Senior Manager, Data Science - Remote

At UnitedHealthcare, we're simplifying the health care experience, creating healthier communities and removing barriers to quality care. The work you do here impacts the lives of millions of people for the better. Come build the health care system of tomorrow, making it more responsive, affordable and optimized. Ready to make a difference? Join us to start Caring. Connecting. Growing together 

The Experience Analytics and Reporting (EAR) team is seeking an analytically driven Senior Manager, Data Science to lead horizontal AI, analytics, and reporting initiatives that span all CCT workstreams as part of the enterprise Contact Center Transformation effort. This role is ideal for a hands-on data science leader who thrives in fast-paced, high-stakes environments and is passionate about improving the member and advocate experience through AI. The key focus of the role is to drive AI model development and optimization, own cross-workstream performance measurement and reporting, and identify and quantify new opportunities to reduce contacts, improve self-service adoption, and increase advocate efficiency across UHC and Optum.

AI & Analytics Leadership

• Lead AI model development, optimization, and performance measurement across multiple CCT workstreams
• Define and maintain measurement frameworks, KPI definitions, and value-realization methodologies for AI-driven initiatives
• Partner with workstream owners and solution development teams to evaluate model performance, prioritize enhancements, and improve accuracy, coverage, adoption, and business impact
• Diagnose issues across multiple data pipelines and cloud stacks (Azure and Google Cloud) and drive root-cause analysis when AI tools underperform

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Facilitate collaboration across business, operations, product, and technology teams to ensure cohesive, consistent analytics across workstreams
• Serve as a central point of contact for AI performance reporting, opportunity identification, and data-driven decision support
• Influence stakeholders at all levels, fostering solid relationships to scale successful AI capabilities across the enterprise

Problem Solving & Optimization

• Identify emerging risks, model degradation, or pipeline gaps and drive solutions proactively
• Use data and model-level insights to diagnose root causes and guide prioritization and investment decisions
• Recommend scalable improvements that advance model performance and operational consistency

Program Ownership

• Drive horizontal CCT AI and analytics activities, including but not limited to:
• Advocate-facing AI product performance and adoption analytics
• Cross-workstream opportunity identification and sizing
• AI model measurement, optimization, and value realization tracking
• Algorithm maintenance and AI Review Board (AIRB) preparation, submission, and approvals

Executive Communication & Reporting

• Prepare and present executive-level summaries, dashboards, status reports, and business cases for AI initiatives
• Synthesize complex model and analytics details into clear, actionable information for leadership audiences
• Ensure stakeholders are continuously informed on model performance, adoption, risks, and realized value

Change & Performance Management

• Partner with operations, training, and change management teams to ensure smooth adoption of AI tools and workflows
• Track and measure outcomes, ensuring benefits realization and performance alignment across workstreams
• Support continuous improvement through retrospective reviews and lessons learned

The Senior Manager, Data Science partners closely with business leaders, workstream owners, solution developers, operations, and technology groups to translate AI capabilities into measurable operational and member-experience outcomes.

As a Senior Manager, Data Science, you will lead the analytics and optimization efforts behind a growing portfolio of advocate-facing AI products, leveraging model-level fluency to identify root causes, improve existing models, and scale high-value solutions across the enterprise. Your work will directly influence advocate productivity, contact reduction, and consumer experience across UHC and Optum.

The ideal candidate excels in managing ambiguity, communicates with clarity, and builds solid partnerships across functions. A growth mindset, technical depth, and the ability to translate complex analytics into business value are essential.

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: 

• Ensures all impacted workstreams and AI products are identified and engaged
• Ensures all model, data, and pipeline dependencies/linkages are identified
• Obtains agreement on analytics and measurement scope from stakeholders
• Ensures all reporting deliverables and success criteria are defined
• Develops and maintains measurement frameworks, model documentation, and AIRB submissions
• Provides regular performance, adoption, and value-realization communications to stakeholders
• Oversees opportunity sizing and cost/benefit analysis, ensuring thorough evaluation and obtaining necessary approvals  

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: 

• 3+ years of experience in data science, advanced analytics, or applied machine learning
• 3+ years of experience using data and models to create strategic solutions to business opportunities
• 2+ years of experience leading analytics or data science initiatives across multiple concurrent projects
• 2+ years of experience with AI/ML solutions in a production or operational environment
• 2+ years of experience working across cloud data platforms (e.g., Azure, Google Cloud)
• 2+ years of healthcare experience
• 2+ years of experience in highly collaborative roles within a highly matrixed environment
• 1+ years of experience conducting business and financial analyses (opportunity sizing, cost/benefit)

Preferred Qualifications:  

• Proven understanding of contact center operations and advocate-facing AI tooling
• Experience with AI governance processes, including AI Review Board (AIRB) preparation and approvals
• Experience influencing outcomes of others who are not direct reports
• Demonstrated curiosity, adaptability, and ability to work with changing direction and priorities
• Proven technical fluency across data pipelines, model performance measurement, and BI/reporting tools

*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 - $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.