Optum Serve Director of Planning and Strategy

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Optum Serve (OS), the federal health business of UnitedHealth Group, delivers enterprise-wide solutions to agencies including VA, DoD/DHA, CMS/CMMI, and other federal partners. The Director, Strategy & Market Analysis (Level 30) serves as an OS thought leader and functional strategy subject matter expert, responsible for shaping long-range strategic direction, market intelligence, enterprise positioning, and future state opportunity pathways for OS  wide solutions to agencies including VA, DoD/DHA, CMS/CMMI, and other federal partners. The  matter expert range strategic direction, market intelligence, enterprise positioning, and future state opportunity pathways for OS.

This role solves unique, highly complex business challenges with broad enterprise impact, develops pioneering approaches to emerging federal health sector trends, predicts evolving customer needs, and influences senior leaders across OS, Optum, and UHG to adopt new strategies, insights, and operating models. As a key advisor to senior leadership, the Director develops and manages strategic business plans, leads large complex initiatives, and translates highly complex concepts into compelling insights for diverse audiences. Work performed at this level has OS-wide impact, informing executive decision-making, shaping competitive positioning, and enabling Optum Serve to anticipate, influence, and win in a dynamic federal marketplace  sector trends, predicts evolving customer needs, and influences senior leaders across OS, Optum, and UHG to adopt new strategies, insights, and operating models. As a key advisor to senior leadership, the Director develops and manages strategic business plans, leads large complex initiatives, and translates highly complex concepts into compelling insights for diverse audiences. Work performed at this level has  making, shaping competitive positioning, and enabling Optum Serve to anticipate, influence, and win in a dynamic federal marketplace.

If you are located within the 30 minute commutable range to Washington, D.C, you will have the flexibility to work remotely* 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 Leadership

• Serve as a companywide thought leader on federal health strategy, shaping OS's long-range strategic direction and enterprise strategic priorities range strategic direction and enterprise strategic priorities
• Lead the development and execution of the enterprise strategic planning process, integrating market, competitive, policy, and customer insights into actionable strategic roadmaps
• Participate as a senior contributor to enterprise level strategy development, ensuring alignment to Optum and UHG direction while tailoring plans to OS's unique capabilities and customer portfolio level strategy development, ensuring alignment to Optum and UHG direction while tailoring plans to OS's unique capabilities and customer portfolio

Market Intelligence & Strategic Analysis

• Function as a subject-matter expert in market analysis and strategic business case analysis incorporating competitive dynamics and federal trends in procurement, health, and technology
• Develop approaches to market sensing, modeling, and intelligence gathering, identifying emerging industry, legislative, technological, and customer needs before they materialize

Business Planning & Portfolio Leadership

• Develop and manage multi year business plans and segment strategies that support OS's growth, diversification, and operational excellence
• Partner with Business, Growth, Products, Operations, Clinical, and Shared Services leaders to ensure alignment of business plans with customer missions and OS's federal value proposition
• Translate highly complex strategy concepts into simple, compelling narratives for diverse audiences-operational, clinical, technical, and executive
• Lead large, complex projects that span business units, directly impacting growth, performance, and long-term competitiveness.  term competitiveness

Executive Influence & Senior Leadership Advisory

• Serve as a trusted advisor and strategic resource to senior executive leadership, providing expert guidance on market shifts, customer demands, and strategic options
• Influence senior leadership to adopt strategies, products, or operating models that position OS for long-term success
• Deliver executive ready presentations and thought leadership materials to support decision-making across the enterprise ready presentations and thought leadership materials to support decision making across the enterprise

Cross Functional & Segment Wide Impact Functional & Segment Wide Impact

• Lead cross enterprise collaboration to align strategic priorities across Optum and UHG, ensuring enterprise integration in federal strategy  enterprise collaboration to align strategic priorities across Optum and UHG, ensuring enterprise integration in federal strategy
• Solve complex, multi dimensional business problems with high impact across the OS segment

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:

• 10+ years of strategy, management consulting, or related experience
• 5+ years leading strategic initiatives, cross functional teams, or major enterprise projects in a heavily matrixed environment, including ability to influence and hold accountable without direct oversight functional teams, or major enterprise projects
• Demonstrated experience solving highly complex, cross functional problems with broad business impact, and multi-year strategic plans.  functional problems with broad business impact
• Demonstrated experience using qualitative and quantitative data to back up assumptions, inform recommendations, and develop strategies
• Exceptional executive communication skills (written, visual, verbal); ability to simplify highly complex concepts for senior audiences
• Proven ability to successfully deliver work product under tight timelines and overall comfort working in ambiguity
• Demonstrated ability to quickly get up to speed and informed on topics with which one may have minimal familiarity
• Demonstrated proficiency in structured problem solving and analytics; advanced skills in Excel and PowerPoint; familiarity with dashboarding tools
• High degree of initiative, judgement, and discretion

Preferred Qualifications:

• Advanced degree (MBA, MPP/MPA, MPH)
• Experience in federal contracting markets (VA, DoD/DHA, CMS, HHS agencies) and/or Optum Serve businesses
• Experience at a top tier strategy consulting firm.  tier strategy consulting firm
• Experience supporting M&A, integration, or strategic development
• Subject matter expertise in federal health programs, policies, procurement frameworks, and agency priorities.  matter expertise in federal health programs, policies, procurement frameworks, and agency priorities
• Demonstrated experience designing or introducing innovative analytical or market sensing methodologies sensing methodologies
• Demonstrated experience working with large datasets and utilizing analytical tools and techniques to generate actionable insights
• Experience in motivating and influencing others at all levels within the organization
• Demonstrated growth mindset in being open and able to break through barriers, while having an ability to leverage innovation
• Commutable distance to Washington, DC

*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 to $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.

OptumCare 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.

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