Chief Operating Officer, Optum MA

At Optum, we are transforming healthcare nationally while providing physician-led care locally and truly impacting the future of healthcare wholly. Experience the fulfillment of advancing health in the communities we serve with the excitement of contributing to new ideas and initiatives that could help improve care for millions of patients across the country. Our goal is to align purpose with opportunity for a mutual fit. We are driven by our north star, value-based care, and embed that within the culture of all our care-delivery organizations through a Quadruple Aim of providing Affordability in healthcare; Quality metrics, measures, and outcomes; Satisfaction of our patients through the care and experience they are offered; and the Well-Being of our own Clinicians.

Join us today and discover how rewarding a career in clinical executive leadership at Optum MA can be while Caring. Connecting. Growing together. Work alongside a premier group of leaders across New England while partnering with peers nationwide as part of the largest network of care-delivery organizations in the world, and start doing your life's best work.™

General Duties and Responsibilities

*Participate in setting long-range strategic and financial goals and translate those goals into short- and long-term operational plans, objectives, and accountabilities.

*Provide day-to-day strategic and operational leadership of clinical operations across the region, in partnership with regional leadership teams, integrating initiatives that enhance clinical outcomes and patient care while delivering on the operational levers of the P&L (value-based care vs. fee-for-service) and SG&A (overhead).

*Lead the operational infrastructure needed to support practice sites, ancillary services, business units, and enterprise support functions.

*Ensure operating policies, procedures, systems, and practices are implemented, monitored, and interpreted consistently in support of the organization's mission, strategies, goals, and objectives.

*Oversee operating and capital budget planning in collaboration with finance and clinical leadership; develop and govern the annual budget for clinic operations, monitor operating expenses, productivity, service performance, and financial outcomes against targets, and implement plans to achieve budgetary goals.

*Provide direction to leaders on operational activities, strategic initiatives, growth opportunities, practice transitions, space planning, and implementation of new or expanded services.

*Lead the identification, implementation, and spread of best practices across sites and functions, using continuous improvement methods and industry awareness to improve outcomes.

*Develop and maintain effective relationships with physicians, advanced practice clinicians, department chairs, division chiefs, regional directors, site leaders, managers, and other key stakeholders to support operational alignment and change execution.

*In partnership with executive leaders, champion a care model, patient experience, and culture transformation in addition to executing on core clinical levers daily.

*Partner with clinical leadership to ensure services meet applicable regulatory, accreditation, quality, safety, risk management, and patient satisfaction expectations.

*Ensure patient satisfaction and non-clinical service quality are measured, monitored, and addressed, including appropriate resolution of complaints and implementation of corrective action plans.

*Support physician recruitment, orientation, acquisition, and integration activities, including operational and analytical support for new providers and practices.

*Provide leadership for practice transitions and integrations, ensuring operational readiness, stakeholder engagement, and effective adoption of organizational standards.

*Accountable for the culture and retention of the regional operations team, ensuring clinics remain compliant and meet all regulations while upholding quality standards, including performance management, succession planning, and staffing.

*Provide operational effectiveness reporting and develop strategies for improvement at the practice level when necessary.

*Represent the organization in public, professional, community, and business meetings as requested, and provide administrative performance updates to senior leadership and governance bodies as needed.

*Serve as a senior operational leader for critical or emergency issues when designated by the CEO or executive leadership.

*Contribute to the development and maintenance of a positive, team-focused company culture.

Leadership Expectations

*Act as a true enterprise operator, balancing near-term execution with long-term scalability.

*Provide strong, visible leadership through complexity, ambiguity, and change influence.

*Influence across matrixed organizations without relying solely on direct authority.

*Develop strong successor talent and leadership depth across operational teams.

*Be an engaged leader who collaborates well with their team of regional leaders.

*Drive proactive performance management while ensuring consistent, data-driven reporting.

Supervisory Responsibilities

*Lead, develop, coach, and mentor a high-performing operational leadership team with clear accountabilities for goals, objectives, quality, service, financial performance, and employee development.

*Provide direction and oversight to leaders responsible for practice operations.

*Ensure selection, training, ongoing development, and performance evaluation processes for operations are applied consistently and fairly across the organization.

*Promote communication, cross-functional collaboration, and timely flow of information across practice sites, support functions, and leadership forums.

Education / Licenses / Certifications

*Master's level education required.

*Advanced degree in health care administration, business administration, public health, or a related field preferred where applicable.

*Any required license or certification must be maintained in accordance with organizational and regulatory standards.

Experience

*Ten or more years of senior leadership experience in a clinic, medical group practice, or comparable health care delivery setting required.

*Demonstrated experience leading complex, multi-site, multi-specialty practice operations and administrative support functions.

*Experience with business systems, information systems, financial management, provider operations, regulatory standards, and continuous improvement in a health care environment.

*Proven ability to lead through matrixed relationships, partner with physicians and clinical leaders, and deliver results across quality, service, financial, growth, and operational performance priorities.

*One or more years of hands-on experience with P&L / budget management and making business decisions based on financial reports.

*Experience with medical cost management and HEDIS quality metrics.

*Experience in both managed care and fee-for-service based models.

Skills

*Strong business acumen, strategic agility, change leadership, results orientation, and negotiation skills.

*Ability to communicate mission, vision, goals, and progress clearly to diverse audiences and model collaborative, values-based leadership.

*Demonstrated capability to analyze operational and financial performance, identify risks or opportunities, and implement practical solutions.

*Ability to foster physician-staff collaboration, resolve operational barriers, and support a culture focused on patient satisfaction, quality, productivity, and accountability.

*Knowledge of medical group operations, practice management, regulatory and accreditation expectations, compliance, risk management, facilities, access, service excellence, and administrative support services.

*Ability to establish trust with senior leaders, physicians, APCs, managers, and staff while driving enterprise consistency and local execution.

*Proficient computer skills, including working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite, email systems, and web-based programs, along with familiarity with AI systems and their utilization within healthcare and leadership.

Preferred Qualifications

*Bachelors degree, Master of Health Administration (MHA) or MBA, highly preferred.

*Experience managing leaders and working in a matrix environment.

*15 years of progressive experience in leadership roles in the healthcare industry, preferably outpatient ambulatory setting

*Experience in a value based, full risk or capitated model of care, with a strong mix of population health, primary, specialty and/or ancillary care service line experience.

*Proven change leadership and transformation experience.

*Exceptional executive communication skills.

*5+ years of clinical experience.

*5+ years of operational leadership experience.

Career Growth & Impact

You will be rewarded and recognized for your performance in an environment that challenges you, supports your leadership development, and enables you to make a meaningful difference for members, providers, and the communities Optum MA serves across the region.

Other Requirements

*Must support the organization's values, mission, patient-centered culture, commitment to high-quality care, collaboration, teamwork, respect for diversity, integrity, and continuous improvement.

*Must be able to manage multiple priorities, respond to urgent operational issues, and operate effectively in a complex, changing health care environment.

*Nothing in this job description restricts the organization's right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities.

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 $200,400 - $343,500 annually based on full-time employment. We comply with all minimum wage laws as applicable.

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.