Network Governance Manager - Remote

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 inclusion, talented peers, comprehensive benefits and career development opportunities. Come make an impact on the communities we serve as you help us advance health optimization on a global scale. Join us to start Caring. Connecting. Growing together.    

The Network Governance Manager - Remote is responsible for establishing, owning, and scaling the governance framework that enables the S3 Network to operate safely and sustainably as it grows to 100,000+ merchants, including a large population of independent and long tail merchants.

This role serves as the primary First Line of Defense (1LOD) owner for network wide controls, standards, and processes across merchant onboarding, third party enablement, funds settlement, fraud prevention, and compliance adherence. The position operates at the intersection of Merchant Operations, Compliance, Legal, Fraud, Product, Data, and third party partners to translate regulatory requirements into scalable, executable operating models.

AI and automation are core enablers of this role: the Network Governance Manager will identify, prioritize, and institutionalize AI assisted monitoring and workflow automation to reduce manual effort, improve consistency, and strengthen auditability at scale-while ensuring appropriate human oversight and governance.

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

Primary Responsibilities: 

Network Governance & Control Ownership

• Own the network governance framework, including policies, standards, documentation, and operating procedures
• Serve as 1LOD owner for network compliance controls across AML/KYC/sanctions, fraud prevention, merchant onboarding & oversight, and funds settlement
• Ensure governance models scale effectively with increased merchant volume and long tail onboarding

AI Agent Strategy & Enablement (Primary Accountability)

• Serve as the Network's AI Agent Champion, accountable for identifying, prioritizing, and sponsoring AI agent use cases across Network Operations and Governance
• Define how AI agents are used to automate manual, governance heavy workflows (e.g., monitoring, exception routing, evidence collection, SLA tracking)
• Ensure AI agents are deployed with clear purpose, ownership, success metrics, and documented workflows
• Promote adoption of AI agents across the team through enablement, change management, and best practice sharing

Key principle: AI agents supplement human decision making; they do not replace accountability.

AI Enabled Monitoring & Intelligent Control Automation

• Define and implement AI assisted monitoring for network risk signals (e.g., anomalies in onboarding, screening exceptions, suspicious activity patterns, unsettled funds trends), with clear thresholds and human in the loop escalation
• Sponsor and prioritize automation for governance-heavy workflows (e.g., evidence collection, exception routing, SLA tracking, remediation follow ups), reducing manual effort per merchant as scale increases
• Partner with Product/Data/Engineering to ensure AI outputs are explainable, auditable, and operationally usable, and that automation includes fallback procedures and documented controls

Compliance & Risk Management

• Partner closely with Compliance (2LOD) to address audit findings, risk inventories, and remediation actions
• Implement required compliance policies, standards and processes
• Coordinate network responses to compliance issues, including defined owners, timelines, and attestations
• Proactively identify emerging risks tied to growth, automation, or third party enablement models
• Operationalize compliance and regulatory requirements into measurable controls
• Provide regular metrics and reporting to Compliance (2LOD) demonstrating adherence to established compliance requirements, control effectiveness, and third-party oversight standards

Merchant & Third Party Oversight

• Define and enforce governance standards for merchant onboarding, activation, monitoring, and offboarding
• Establish clear expectations, control requirements, and 1LOD-owned monitoring responsibilities for third-party partners supporting network growth, including defined oversight of partner performance against Optum Financial Services (OFS) standards
• Support development and adoption of standardized screening, alert clearing, and monitoring tools

Funds Settlement & Financial Controls

• Oversee governance for unsettled funds processes, including escalation paths, SLAs, and remediation workflows
• Partner with Finance and Operations to reduce backlog, prevent recurrence, and improve control effectiveness
• Ensure alignment with regulatory expectations related to money movement and settlement risk

Cross Functional Leadership & Execution

• Drive execution across Merchant, Operations, Fraud, Product, Technology, Legal, and Risk without direct authority
• Clarify ownership, dependencies, and decision rights using disciplined governance and RACI frameworks
• Act as a central point of coordination for network wide initiatives impacting risk and compliance

Documentation, Reporting & Executive Communication

• Build and maintain governance artifacts, SOPs, control documentation, and audit ready materials
• Produce clear, executive ready updates on risk posture, remediation progress, and governance health

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: 

• 12+ years of experience in network operations, governance, risk management, compliance, or regulated environments
• 10+ years of experience reviewing, investigating, and clearing compliance screening alerts (e.g., Know Your Customer, Sanctions), including documenting dispositions and escalating in accordance with applicable standards frameworks
• 7+ years of demonstrated experience identifying and operationalizing automation or AI driven workflows
• Proven solid analytical and systems thinking skills
• Proven excellent written and verbal communication skills, including executive level reporting
• Ability to travel 10 - 20% for stakeholder meetings and governance reviews
• Driver's License and access to reliable transportation

Preferred Qualifications: 

• CAMS, CFE, etc. certifications
• Experience in healthcare, payments, fintech, retail networks, or other regulated ecosystems
• Experience with KYC, sanctions screening, fraud controls, and third party risk management
• Experience scaling operations across large, distributed, or long tail merchant populations
• Experience with audit management or regulatory examinations

*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 $112,700 to $193,200 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.