Senior Manager, AI Innovation and Strategy - Life Sciences - Remote

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

Job summary

UnitedHealth Group in the United States seeks a Senior Manager, AI Innovation and Strategy for Life Sciences to lead complex AI engagements from discovery through value realization. You will serve as the primary day-to-day client contact for pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical technology clients, translating priorities into actionable plans and guiding multidisciplinary teams.

Responsibilities include governance, risk management, and delivering scalable AI solutions while addressing data

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in management consulting, technology transformation, analytics, or AI-enabled solution delivery
• 5+ years of experience with life sciences organizations (pharma, biotech, medical technology)
• 3+ years in a management consulting firm leading client engagements and delivering executive-level recommendations
• 3+ years leading multidisciplinary client engagements from discovery through implementation
• 3+ years structuring complex problems into strategic roadmaps and designs
• 3+ years in AI/ML solution delivery, cloud platforms, data architecture, or product lifecycles
• Willingness to travel up to 30-40% to client locations

Responsibilities

• Lead AI strategy and solution-delivery engagements for life sciences clients from discovery through value realization
• Serve as day-to-day client contact and trusted advisor, aligning stakeholders and translating priorities into delivery plans
• Apply life sciences domain knowledge across R&D, clinical development, regulatory, manufacturing, and commercial functions
• Translate complex requirements into designs, operating models, governance, and adoption strategies
• Develop innovative methods and accelerators to address emerging client needs
• Establish engagement governance, success metrics, and executive reporting
• Provide cross-functional leadership to engaged teams and ensure adherence to privacy, security, model risk, and regulatory considerations
• Convert engagement methods and use cases into scalable offerings and reference architectures

Job description

Improve the lives of others while Caring. Connecting. Growing together.

Job Description - Senior Manager, AI Innovation and Strategy - Life Sciences - Remote (2386694)

Senior Manager, AI Innovation and Strategy - Life Sciences - Remote - 2386694

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.

The Senior Manager, AI Innovation and Strategy - Life Sciences serves as a senior client-delivery leader for complex AI engagements across life sciences. Working directly with pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical technology client stakeholders, this leader clarifies critical business, scientific, operational, and technical needs; structures practical approaches to address them; and leads multidisciplinary teams from discovery and solution design through implementation and value realization. This role serves as the day-to-day engagement lead and trusted client advisor, combining solid client leadership, structured problem solving, domain expertise, and artificial intelligence fluency to translate complex requirements into scalable solutions.

You’llenjoy 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:

• Lead complex AI strategy and solution-delivery engagements for pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical technology, and related life sciences clients from discovery through implementation and value realization
• Serve as the primary day-to-day client contact and trusted advisor, aligning stakeholders, facilitating decisions, managing expectations, and translating priorities into actionable strategies and delivery plans
• Apply life sciences domain knowledge across R&D, clinical development, clinical operations, medical affairs, pharmacovigilance, regulatory operations, manufacturing, quality, market access, and commercial functions
• Translate complex scientific, operational, data, technical, and regulatory requirements into solution designs, delivery plans, operating models, governance approaches, and adoption strategies
• Develop and adapt innovative methods, accelerators, and solution-delivery approaches to address emerging client needs and complex or recurring life sciences challenges
• Establish and manage engagement governance, success measures, workstreams, milestones, decision rights, risk controls, resource plans, and executive reporting
• Provide cross-functional leadership, coaching, and direction to multidisciplinary teams, including engagement managers, consultants, data scientists, engineers, and subject matter experts
• Guide teams in addressing data privacy, cybersecurity, model risk, validation, GxP, and responsible AI considerations throughout solution design and delivery
• Convert successful engagement methods and client use cases into reusable offerings, reference architectures, playbooks, accelerators, and growth enablement assets

Required Qualifications:

• 7+ years of experience in management consulting, technology transformation, analytics, or AI-enabled solution delivery
• 5+ years of experience working directly with pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical technology, or related life sciences organizations
• 3+ 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
• 3+ years of experience independently leading complex, multidisciplinary client engagements from initial discovery through full implementation and value realization
• 3+ years of experience structuring complex scientific, operational, or technical problems into actionable strategic roadmaps and solution designs
• 3+ years of practical experience involved in AI/ML solution delivery, model operations, cloud platforms, data architecture, or productization lifecycles
• Willingness and ability to travel up to 30-40% to client locations as business needs require

Preferred Qualifications:

• Advanced degree (Master’s, Ph.D., PharmD, or MBA) in a scientific, healthcare, technical, or business discipline
• Demonstrated expertise in structuring ambiguous scientific or business problems and developing first-of-kind technical or AI approaches
• Track record of converting successful client innovations into scalable, repeatable enterprise offerings or reference architectures
• Experience participating in proposal development, pricing strategies, business cases, and client account expansion

*All employees working remotely will berequiredto 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 $112,700 - $193,200 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.

UnitedHealth Group is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with physical and mental disabilities. If you need special assistance or accommodation for any part of the application process, please call 1-866-566-8715 to be connected to Recruitment Services. Recruitment Services hours of operation are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. CT, Monday through Friday.

UnitedHealth Group is a registered service mark of UnitedHealth Group, Inc. The UnitedHealth Group name with the dimensional logo, as well as the dimensional logo alone, are both service marks for the UnitedHealth Group, Inc.

Diversity creates a healthier atmosphere: UnitedHealth Group is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law.

UnitedHealth Group is a drug-free workplace. Candidates are required to pass a drug test before beginning employment.