, fast moving environments
• Proven solid verbal and written communication skills with senior leadership

Preferred Qualifications:

• Healthcare payer, clearinghouse, network, or healthcare technology leadership experience
• Experience scaling delivery models in a multi‑client, multi-payer environment
• Senior‑level expertise in medical payer operations, including claims, eligibility, remittance, attachments, enrollment, network connectivity, and regulatory considerations
• Prior roles in solution consulting, implementation leadership, technical program management, or operations
• Proven solid executive presence with the ability to influence Sales, Product, and Delivery leaders without direct authority

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

Pay is based on several factors including but not limited to local labor markets, education, work experience, certifications, etc. In addition to your salary, we offer 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 us, you'll find a far-reaching choice of benefits and incentives. The salary for this role will range from $134,600 to $230,800 annually based on full-time employment. We comply with all minimum wage laws as applicable.

Application Deadline: This will be posted for a minimum of 2 business days or until a sufficient candidate pool has been collected. Job posting may come down early due to volume of applicants.

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.

UnitedHealth Group is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer under applicable law and qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, national origin, religion, age, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by local, state, or federal laws, rules, or regulations.

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