Director, Payer Value Creation - Behavioral Health

Istss; Eden Prairie (MN); Remote; USD 143,000 - 175,000; Full time

Job summary

Optum, a global health services company, is seeking a Director-level leader to drive payer affordability value creation within Behavioral Health. You will partner across clinical, network, finance, and analytics to design and deliver initiatives that improve cost efficiency and customer value.

You will develop rigorous business cases, lead cross-functional programs, and translate strategy into measurable outcomes while navigating a complex matrixed organization.

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 translating them into executable initiatives.
• Experience across clinical, network, payment integrity, finance, analytics, product, operations or client management.
• Proven executive presence and ability to communicate with senior audiences.
• Proven track record moving work from concept to implementation.

Responsibilities

• Own the payer value creation and affordability agenda with aligned priorities, goals and roadmaps.
• Identify trends in cost, utilization, quality, and translate insights into actions to reduce costs and improve outcomes.
• Manage a portfolio of payer affordability initiatives across clinical, network, payment integrity, benefits integrity, product and operations.
• Lead initiatives from opportunity through design, approval, implementation, adoption, measurement and financial validation.
• Develop rigorous business cases and value models; partner with Finance to validate impact.
• Establish and maintain portfolio governance, workplans, logs, status reporting and executive updates.
• Collaborate across Optum Behavioral Health and enterprise to align stakeholders and accelerate execution.
• Communicate progress and results to senior leaders and stakeholders.
• Connect affordability work to quality, access, member experience, provider relationships, regulatory requirements.
• Promote innovation using analytics, digital tools and AI-enabled capabilities.

Skills

Healthcare strategy

Cross-functional leadership

Executive communication

Analytical thinking

Project portfolio management

Education

Master's degree in business or healthcare

Job description

Optum, a global health services company, is seeking a Director-level leader to drive payer affordability value creation within Behavioral Health. You will partner across clinical, network, finance, and analytics to design and deliver initiatives that improve cost efficiency and customer value.

You will develop rigorous business cases, lead cross-functional programs, and translate strategy into measurable outcomes while navigating a complex matrixed organization.