Optum Serve Director of Planning and Strategy

UnitedHealth Group•Rockville, MD

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

For those who want to invent the future of health care, here's your opportunity. We're going beyond basic care to health programs integrated across the entire continuum of care. Join us to start Caring. Connecting. Growing together. 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.

Requirements

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

Nice To Haves

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

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