Remote Associate Director, Prior Authorization Ops

UnitedHealth Group; Eden Prairie (MN); Remote; USD 113,000 - 193,000; Full time

Job summary

UnitedHealth Group is seeking an Associate Director for Prior Authorization Operations to lead a large, high-volume pharmac​y PA team. You will shape strategy, drive performance, and ensure quality and regulatory compliance across the end-to-end PA process.

The role offers remote work flexibility within the U.S. and opportunities to partner with Clinical Services, Client Services, Compliance, and Technology to implement scalable solutions and improve member and provider experiences.

Qualifications

• PharmD or BS Pharmacy with an active, unrestricted license.
• 5+ years pharmacist experience, including 3+ years in prior authorization or utilization management.
• 3+ years of people leadership experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead 5+ direct reports and 100+ indirect pharmacists and technicians; coach and develop future leaders.
• Own end-to-end performance including turnaround time, quality, productivity, service, and regulatory guarantees.
• Forecast volume, capacity and staffing plans; manage budget.
• Drive innovation and continuous process improvements in prior authorization.
• Define requirements with Technology and Product; lead change management.
• Serve as escalation point for complex cases; represent PA Operations in meetings.
• Maintain audit readiness and compliance with CMS, state, accreditation, and client requirements.
• Build a culture of accountability, safety, and continuous improvement.

Skills

Pharmacist leadership

Clinical knowledge

Data fluency

Executive communication

Project management

Education

PharmD or BS Pharmacy with active license

Tools

Excel

PowerPoint

Word

Outlook

Microsoft Copilot

Job description

UnitedHealth Group is seeking an Associate Director for Prior Authorization Operations to lead a large, high-volume pharmac​y PA team. You will shape strategy, drive performance, and ensure quality and regulatory compliance across the end-to-end PA process.

The role offers remote work flexibility within the U.S. and opportunities to partner with Clinical Services, Client Services, Compliance, and Technology to implement scalable solutions and improve member and provider experiences.