Service Delivery Leader

Optum India; Hyderabad; On-site; INR 4,500,000 - 7,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Optum India in Hyderabad is seeking a senior operations leader to own end-to-end performance across service, quality, productivity, and financials. You will translate enterprise priorities into plans, budgets, and capacity targets while guiding a large team through multiple management levels.

You will drive transformation with automation and analytics, ensure SLAs and regulatory compliance, and partner with Product, Technology, Finance, and other functions to deliver sustainable improvements and

Qualifications

• 15+ years of experience leading large, complex operations.
• Experience managing through multiple leadership levels.
• Budgeting, forecasting, capacity planning, productivity management.
• Experience in workforce strategy and succession planning.
• End-to-end ownership of service delivery, quality, risk and outcomes.
• Strong executive communication and stakeholder management.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end performance across service, quality, productivity, financials, workforce, risk, and stakeholder outcomes.
• Translate priorities into annual business plans, operating strategies, budgets, capacity plans, and measurable goals.
• Lead a large organization through Service Delivery Managers and operational teams.
• Ensure delivery against SLAs, KPIs, quality standards, customer commitments, and regulatory requirements.
• Drive Open Enrollment and peak-season readiness across staffing, training, technology, capacity, governance, and contingency planning.
• Own budgeting, forecasting, utilization, productivity, cost optimization, and delivery of financial commitments.
• Lead OBRs, QBRs, executive reviews, strategic planning discussions, and critical business escalations.
• Build trusted relationships with onshore leaders, clients, and cross-functional partners.
• Define and sponsor the functional transformation agenda, including automation, AI, analytics, process simplification, and operating-model improvements.
• Proactively identify operational and customer risks and ensure timely mitigation, escalation, and sustainable corrective actions.
• Build leadership capability through coaching, succession planning, talent development, and clearly defined accountability.
• Partner with Product, Technology, Finance, Workforce Management, Quality, Training, Compliance, and other business functions.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, innovation, employee engagement, and continuous improvement.
• Comply with all applicable Company policies, procedures, and business directives, changes including those relating to work location and schedules.

Skills

Executive leadership

Stakeholder management

Operational excellence

Lean Six Sigma

Strategic planning

Communication

Team leadership

Change management

Problem solving

Job description

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 to startCaring. Connecting. Growing together.

Primary Responsibilities

• Own the end-to-end performance of the function across service, quality, productivity, financials, workforce, risk, and stakeholder outcomes
• Translate enterprise priorities into annual business plans, operating strategies, budgets, capacity plans, and measurable goals
• Lead a large, multi-layered organization through Service Delivery Managers, Deputy Managers, Supervisors, and operational teams
• Ensure delivery against SLAs, KPIs, quality standards, customer commitments, and regulatory or business-control requirements
• Drive Open Enrollment and peak-season readiness across staffing, training, technology, capacity, governance, and contingency planning
• Own budgeting, forecasting, utilization, productivity, cost optimization, and delivery of financial commitments
• Lead OBRs, QBRs, executive reviews, strategic planning discussions, and critical business escalations
• Build trusted relationships with onshore leaders, clients, and cross-functional partners
• Define and sponsor the functional transformation agenda, including automation, AI, analytics, process simplification, and operating-model improvements
• Proactively identify operational and customer risks and ensure timely mitigation, escalation, and sustainable corrective actions
• Build leadership capability through coaching, succession planning, talent development, and clearly defined accountability
• Partner with Product, Technology, Finance, Workforce Management, Quality, Training, Compliance, and other business functions
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, innovation, employee engagement, and continuous improvement
• Comply with all applicable Company policies, procedures, and business directives, changes including those relating to work location, team assignments, work schedules, and flexible work arrangements

Required Qualifications

• Overall experience of 15+ years, including significant experience leading large and complex operational functions
• Proven experience managing through multiple levels of leadership, including Service Delivery Managers or equivalent roles
• Experience in budgeting, forecasting, capacity planning, productivity management, cost optimization, and business-case development
• Experience in workforce strategy, organizational design, leadership development, and succession planning
• Demonstrated end-to-end ownership of service delivery, people, financials, quality, risk, and stakeholder outcomes
• Solid understanding of Open Enrollment, AEP, Case Installation, Benefit Content, Benefit Configuration, ODM, or comparable healthcare operations
• Demonstrated success in leading transformation, automation, process redesign, or technology-enabled change
• Solid executive communication, business presentation, negotiation, and stakeholder-management skills
• Working knowledge of Lean, Six Sigma, Value Stream Mapping, root-cause analysis, and operational excellence practices
• Ability to interpret complex business data and convert insights into strategic and operational decisions
• Willingness to work from the office and provide leadership support during business-aligned shifts, peak seasons, holidays, or critical delivery periods.
• Leadership Expectations:
  • Ability to operate with an enterprise mindset and make decisions based on overall business value
  • Ability to demonstrate Solid executive presence, business acumen, and decision-making capability
  • Ability to own outcomes across operations, customer experience, people, financials, risk, and transformation
  • Ability to challenge the status quo and promote scalable, technology-enabled solutions
  • Ability to build a Solid leadership pipeline and create an accountable, inclusive, and high-performing organization
  • Ability to anticipate business risks and opportunities rather than responding only after issues arise
• Interpersonal Skills:
  • Proven e excellent verbal and written communication skills
  • Proven creative, responsive and adaptive in a dynamic environment and a good team player
  • Ability to adhere & drive all established company policies & procedures
  • Ability to work independently and creatively research and implement new solutions
  • Ability to work under pressure and deliver within required turn-around times
  • Should be flexible to adapt to quick delivery models
  • Should be flexible to work in Evening/Night Shifts - 6:00/8:30 PM Shift throughout the year
  • Flexible to support the team during holidays and work extended hours as per the Business requirement

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.