The Senior Director of Benefit Innovation is a senior leadership role responsible for enhancing the performance and expanding the capabilities of Surest plan designs. This role brings together rigorous performance monitoring, creative problem solving, deep benefit design expertise, and cross enterprise leadership to develop, define, and continuously refine current and future plan design capabilities.
This leader owns portfolio level product decisions across fully insured, level funded, and next generation ASO offerings. The role serves as a strategic connector across Surest and UnitedHealthcare product leadership translating performance signals and market dynamics into clear decisions, priorities, and ultimately differentiated, scalable innovation.
You'll enjoy 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:- Own portfolio level performance strategy for Surest fully insured products, leading ongoing monitoring, calibration, and optimization of plan designs
- Provide decisive leadership on benefit adjustments as financial performance and market conditions evolve
- Set strategic direction for next generation Surest offerings, partnering with UHC product leaders to develop, launch, and scale initiatives that drive member behavior change and improve plan performance
- Partner closely with Sales to ensure the Surest fully insured and level funded plan portfolios continue to evolve-remaining clearly differentiated, competitively positioned, and scaled to drive growth and retention
- Translate benefit design, ontology, network, and platform changes into clear enterprise level implications for performance, investment priorities, and roadmap direction
- Lead cross functional partnership with actuarial, analytics, clinical, operations, and technology leaders to identify performance and execution risks and drive aligned action
- Regularly present product performance and strategy updates to senior leadership, monitoring financial outcomes, tracking initiative progress, and identifying growth opportunities
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:- 10+ years of experience in health benefits consulting, or health design/product strategy
- 5+ years of demonstrated financial & actuarial experience, including monitoring health plan performance and pricing the cost of medical plan design modifications
- 3+ years of experience with advanced financial storytelling, presenting to senior leaders and successful stakeholder influence skills
- Proven experience communicating with and influencing executive leadership, distilling complex inputs into clear decisions and driving outcomes across a matrixed enterprise.
- Proven deep expertise in health plan performance and financial forecasting and employer sponsored healthcare purchasing
- Willing and able to travel 10% +/- depending on business need
Preferred Qualifications:- 3+ years supporting alternative health plan designs or evaluating alternative health plan benefit designs
- 3+ years of experience managing a team of direct reports
- Experience leading or scaling innovative, non traditional health plans or network based designs
- Experience operating within product based or portfolio driven operating models
- Demonstrated ability to leverage AI to move from vision to solution
*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.
