Director, Enterprise Strategy and Partnerships - Remote

Optum; Washington (District of Columbia); Hybrid; USD 135,000 - 231,000; Full time

Job summary

UnitedHealth Group is seeking a senior strategy professional to join the Enterprise Strategy and Partnerships team. You will drive cross‑enterprise initiatives across the UHG portfolio, partnering with technology, product, and executive leaders to identify market opportunities and shape transformative programs.

The role demands rigorous analyses, clear executive recommendations, and delivery of high-priority initiatives, with travel up to 20% and a flexible mix of in‑office and remote work

Qualifications

• 6+ years of working experience.
• 4+ years of strategy consulting, corporate strategy and/or corporate partnership experience.
• Experience leading complex, ambiguous projects end-to-end, including problem framing, analysis, and executive recommendations.
• Experience leading project teams.
• Proven exceptional executive communication skills, with experience presenting to senior leaders and influencing decision-making in a matrixed environment.
• Willing or ability to travel up to 20% (may be required depending on projects).

Responsibilities

• Drive enterprise strategy initiatives spanning growth, operational excellence, and AI-enabled transformation across UnitedHealthcare, Optum, and the broader UHG enterprise.
• Own enterprise strategy development by assessing emerging healthcare and AI trends and capabilities; defining implications for UHG’s business model, growth priorities, innovation priorities.
• Lead the development of external partnership strategies and value creation theses, including support for deal positioning, valuation considerations, and enterprise-level solution design.
• Develop partnership strategies across UHG to maximize enterprise-level impact, clearly outlining tradeoffs, benefits, and risks.
• Analyze industry trends, competitive threats, expansion opportunities, and internal performance to inform strategic direction and investment decisions.
• Develop rigorous analytical frameworks and insights to support enterprise prioritization and long-term planning.
• Synthesize complex analyses into clear, executive-ready recommendations for senior leadership, the Board, and other key stakeholders.
• Serve as a trusted thought partner to senior executives on how strategy and partnerships can accelerate growth, improve affordability, and differentiate healthcare experiences.
• Enable actionable decision-making through strategy communication aligned to executives, investors, and enterprise stakeholders.
• Scope, initiate, plan, execute, and close high-priority strategy initiatives.
• Manage multiple concurrent priorities, balancing depth in core healthcare and AI strategy domains with responsiveness to executive needs.
• Act as a visible representative of Enterprise Strategy in executive and cross-enterprise forums related to strategic business opportunities, AI, and growth priorities.

Skills

Executive communication

Strategy consulting

Project leadership

Problem framing & analysis

Travel flexibility

Education

Advanced degree

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 start Caring. Connecting. Growing together.

The UHG Enterprise Strategy and Partnerships team, which reports up through the UHG Chief Strategy and Growth Office, is focused on driving cross-enterprise efforts that span the breadth of the UHG portfolio (UHC and Optum). We work with technology, product, and P&L executive owners to identify market opportunities, create strategic plans, build partnerships, and drive company shaping decisions. Team members have solid analytical problem-solving skills and can break down some of the company’s biggest opportunities and most complex challenges into discrete, solvable workstreams and projects. This role involves working with UHG’s executives and business leaders, as well as external partners, to support innovation and transformation across the healthcare landscape.

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.

You’ll enjoy the flexibility to work remotely from anywhere within the U.S. as you take on some tough challenges.

Primary Responsibilities

• Enterprise
  • Drive enterprise strategy initiatives spanning growth, operational excellence, and AI-enabled transformation across UnitedHealthcare, Optum, and the broader UHG enterprise
  • Own enterprise strategy development by assessing emerging healthcare and AI trends and capabilities; defining implications for UHG’s business model, growth priorities, innovation priorities
• Partnerships
  • Lead the development of external partnership strategies and value creation theses, including support for deal positioning, valuation considerations, and enterprise-level solution design
  • Develop partnership strategies across UHG to maximize enterprise-level impact, clearly outlining tradeoffs, benefits, and risks
• Market, Competitive, & Performance Analysis
  • Analyze industry trends, competitive threats, expansion opportunities, and internal performance to inform strategic direction and investment decisions
  • Develop rigorous analytical frameworks and insights to support enterprise prioritization and long-term planning
• Executive Decision Support & Influence
  • Synthesize complex analyses into clear, executive-ready recommendations for senior leadership, the Board, and other key stakeholders
  • Serve as a trusted thought partner to senior executives on how strategy and partnerships can accelerate growth, improve affordability, and differentiate healthcare experiences
  • Enable actionable decision-making through strategy communication aligned to executives, investors, and enterprise stakeholders
• Strategy Delivery & Portfolio Management
  • Scope, initiate, plan, execute, and close high-priority strategy initiatives
  • Manage multiple concurrent priorities, balancing depth in core healthcare and AI strategy domains with responsiveness to executive needs
• Enterprise Representation
  • Act as a visible representative of Enterprise Strategy in executive and cross-enterprise forums related to strategic business opportunities, AI, and growth priorities

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

• 6+ years of working experience
• 4+ years of strategy consulting, corporate strategy and/or corporate partnership experience
• Demonstrated experience leading complex, ambiguous projects end-to-end, including problem framing, analysis, and executive recommendations
• Experience leading project teams
• Proven exceptional executive communication skills, with experience presenting to senior leaders and influencing decision-making in a matrixed environment
• Willing or ability to travel up to 20% (may be required depending on projects)

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree (e.g., MBA, MHA, MPH, or other relevant graduate degree)
• 3+ years of healthcare experience
• Experience at a digital health, healthcare technology company or similar
• Demonstrated conceptual, analytical, and financial modeling skills
• 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 $134,600 - $230,800 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 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.