Director, Analytics and Health Policy Research

UnitedHealth Group; Eden Prairie (MN); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

UnitedHealth Group’s Center for Health Care Research seeks an experienced researcher and project manager to drive high-impact health policy and market research. You will analyze large healthcare datasets, collaborate with universities, and guide partnerships to advance enterprise priorities.

The role blends analytics, strategic thinking, and stakeholder communication, offering remote work flexibility within the U.S. and required in-office presence four days a week for certain locations.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of professional experience in a research capacity within health care organizations, universities, or equivalent.
• 7+ years of experience using statistical software like R, PySpark, STATA for descriptive and multivariable analyses.
• 5+ years of experience with SQL and Python to analyze large datasets.
• 5+ years of experience with administrative health care claims data.
• 2+ years of experience with Databricks and cloud-based data analytic platforms.
• Mastery of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Proficiency in using AI platforms for research and code verification.
• Broad knowledge of health policy and experience using administrative/clinical datasets for research.
• Strong communication and strategic thinking skills with the ability to present to leaders and external stakeholders.
• Ability to manage research partnerships and collaborate with academic institutions.

Responsibilities

• Manage partnerships with academic researchers, guiding research studies from concept to publication.
• Lead feasibility studies, data exploration, ad hoc analyses, and verification for research projects.
• Partner with senior leaders to identify high-value research studies leveraging enterprise data insights.
• Build internal relationships to align external collaborations with enterprise priorities.
• Provide governance oversight of research scope and compliance with data-use policies.
• Design, program, and execute data analyses; mentor data analysts to strengthen capabilities.
• Forecast data and research needs; work with data governance on long-term data strategy.
• Collaborate with data partners for data refreshes and research enablement.
• Coordinate with Government Affairs and Communications to disseminate findings to policymakers and stakeholders.
• Represent CHCR in engagements with academic institutions and external partners.

Skills

R

Python

SQL

Data analysis

Policy knowledge

Communication

Leadership

Education

PhD or Master’s in quantitative field

Tools

Databricks

Azure

Power BI

Tableau

Excel

Job description

UnitedHealth Group is a health care and well-being company that's dedicated to improving the health outcomes of millions around the world. We are comprised of two distinct and complementary businesses, UnitedHealthcare and Optum, working to build a better health system for all. Here, your contributions matter as they will help transform health care for years to come. Make an impact with a team that shares your passion for helping others. Join us in making healthcare work better for everyone through people-led, responsible AI while Caring. Connecting. Growing together.

UnitedHealth Group's Center for Health Care Research, based in Minneapolis and Washington, D.C., seeks an outstanding and experienced researcher and project manager to serve on a high-performing team of innovative health care researchers and analysts working within a mission-driven, results-oriented, restless, and highly successful Enterprise. The Center's research advances UHG's commitment to the development of a next-generation health system in a socially conscious manner and the implementation of actionable, practical, and timely policy and market solutions that can achieve universal coverage, affordability, better experiences for patients and physicians, and improved health outcomes. The research is critical to drive understanding of key health care market dynamics and strategic opportunities among senior UHG leadership and is leveraged by Center partners in Corporate Communications and Federal and State Government Affairs as they engage the public, the media, and policy makers.

The successful candidate will possess strong analytic skills, strategic thinking, project management experience, ability to communicate with technical and non-technical audiences (both oral and written); deep and broad knowledge of health care data, policy, and markets; passion for health care transformation; and excellent judgment. The successful candidate will manage high-profile partnerships with prominent researchers at leading universities; analyze large administrative, claims, and clinical datasets; and collaborate with data scientists, economists, and other research analysts across the Enterprise to advance and facilitate academic partner-led research.

You’ll enjoy the flexibility to work remotely * from anywhere within the U.S. 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

• Managing UHG's partnerships with prominent researchers at leading universities, with responsibility for collaborating on all aspects of research studies, from conceptualization to reviewing analytic results to publishing, and for managing the operational and strategic direction of UHG's partnerships including enabling data access and facilitating proposal reviews and research agreements, while serving as a key UHG representative in shaping the long-term research agenda with key external partners
• Serving as a trusted partner for academic partners through a deep understanding of the Enterprise's data assets and the ability to lead feasibility studies, data exploration, ad hoc analysis, and verification to advance research studies, while helping identify opportunities to maximize the value and impact of UHG's research investments
• Partnering with UHG's senior business executives, clinical leaders, and subject matter experts to identify and validate high-value research studies that leverage the Enterprise's distinctive data insights, analytic assets, technology, scale, and its population health, benefit, provider, and care delivery models to advance health policy and inform enterprise strategy
• Building internal relationships and collaborating with senior business leaders to inform, execute, and elevate research collaborations with external partners; integrating expertise from across UHG; and ensuring research partnerships align with a UHG-wide perspective on key issues, strategic priorities, and reputational considerations
• Providing governance oversight of research scope and objectives to identify and resolve risks/issues and report progress to applicable stakeholders throughout the project life cycle, as needed, and ensuring research scope, requirements and approvals comply with topic and data use policies, strategic priorities, and reputational considerations
• Designing, programming, and executing data analysis; and mentoring, developing, and providing technical leadership to data analysts to strengthen research capabilities and analytical rigor across the organization
• Anticipating future data and research needs and partnering with internal data governance leaders to develop and execute a data strategy for academic research that advances enterprise research priorities and enhances the long-term value of UHG's data assets
• Collaborating with data partners to steward data assets, including regular data refreshes, and ancillary data sources as needed, and to triage data, software, and technical inquiries appropriately, while helping establish priorities for data acquisition, accessibility, and research enablement
• Partnering with UHG Government Affairs, Public Affairs, and Communications leaders on disseminating and enhancing the visibility and impact for published research, ensuring research findings are communicated effectively to policymakers, industry stakeholders, and other key external audiences
• Collaborating on diverse aspects of the Center's work and advancement of UHG priorities, contributing to enterprise-wide initiatives, thought leadership efforts, and the delivery of CHCR's strategic objectives
• Serving as a recognized enterprise resource on external research partnerships, advising senior leaders on research opportunities, governance considerations, and strategies to maximize the policy, business, and reputational impact of UHG-sponsored research
• Representing UHG in engagements with leading academic institutions, research organizations, and external stakeholders to strengthen strategic partnerships and advance the organization's research objectives

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

• 7+ years of professional experience working for one or more health care organizations, consulting firms, universities, research institutions, think tanks, government agencies, or similar organizations in a research capacity
• 7+ years of experience using statistical software packages (e.g., R, PySpark, STATA or similar) for descriptive and multivariable analyses
• 5+ years of experience using SQL and Python to analyze large datasets
• 5+ years of experience with administrative health care claims data
• 2+ years of experience working in Databricks and other cloud-based data analytic platforms
• Experience managing all aspects of a research project, with experience in research design and methods, and working with administrative databases, including claims, EMR, and registry data as well as publicly available data
• Mastery of Word, Excel, and comfort with PowerPoint
• Proficiency in using AI platforms for research, code development/verification, operationalizing common tasks
• PhD or Master's degree in economics, finance, epidemiology, biostatistics, mathematics, public policy, health informatics, data sciences, or other quantitative field
• Broad knowledge of health policy and a deep, nuanced understanding of and experience with using administrative and clinical datasets for research
• Broad and flexible set of key skills and attributes, including the ability to: analyze claims data and interpret and assess the results of empirical studies; communicate effectively with business leaders and policy experts, translating policy-relevant analysis into business-relevant analysis and vice versa; write effectively, and think strategically and creatively in a dynamic environment
• Solid oral and written communication skills and comfort presenting research findings to business leaders and internal and external stakeholders

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in Microsoft Azure
• Experience with Visual Basic for Applications
• Experience with other applications, such as Tableau
• Knowledge of data privacy and HIPAA standards

*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 $xx,xxx to $xx,xxx 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.