Description

At UnitedHealthcare, we're simplifying the health care experience, creating healthier communities and removing barriers to quality care. The work you do here impacts the lives of millions of people for the better. Come build the health care system of tomorrow, making it more responsive, affordable and equitable. Ready to make a difference? Join us to start Caring. Connecting. Growing together.

About the Role

The Associate Director will play a critical role in establishing and maintaining strong governance, communication, and transparency across UHC PI Clinical Oversight, while continuing to drive operational excellence and data‑driven decision making. This role partners closely with Payment Integrity business units, executive leaders, technology teams, and external partners to build scalable solutions to business problems.

The Associate Director will act as a central integrator across Oversight Operational and Financial pillars, ensuring alignment to business objectives and enterprise priorities. This individual will contribute to shaping and maintaining a clear strategic vision and ensuring disciplined execution through robust governance rhythms.

The role includes accountability for evaluation, implementation, and ongoing monitoring of internal and external vendor performance, with a strong emphasis on structured oversight, performance reporting, and leadership communication.

Careers with Optum offer flexible work arrangements and individuals who live and work in the Republic of Ireland will have the opportunity to split their monthly work hours between our Dublin or Letterkenny office and telecommuting from a home-based office in a hybrid work model.

Key Responsibilities

• Establish and maintain clear governance structures, oversight cadences, and decision‑making forums across Oversight and Clinical PI teams
• Lead partner performance governance, including formal reviews, risk identification, corrective action planning, and executive‑level reporting
• Ensure alignment between operational strategy, execution, and enterprise priorities, challenging the status quo where needed and proposing alternative solutions

• Communicate progress, risks, dependencies, and outcomes to UHCPI Leadership, Optum partners, and external stakeholders in a clear, structured, and consistent manner
• Develop executive‑ready materials, dashboards, and updates that support decision making and strategic alignment
• Build, sustain, and influence strong relationships across Business Operations, Technology, Analytics, Product, and External Partners

• Partner with analytics and technology teams to design and enhance dashboards and performance reporting that support oversight, transparency, and continuous improvement
• Continuously identify process improvement opportunities that enhance efficiency, effectiveness, and scalability across the Waste and Error Program

• Lead and coordinate strategic initiatives and cross‑functional programs, ensuring alignment, governance, and visibility across the portfolio
• Maintain oversight of initiative interdependencies, risks, and sequencing within the broader Payment Integrity strategy
• Conduct structured partner reviews and joint planning sessions to align goals, track commitments, and ensure accountability

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree with relevant experience in operations management, governance, performance management, or strategy
• Solid experience in operations leadership, including responsibility for cross‑functional delivery and stakeholder engagement, and communication at Senior and Executive Leadership levels
• Demonstrated experience establishing or operating within governance frameworks, performance oversight models, or structured operating rhythms
• Solid communication capabilities, with proven experience influencing and presenting at Senior and Executive Leadership levels
• Significant experience using data and analytics to support oversight, performance monitoring, and decision making
• Proven ability to manage complex stakeholder landscapes and form effective internal and external partnerships
• Solid business acumen and ability to operate as a strategic advisor

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge of the US Healthcare or Insurance industry
• Experience supporting Payment Integrity, Healthcare Financial Services, or regulated operational environments
• Background in healthcare, consulting, or transformation programs with strong governance and communication components

Please note you must currently be eligible to work and remain indefinitely without any restrictions in the country to which you are making an application. Proof will be required to support your application.

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.

Diversity creates a healthier atmosphere: Optum is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to gender, civil status, family status, sexual orientation, disability, religion, age, race, and membership of the Traveller community, or any other characteristic protected by law. Optum is a drug-free workplace. © 2026 Optum Services (Ireland) Limited. All rights reserved.