Partnership Operations Manager - Ancillary Benefit Management

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.

Optum is a global organization that delivers care, aided by technology, to help millions of people live healthier lives. By connecting people, data, and systems, we improve health outcomes, advance health equity, and make the health system work better for everyone.

The Partnership Operations Manager supports the execution and optimization of operational processes that enable effective internal and external partnerships across the Ancillary Benefit Management (ABM) business. This role focuses on ensuring partners-including vendors, payers, and cross-functional teams-operate efficiently, meet performance expectations, and align with business objectives.

This position serves as a key operational contributor, supporting partnership execution by translating strategy into consistent, high-quality day-to-day operations within a matrixed healthcare environment.

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

Primary Responsibilities:  

• Partnership Operations & Performance Support
  • Support development and maintenance of Internal Service Agreements (ISAs) and project initiation documentation for 3-6 concurrent partnerships or implementations
  • Prepare standardized dashboards and operational reports (KPIs, SLAs, issue tracking) for leadership and stakeholder review on a monthly and quarterly cadence
  • Maintain established workflows (e.g., escalation paths, governance routines, intake processes) that enable consistent partner engagement
  • Track and monitor SLA performance and contractual obligations, ensuring adherence to defined targets and identifying variances
  • Compile and analyze data to support performance insights, issue identification, and operational improvements
• Cross-Functional Coordination & Partner Support
  • Coordinate with cross-functional teams (clinical ops, product, sales, implementation) to support partner onboarding and ongoing operations
  • Serve as a day-to-day operational liaison for internal stakeholders, external partners, and vendors across assigned engagements (typically 5-10 stakeholders)
  • Develop and support materials for partner meetings, planning sessions, and operational reviews
  • Track and document partner escalations, risks, and mitigation plans, escalating issues as appropriate
  • Support audit readiness, documentation reviews, and quality assurance activities
  • Participate in client and partner implementation workgroups, ensuring alignment to timelines and deliverables
• Issue Resolution & Continuous Improvement
  • Identify operational risks or inefficiencies and support root cause analysis and resolution efforts
  • Partner with senior team members to address day-to-day operational issues, ensuring timely follow-up and resolution
  • Contribute to process improvement initiatives that enhance efficiency, consistency, and partner experience
  • Ensure timely escalation of high-impact risks or issues to leadership with appropriate context

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

• 4+ years of experience in operations, partnership management, or business operations within healthcare or a related industry
• 4+ years managing external vendors or strategic partners, including performance management against SLAs and contracts
• 4+ years experience working in a highly matrixed organization with multiple workstreams
• 3+ years supporting payer-facing implementations or healthcare client delivery models
• Demonstrated experience managing multiple concurrent projects (5-10+) in a matrixed, cross-functional environment
• Proven track record of delivering measurable operational improvements (e.g., SLA adherence, cost savings, process efficiency gains)
• Intermediate proficiency in Microsoft Project, Excel (data analysis, pivot tables), PowerPoint, Visio, SharePoint, and Copilot tools

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in Ancillary Benefits, Revenue Cycle, or Payer/Provider operations
• Familiarity with contract governance, audit/compliance processes, and healthcare regulatory environments
• Exposure to process improvement methodologies (Lean, Six Sigma, or similar frameworks)

Core Competencies

• Operational Discipline: Executes defined processes with accuracy, consistency, and attention to detail
• Analytical Thinking: Uses data to identify trends, issues, and opportunities for improvement
• Collaboration: Builds effective working relationships across teams and stakeholders
• Adaptability: Operates effectively in a fast-paced, evolving environment with shifting priorities
• Initiative: Takes ownership of tasks, follows through on commitments, and proactively identifies next steps
• Communication: Demonstrates clear, professional communication with internal and external partners

*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 $91,700 to $163,700 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.