Senior Director, Innovation and Strategy - Life Sciences

UnitedHealth Group; Eden Prairie (MN); Remote; USD 159,000 - 273,000; Full time

Job summary

UnitedHealth Group is seeking a Senior Director of Innovation and Strategy – Life Sciences within Enterprise Strategy to design, package, and commercialize AI solutions across the Life Sciences portfolio. You will translate advanced AI into market-ready offerings, partnering with go-to-market, engineering, and operations to deliver measurable client value and business growth.

You’ll drive transformative AI for pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical technology partners, delivering high-impact

Qualifications

• 15+ years in strategy, consulting, product delivery, technology transformation, analytics, or AI-enabled delivery.
• 10+ years with pharma/biotech/medical technology life sciences organizations.
• 10+ years leading multidisciplinary client engagements from strategy through implementation and value realization.
• 8+ years as primary day-to-day client lead for senior stakeholders and navigating delivery risks.
• 5+ years with a management consulting firm leading client engagements and executive-level recommendations.
• 5+ years applying AI/ML capabilities, cloud platforms, data architecture, or productization practices to business or scientific challenges.
• 5+ years navigating data privacy, cybersecurity, regulatory validation, GxP, or responsible AI governance frameworks.
• Ability to travel up to 25-40% to client locations.

Responsibilities

• Define and manage the AI solutions portfolio and roadmap, aligning with client needs and enterprise goals.
• Equip sales and delivery teams with compelling solution narratives and executive support.
• Lead client-facing meetings, workshops, and status updates translating AI capabilities into business value.
• Leverage AI capabilities to unlock opportunities and drive growth.
• Translate research outputs into commercial offerings with internal and external partners.
• Develop pricing strategies and commercial guardrails with operations and finance.
• Manage ecosystem relationships with partners; align with Legal and Compliance on IP and HIPAA data privacy.
• Champion ethical, transparent, and accountable AI use across the lifecycle.
• Set and track KPIs for portfolio growth, profitability, and customer impact.

Skills

Strategy & consulting

Product delivery

AI-enabled solution delivery

Executive stakeholder engagement

Analytics

Technology transformation

Data privacy & governance

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher in Business, Life Sciences, Data Science, or related field

Job description

OptumInsightis improving the flow of health data and information to create a more connected system. We remove friction and drive alignment between care providers and payers, andultimately consumers. Our deepexpertisein the industry and innovative technology empower us to help organizations reduce costs while improving risk management,qualityand revenue growth. Ready to help us deliver results that improve lives? Join us in making healthcare work better for everyone through people-led, responsible AI while Caring. Connecting. Growing together.

As the Senior Director, Innovation and Strategy - Life Sciences within Enterprise Strategy, you will lead the design, packaging, and commercialization of AI solutions across the Life Sciences portfolio. In this role, you will translate advanced artificial intelligence capabilities into market-ready solution offerings, partnering closely with go-to-market, engineering, and operations teams to deliver measurable client value and business growth. You will drive transformative AI technologies for pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical technology partners while delivering high-impact outcomes across global health communities.

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

Primary Responsibilities:

• Define and manage the AI solutions portfolio and roadmap, ensuring strategic alignment with client needs and enterprise business goals
• Equip sales and delivery teams with compelling solution narratives, competitive positioning, and support for executive client relationships
• Partner with engagement leaders to lead client-facing meetings, workshops, and status updates, ensuring technical AI capabilities translate into measurable business value
• Strategically leverage AI capabilities to solve complex challenges, unlock new commercial opportunities, and deliver tangible business growth
• Prioritize and translate research outputs and emerging AI capabilities into commercial offerings in collaboration with internal and external partners
• Develop pricing strategies and commercial guardrails in partnership with operations and finance
• Build and manage ecosystem relationships with external technology partners and industry collaborators; align with Legal and Compliance on IP, data privacy/security (HIPAA), and commercialization quality
• Champion the ethical, transparent, and accountable use of AI throughout the product and solution lifecycle
• Set and track key performance indicators (KPIs) for portfolio growth, profitability, and customer impact

You’llbe 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 asprovidedevelopment for other roles you may be interested in.

Required Qualifications:

• 15+ years of experience in strategy, consulting, product delivery, technology transformation, analytics, or AI-enabled solution delivery
• 10+ years of experience working directly with pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical technology, or related life sciences organizations
• 10+ years of experience leading multidisciplinary client engagements from strategy through technical implementation and value realization
• 8+ years of experience serving as the primary day-to-day client lead for senior stakeholders and navigating delivery risks and executive decisions
• 5+ years of experience with a management consulting firm (e.g., McKinsey, Bain, BCG, Deloitte, Accenture Strategy, or equivalent), including responsibility for leading client engagements and delivering executive-level recommendations
• 5+ years of experience applying AI/ML capabilities, model operations, cloud platforms, data architecture, or productization practices to business or scientific challenges
• 5+ years of experience navigating data privacy, cybersecurity, regulatory validation, GxP, or responsible AI governance frameworks
• Ability to travel up to 25-30-40% to client locations

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree or higher in Business, Life Sciences, Data Science, or a related field; advanced degree
• Solid understanding of AI toolingmodel operations (MLOps), cloud platforms, and productization best practices
• Deep understanding of HIPAA, data privacy regulations, and intellectual property management within digital health and AI context
• Experience establishing co-innovation frameworks and joint development agreements with enterprise life sciences clients

*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 $159,300 to $273,200 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.