The Market Chief Medical Officer (CMO) is the senior clinical executive for the designated Medicare & Retirement (M&R) market. The CMO is accountable for clinical strategy and performance across affordability, quality, population health, growth, member experience, and external clinical relationships within the market.
The CMO serves as the senior market clinical leader responsible for aligning United Healthcare (UHC), United Clinical Services (UCS), and Optum clinical capabilities to advance clinical affordability, improve HEDIS and CMS Star performance, reduce unwarranted utilization, and strengthen provider partnership across the market.
The CMO partners closely with the market CEO, the market Senior Leadership Team, UCS leadership, and matrixed partners across Network, Sales, and regional functions to translate enterprise priorities into market strategy, execution, and measurable results for the Medicare line of business. The CMO reports to the Regional Chief Medical Officer with dotted-line accountability to the local market CEO.
If you are located in in AL/GA/SC/TN, you will have the flexibility to work remotely* as you take on some tough challenges.
Primary Responsibilities:- Clinical Performance and Affordability - The CMO provides executive leadership for clinical performance, utilization strategy, and affordability across the market. This includes partnering with hospitals, physicians, physician groups, and internal stakeholders to improve efficiency, reduce unwarranted variation, and advance value. The CMO also drives performance across market ACOs and delegated medical groups, with accountability for improving HEDIS and CMS Star outcomes and strengthening value realization at the market level
- Quality, Outcomes, and Clinical Performance - The CMO drives market performance on key quality, experience, and clinical outcome measures, including HEDIS, CAHPS, Quality Improvement Programs (QIPs), and CMS Star priorities. The role serves as a catalyst for continuous improvement, ensuring clinical strategy translates into measurable results. The CMO also partners with providers on evolving priorities, measure updates, and peer review activities, including Quality of Care and Quality of Service matters
- External Affairs and Strategic Partnerships - The CMO maintains solid working knowledge of government mandates and regulatory requirements and works across the enterprise to ensure compliant clinical programs and practices. The CMO serves as a visible and trusted clinical leader with providers, health systems, and other external stakeholders, strengthening strategic partnerships and advancing market priorities.
Clinical Transformation and Innovation - The CMO leads the clinical partnership with care providers and UHC network management colleagues to advance health system transformation. This includes accountable care strategies, value-based arrangements, clinical practice transformation, transparency initiatives, innovative care models, high-performance networks, consumer engagement, and value-based benefit design - Growth, Market Development, and Clinical Value - The CMO articulates and advances the clinical value proposition in support of market growth, sales strategy, and stakeholder engagement. This includes representing the clinical perspective in broker and client discussions, informing program and product design through market insight, and strengthening relationships with state and local regulatory authorities and medical societies
- Performance Management and Continuous Improvement - The CMO identifies and prioritizes improvement opportunities through market and regional performance reviews and drives action plans to address gaps and accelerate results. The role provides leadership for continuous improvement initiatives and ensures disciplined execution, accountability, and sustained progress across clinical and affordability priorities
Executive Leadership Capabilities:- Proven executive leadership experience in clinical management within a health system, hospital, large physician organization, or similarly complex care delivery environment
- Demonstrated ability to lead change and innovation by identifying opportunities, implementing new solutions, and creating a culture that embraces transformation, agility, and continuous improvement
- Proven ability to lead through influence in a matrixed environment, build high-performing teams, and develop talent through coaching, feedback, and accountability
- Solid execution discipline with the ability to translate strategy into action, monitor performance closely, manage financial implications, and ensure accountability for results
- Demonstrated commitment to integrity, compliance, and sound clinical and business judgment
- Track record of delivering measurable improvement against clinical, operational, and business objectives
- Ability to establish credibility and solid partnerships with network physicians, community providers, and health system clinical leadership
- Visible, credible presence in the medical community and with external clinical stakeholders
- Ability to lead effectively across a complex matrixed organization and align diverse stakeholders around shared priorities
You9ll 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:- Active and unrestricted medical license in Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, or Tennessee
- Active and unrestricted Board Certification in an ABMS or AOBMS specialty
- 5+ years clinical practice experience; solid knowledge of managed care industry
- Ability/experience in developing collaborative relationships with health system clinical leadership
- Familiarity with current medical issues and practices
- Solid knowledge of health care utilization data and analytics
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
- Proven excellent executive communication skills with the ability to influence senior leaders and represent complex clinical issues clearly to diverse audiences
- Proven solid analytical orientation with the ability to identify performance opportunities through data, implement solutions, and deliver measurable impact
- Demonstrated executive presence and enterprise mindset, with the ability to build alignment across functions and drive results in a matrixed environment
- Proven partners closely with the market CEO and leadership team to achieve financial, quality, and market performance goals
- Proven superior presentation skills for both clinical and non-clinical audiences
- Proven ability to build and sustain solid relationships with network physicians, community providers, and other key clinical partners
- Proven solid data analysis and interpretation skills; ability to focus on key metrics
- Proven solid leadership and team-building capabilities, with the ability to align teams around a clear vision and shared accountability
- Proven strategic thinking with proven ability to communicate a vision and drive results
- Proven solid negotiation and conflict management skills
- Proven creative problem-solving skills
- Willing or ability to travel within the assigned markets
Preferred Qualifications: - Advanced Business, Public Health, Medical Management degree
- Health plan experience
- Knowledge of health plan finance, CMS Star performance, and accurate coding
*All employees working remotely will be required to adhere to UnitedHealth Group9s 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, you9ll find a far-reaching choice of benefits and incentives. The salary for this role will range from $292,300 - $438,500 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.
