Director, People Data Strategy and Operations - Remote

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.   

The Director, People Data Strategy & Operations will lead the operational data foundation for the People function, ensuring Oracle HCM data is accurate, secure, governed, and fit for use across HR operations, analytics, payroll, benefits, M&A integrations, reporting, and AI-enabled capabilities.

Reporting to the VP, People Analytics & Data Strategy, this leader will oversee teams responsible for large-scale data conversion and loading, M&A data management, data quality validation, recurring data audits and cleanup, Oracle HCM and ecosystem security, and People data operational controls.

This is both an execution and strategy role. The Director will lead the day-to-day operational discipline required to keep People data trusted, while also helping build the future-state People data strategy, governance model, quality framework, and security standards needed to support an AI-first People function.

The ideal candidate brings deep experience working with large-scale HR data, Oracle HCM or comparable enterprise HR platforms, data quality and audit processes, data security, M&A integrations, and cross-functional delivery across People, HR Operations, People Technology, IT, Payroll, Benefits, Privacy, Compliance, and business teams.

You'll enjoy the flexibility to work remotely * from anywhere within the U.S. as you take on some tough challenges. 

Primary Responsibilities: 

• People Data Strategy & Operations
  • Lead the People data operations function responsible for ensuring Oracle HCM data is accurate, complete, secure, governed, and ready for enterprise use
  • Partner with the VP, People Analytics & Data Strategy to define and operationalize the People data strategy, with a focus on data quality, controls, security, data readiness, and operational execution
  • Establish clear standards for how People data is loaded, validated, audited, secured, corrected, and maintained across the Oracle HCM ecosystem
  • Serve as a key People-side partner to IT, owning business requirements, quality rules, validation logic, security requirements, and business acceptance criteria while IT owns technical build and platform engineering
  • Ensure People data is trusted at the source so analytics, reporting, downstream processes, and AI-enabled capabilities are not slowed by avoidable data quality issues
• M&A Data Conversion and Large-Scale Data Loads
  • Lead end-to-end People data management for acquisitions, integrations, and large-scale employee data loads
  • Oversee the planning, mapping, cleansing, validation, loading, auditing, and post-load issue resolution process for acquired employee populations
  • Ensure acquisition data is accurately prepared and loaded into Oracle HCM and related ecosystem systems, with clear business rules, validation controls, exception management, and readiness criteria
  • Partner across M&A, HR Operations, People Technology, IT, Payroll, Benefits, Security, Compliance, and business integration teams to manage high-volume data conversion events
  • Build repeatable data conversion playbooks, quality standards, cutover readiness routines, and post-conversion audit practices
  • Support large-scale employee data integrations with disciplined execution and quality oversight
• Data Quality, Audits and Controls
  • Own the People data quality framework for Oracle HCM data, including quality standards, validation routines, data audit processes, control reports, issue tracking, and remediation governance
  • Oversee validation of data quality reports and ensure issues are clearly identified, prioritized, routed, and tracked to resolution
  • Partner with HR Operations and People teams, who own data corrections, to ensure recurring quality issues are remediated at the source
  • Lead cyclical data cleanup efforts, including Benefits ABBR and other recurring HR data cleanup activities
  • Establish root-cause analysis routines to identify systemic data quality issues and reduce repeat defects
  • Define and monitor data quality metrics, thresholds, trends, and escalation paths
  • Ensure data quality practices support payroll, benefits, reporting, analytics, compliance, and AI-readiness needs
• Data Security and Access Governance
  • Lead the People data security function responsible for Oracle HCM security and security administration across most systems in the People ecosystem
  • Oversee a security lead and team responsible for role-based access, security configuration, access governance, and operational security controls
  • Ensure security processes are aligned with Privacy, Compliance, Information Security, Internal Audit, IT, and People Technology standards
  • Establish disciplined processes for access requests, approvals, role changes, audits, control reviews, and exception management
  • Support appropriate access to People data while protecting sensitive workforce information and maintaining compliance with enterprise controls
  • Ensure offshore delivery components operate within appropriate access, security, and control expectations
• Partnership with IT, People Technology and HR Operations
  • Own People-side requirements for data loads, data validations, security needs, quality rules, and operational controls; partner with IT for technical build, engineering, integrations, and platform delivery
  • Partner closely with People Technology and IT to ensure data operations are aligned with Oracle HCM platform capabilities and broader ecosystem architecture
  • Work with HR Operations to ensure data correction processes are clear, timely, and aligned with operational ownership
  • Partner with Analytics to reduce time spent reconciling or questioning data and increase time spent generating insights
  • Collaborate with Payroll, Benefits, Talent Acquisition, Talent, Learning, Employee Support, Compliance, and business teams to ensure upstream data issues are understood and resolved
  • Serve as an escalation point for major data quality, conversion, security, and operational data readiness issues
• Team Leadership
  • Lead a team of People data quality, data operations, and data security professionals, including a data quality team of approximately six employees and a data security team led by a security lead with three direct reports
  • Provide direction to offshore delivery components supporting data quality, audits, security, and data operations
  • Build team capability in large-scale data management, Oracle HCM data operations, Alteryx, Power BI, SQL, data validation, data controls, security, and operational excellence
  • Create a culture of accountability, accuracy, urgency, partnership, and continuous improvement
  • Clarify roles, responsibilities, decision rights, and handoffs across data quality, security, HR Operations, IT, and Analytics
  • Develop talent and ensure the team is positioned to support both current operational needs and future People data strategy requirements
• AI and Analytics Data Readiness
  • Help build the data foundation required for AI-enabled People capabilities by ensuring Oracle HCM data is accurate, secure, governed, and fit for use
  • Partner with the VP, People Analytics & Data Strategy and AI Enablement teams to identify data quality, security, and readiness gaps that could affect AI use cases or workforce analytics
  • Ensure data quality and security considerations are addressed before data is used in analytics products, dashboards, AI workflows, or downstream integrations
  • Support the transition from reactive data cleanup to proactive data readiness, quality monitoring, and source-level remediation
    

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: 

• 8+ years of experience in HR data, People data operations, HRIS, data governance, data quality, data security, data conversion, analytics operations, or related enterprise data roles
• Experience leading teams responsible for large-scale HR data operations, data quality, data audits, data loads, or data conversion
• Experience with Oracle HCM or comparable enterprise HR platforms such as Workday, SAP SuccessFactors, or PeopleSoft
• Experience supporting M&A integrations, large-scale employee data loads, platform conversions, or complex HR data migration efforts
• Experience defining business requirements for data loads, validations, security, reporting, or downstream system needs
• Experience partnering with IT or Technology teams where the business owns requirements and validation while IT owns technical build
• Experience with data security, access governance, role-based security, or HR system security processes
• Solid understanding of data quality frameworks, validation processes, control reporting, audit routines, and issue remediation
•  Solid working knowledge of tools and methods used for large-scale data validation and analysis, such as SQL, Alteryx, Power BI, or comparable tools
• Demonstrated ability to lead through ambiguity, manage multiple priorities, and operate in a complex enterprise environment
•  Demonstrated solid stakeholder management skills across HR Operations, People Technology, IT, Payroll, Benefits, Compliance, Privacy, Security, and business teams
•  Demonstrated solid leadership skills with experience developing teams and improving operating discipline

Preferred Qualifications:

• Direct experience with Oracle HCM data, security, conversions, or data quality processes
• Experience in a large, complex, matrixed enterprise
• Experience supporting HR data for payroll, benefits, talent acquisition, employee lifecycle, M&A, or shared services operations
• Experience with offshore or global delivery teams
• Experience establishing data quality scorecards, control frameworks, data stewardship routines, or operational data governance models
• Experience supporting audit, compliance, privacy, or regulated data environments
• Experience with Power BI, Alteryx, SQL, Oracle HCM reporting, and HR data validation tools
• Familiarity with AI data readiness, data governance for AI, or preparing HR data for analytics and intelligent automation
  

*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 - $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.   

Diversity creates a healthier atmosphere: UnitedHealth Group is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer 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. 

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