Director - Behavioral Health, Payer Value Creation - Remote

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 in making healthcare work better for everyone through people-led, responsible AI while Caring. Connecting. Growing together.

The Director, Behavioral Health Payer Value Creation leads the payer affordability portfolio for Optum Behavioral Health. This role translates enterprise value strategy into a disciplined, executable portfolio of initiatives that improves cost efficiency, quality, benefits integrity and customer value. The Director serves as the primary value creation partner for the payer business, connecting leaders across clinical, network, payment integrity, finance, analytics, product, operations, and client teams to identify opportunities, build credible business cases, mobilize delivery, and produce measurable results.  

This is a highly visible role for a leader who can move comfortably between strategy and execution. The successful candidate brings executive presence, strong judgment, exceptional organization and a track record of getting complex work done through cross-functional teams.  

Primary Responsibilities:

• Own the payer value creation and affordability agenda, including development of priorities, goals, roadmaps and performance expectations aligned to business and customer needs
• Identify and assess emerging cost, utilization, quality and operational trends; translate insights into clear actions that reduce avoidable cost, improve outcomes and strengthen the payer value story
• Build, prioritize and manage a portfolio of payer affordability initiatives across clinical, network, payment integrity, benefits integrity, product and operational levers
• Lead initiatives from opportunity identification through solution design, approval, implementation, adoption, measurement and financial validation, with clear ownership, milestones, risks and dependencies
• Develop rigorous business cases, value models and executive recommendations using data, operational insight and sound assumptions; partner with Finance and analytics teams to validate impact and prevent double counting
• Establish and maintain strong operating disciplines, including portfolio governance, workplans, decision logs, status reporting, issue escalation and executive-ready updates
• Partner across Optum Behavioral Health and the broader enterprise to align stakeholders, resolve barriers and accelerate execution in a complex matrixed environment
  
  Represent payer affordability strategy, progress, risks and results with senior leaders and internal and external stakeholders through concise, compelling written and verbal communication
• Connect affordability work to quality, access, member experience, provider relationships, regulatory requirements and customer commitments
• Promote innovation and continuous improvement, including the use of advanced analytics, digital tools and AI-enabled capabilities to improve insight, efficiency and decision-making
• Create transparency into portfolio performance, challenge assumptions constructively and ensure teams remain accountable for commitments and measurable outcomes
• Share best practices across lines of business and identify opportunities to scale proven approaches while adapting solutions to payer-specific needs

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 experience in healthcare, managed care, consulting, strategy, operations, affordability, value creation or a related field
• 10+ years leading complex, cross-functional initiatives with accountability for strategy, execution and measurable business outcomes
• Demonstrated experience identifying cost or performance improvement opportunities and converting them into executable initiatives
• Experience working across multiple functions such as clinical, network, payment integrity, finance, analytics, product, operations or client management
• Proven executive presence, including the ability to communicate complex topics clearly, confidently and concisely to senior audiences
• Proven track record of moving work from concept to implementation and sustaining accountability through delivery

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree in business, healthcare administration, public health or a related field
• Experience in behavioral health, specialty benefits, payer services or delegated health plan operations
• Experience with healthcare affordability, medical expense management, total cost of care, utilization management, value-based care, payment integrity or benefits integrity
• Experience working with external payer, ASO or health plan customers and translating business results into a compelling customer value story
• Experience with advanced analytics, digital tools, automation or AI-enabled solutions
• Familiarity with behavioral health clinical operations, provider networks, regulatory and parity considerations, and quality or access measures

Success Profile 

A strategic, data-driven operator who thrives in complexity and creates clarity for others. This leader builds trust quickly, connects work across organizational boundaries and brings the structure needed to turn ideas into results. They are credible with executives, collaborative with partners, disciplined in follow-through and comfortable challenging assumptions while maintaining strong relationships. Most importantly, they take ownership, organize the work and deliver measurable value for the payer business, customers and members. 

*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 help make the health system work better for everyone. Together, we are shaping the future of healthcare by harnessing technology and innovation to make care simpler to navigate, more affordable and more connected for the people we serve. We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone feels welcomed, valued, heard and respected, empowering people to bring their authentic selves to work and strengthening our collective impact through diverse talents, backgrounds, experiences and perspectives.

UnitedHealth Group and its affiliated brands are 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 and its affiliated brands are a drug-free workplace. Candidates are required to pass a drug test before beginning employment.