Senior Director, Logistics Strategy & Operations

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.

About the Role

OptumRx delivers medications to millions of patients across the country every year. The Senior Director, Last Mile Logistics & Transportation is the senior enterprise leader accountable for ensuring those deliveries happen reliably, efficiently, and with an exceptional patient experience. This role owns the strategy, performance, and financial outcomes of OptumRx's enterprise last mile and transportation network, supporting approximately 55 million packages annually and more than $400 million in transportation spend.

This leader sets enterprise transportation strategy, leads national carrier relationships, drives financial performance, and builds the logistics capabilities required to support OptumRx's continued growth. The role serves as the senior decision authority for transportation across all OptumRx lines of business, including Home Delivery Pharmacy, Specialty Pharmacy, Infusion, and other emerging fulfillment models.

What Success Looks Like

• A national logistics network that consistently delivers solid service performance and reliability
• Carrier relationships that deliver value, accountability, and innovation
• A logistics organization recognized as enterprise-class in capability, talent, and influence
• A future-ready transportation network capable of supporting OptumRx's growth, automation, and digital strategies

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:

• Enterprise Strategy
  • Define and execute the enterprise transportation and last mile delivery strategy
  • Develop the multi-year roadmap for carrier diversification, capacity, technology, and capability expansion
  • Anticipate industry trends and translate them into enterprise opportunities
• Operations & Performance
  • Own end-to-end accountability for transportation performance across service, cost, quality, and patient experience
  • Drive measurable improvement in on-time delivery, cost per package, returns, resends, and exception management
  • Lead operational excellence programs across the transportation function
• Carrier & Vendor Leadership
  • Own executive-level relationships with national carriers including United States Postal Service (USPS), United Parcel Service (UPS), FedEx, Uber Freight, and Enveyo citeturn16search3L2-L2
  • Lead enterprise contract strategy, sourcing, negotiation, and performance governance
  • Drive carrier innovation, accountability, and strategic alignment with OptumRx priorities
• Financial Leadership
  • Own the enterprise transportation budget exceeding $400 million annually citeturn16search3L2-L2
  • Lead transportation cost reduction, productivity, and savings strategies
  • Provide financial leadership across forecasting, planning, and investment decisions for transportation
• Organizational Leadership
  • Lead a multi-layered logistics organization spanning carrier strategy, operations, analytics, and execution
  • Build leadership bench strength and a clear succession pipeline
  • Develop high-performing teams aligned to enterprise growth and transformation
• Enterprise Influence
  • Represent OptumRx Transportation at executive forums across UnitedHealth Group
  • Partner across Supply Chain, Pharmacy Operations, Procurement, Technology, Finance, and Patient Experience
  • Serve as the enterprise authority on transportation strategy and operating models
• Senior Director Competencies
  • Demonstrated leadership of an enterprise function with significant scale, financial impact, and complexity
  • Expert ability to lead through influence in highly matrixed environments
  • Track record of driving large-scale operational and financial outcomes
  • Solid executive presence with internal and external stakeholders
  • Proven experience leading leaders and building organizational capability

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 progressive logistics, transportation, or supply chain experience
• Proven experience in large-scale parcel, last mile, or distribution networks
• Significant carrier management experience including national contract negotiation
• Leadership of multi-layered, geographically distributed teams experience

*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 $159,300 - $273,200 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.