Develops and oversees behavioral health value-creation programs that improve quality, reduce unnecessary costs, optimize provider performance, and enhance member experience. Responsibilities include building initiative pipelines, managing implementations, creating workflows and metrics, analyzing data and outcomes, coordinating stakeholders, identifying risks, and partnering with growth and solutioning teams. The role requires influencing cross-functional teams within a matrixed managed-care environment and delivering complex, organization-wide initiatives.
Requisition Number: 2386373
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.
As an Associate Director, Behavioral Health Value Creation, supporting Optum Behavioral Health Solutions, you will support development, implementation and ongoing management of programs that optimize quality and reduce behavioral health cost through partnership with payer accounts, Optum Behavioral Health Solutions and enterprise stakeholders.
The role improves member experience, reduces unnecessary or ineffective care, and optimizes provider performance and value.
You'll enjoy the flexibility to work remotely * from anywhere within the U.S. as you take on some tough challenges.
Primary Responsibilities:
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:
Preferred Qualifications:
*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 $72,800 - $130,000 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.
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.
As an Associate Director, Behavioral Health Value Creation, supporting Optum Behavioral Health Solutions, you will support development, implementation and ongoing management of programs that optimize quality and reduce behavioral health cost through partnership with payer accounts, Optum Behavioral Health Solutions and enterprise stakeholders.
The role improves member experience, reduces unnecessary or ineffective care, and optimizes provider performance and value.
You'll enjoy the flexibility to work remotely * from anywhere within the U.S. as you take on some tough challenges.
Primary Responsibilities:
- Overall responsibility to develop a pipeline of initiatives, coordinate execution, manage or provide oversight for ongoing implementation, and measure value in alignment with OBHS strategy to improve benefit expense and clinical quality outcomes
- Responsible for creation of project plans, operational processes, and workflows to support program development, successful implementation, and ongoing oversight based on internal business and customer needs
- Ensure all BH policies, procedures and processes are optimally configured and integrated into daily practice to maximize value for members and the enterprise
- Identify and engage key stakeholders for support and expertise relevant to program success
- Collect information, input, data, and subject matter expertise, relevant to customer needs and system capabilities
- Collect, analyze, and report on data, metrics, and information to support program development, cost, and outcomes metrics
- Create benchmarks and metrics for evaluation of processes and outcomes to determine potential business impact
- Analyze program model fidelity and implement strategies to enhance program performance based on experience and outcomes
- Partner with growth and solutioning teams to deliver and articulate program goals and benefits, including innovative solutions for new and existing accounts
- Develop and maintain trusted matrixed relationships, including national and local teams
- Communicate potential impacts and risks associated with implementing proposed solutions to business partners and relevant stakeholders
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:
- 5+ years of experience working within a managed care organization or health insurer
- 5+ years of experience working with diverse teams, with a proven track record of collaboration for innovative solutions
- Proven track record of accomplishing work and influencing through others during times of ambiguity
- Proven exceptional problem solving and critical thinking skills
- Proven experience leveraging data and insights to drive strategies and solutions
- Demonstrated track record of cross-functional, system thinking leadership and execution of complex, organization-wide initiatives. Includes driving functional dependencies outside of immediate control to align to shared objectives
- Experience delivering results with large-scale, cross-functional teams in a highly matrixed organization
- Experience managing and prioritizing multiple projects to ensure quality and on-time delivery
- Proven experience meeting/exceeding client expectations
Preferred Qualifications:
- Solid financial acumen
- Solid data analysis skills
- Experience with development and/or operation of behavioral health programs
- Experience in behavioral healthcare or behavioral health insurance
*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 $72,800 - $130,000 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.
Similar Jobs at Optum
Artificial Intelligence • Big Data • Healthtech • Information Technology • Machine Learning • Software • Analytics
Leads acute intake operations, patient referrals, prior authorization oversight, onboarding, staffing, quality, compliance, and continuity of care. Manages supervisors and coordinators, monitors referral and authorization progress, resolves barriers, partners with clinical and payer stakeholders, and uses reporting to improve capacity and accountability. Drives root-cause analysis, workflow redesign, automation, and process improvement while supporting employee development and cross-functional initiatives.
Top Skills:
Carelink CloudCpr+CptHcpcsHipaaIcd-9/10Payer Portals
Artificial Intelligence • Big Data • Healthtech • Information Technology • Machine Learning • Software • Analytics
Designs, develops, deploys, and supports production AI/ML solutions for healthcare operations. Builds scalable machine learning services, data pipelines, cloud applications, and MLOps workflows; implements CI/CD, monitors and optimizes deployed systems, evaluates emerging AI technologies, and collaborates with product, architecture, data science, and engineering teams. The role also mentors junior engineers and contributes to technical standards, code reviews, and architecture decisions.
Top Skills:
AWSAzureAzure Machine LearningCi/CdDatabricksGenerative AiGoogle Cloud PlatformLlmMlopsNlpPysparkPythonSnowflakeSQL
Artificial Intelligence • Big Data • Healthtech • Information Technology • Machine Learning • Software • Analytics
Leads the design, development, deployment, and scaling of production AI/ML solutions for healthcare. Builds cloud-based machine learning systems, data pipelines, feature workflows, and MLOps processes including CI/CD, monitoring, drift detection, retraining, and governance. Provides architecture guidance, technical leadership, mentorship, and cross-functional partnership while applying NLP, deep learning, computer vision, foundation models, and other advanced AI techniques.
Top Skills:
AWSAzureAzure Machine LearningCi/CdCloud ComputingComputer VisionData PipelinesDatabricksDeep LearningDistributed ComputingFoundation ModelsGCPLarge Language ModelsMachine LearningMlopsNlpPysparkPythonSnowflakeSQL
What you need to know about the Chicago Tech Scene
With vibrant neighborhoods, great food and more affordable housing than either coast, Chicago might be the most liveable major tech hub. It is the birthplace of modern commodities and futures trading, a national hub for logistics and commerce, and home to the American Medical Association and the American Bar Association. This diverse blend of industry influences has helped Chicago emerge as a major player in verticals like fintech, biotechnology, legal tech, e-commerce and logistics technology. It’s also a major hiring center for tech companies on both coasts.
Key Facts About Chicago Tech
- Number of Tech Workers: 245,800; 5.2% of overall workforce (2024 CompTIA survey)
- Major Tech Employers: McDonald’s, John Deere, Boeing, Morningstar
- Key Industries: Artificial intelligence, biotechnology, fintech, software, logistics technology
- Funding Landscape: $2.5 billion in venture capital funding in 2024 (Pitchbook)
- Notable Investors: Pritzker Group Venture Capital, Arch Venture Partners, MATH Venture Partners, Jump Capital, Hyde Park Venture Partners
- Research Centers and Universities: Northwestern University, University of Chicago, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Illinois Institute of Technology, Argonne National Laboratory, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory
