Director, Payer & Strategic Partnership

Job Summary

This role serves as a leader responsible for accelerating organic growth across existing payer partnerships in assigned markets, identifying new growth opportunities, optimizing contract performance, and advancing Absolute Care's strategic objectives through strong payer collaboration. Reporting directly to the Chief Growth Officer, this role serves as the primary strategic liaison between Absolute Care and its health plan partners while working closely with Market Presidents, Medical Directors, Operations Leaders, Finance, Analytics, Quality, Marketing, and Shared Services teams.

This role blends traditional account management/client success (i.e. service and issue resolution) with driving growth, strengthening executive payer partnerships, supporting revenue expansion, and ensuring payer relationships translate into improved membership, enhanced contract performance, and long-term organizational success.

• Participate in the development, support and execute annual payer-specific growth strategies with Market Presidents and the Chief Growth Officer.
• Identify opportunities for market expansion, and membership growth across Medicaid, D-SNP, Medicare Advantage, HIV, SMI, CKD and other targeted populations where applicable.
• Support strategic discussions regarding growth, quality, innovation and operational performance.
• Participate in critical strategic initiatives focused on growth, innovation and operational excellence such as RFPs and other growth initiatives.

• Develop and maintain trusted relationships within assigned payer partnerships, particularly with payer relations executives & other key stakeholders as assigned and serve as the primary coordination point between payer partners and operational teams. Represent Absolute Care in executive meetings and industry forums alongside Market President and Chief Growth Officer to drive payer satisfaction, retention and engagement.
• Support quarterly health plan Joint Operating Committee strategy, preparation and lead monthly payer executive operating reviews.
• Anticipate payer needs, proactively identify relationship risks, and drive timely follow-up on issues that may affect payer satisfaction, contract performance, or growth opportunities.

• Lead coordination and resolution of complex payer issues that affect service delivery, contract performance, operational execution, payer satisfaction, or strategic relationship health.
• Ensure payer concerns are communicated to the appropriate internal leaders in a timely manner and that follow-up actions are tracked through completion.
• Hold cross-functional stakeholders accountable for timely response, service recovery, issue resolution, and adherence to payer commitments.
• Identify recurring payer concerns, root causes, and operational barriers, and recommend process improvements that strengthen payer satisfaction, retention, and growth.

• Influence cross-functional teams without direct authority to ensure payer priorities, performance commitments, operational needs, and growth opportunities are advanced effectively.
• Mentor and educate customer-facing and operational teams on payer priorities, relationship expectations, service standards, and partnership goals.
• Maintain the security and privacy of all information owned by Absolute Care or maintained on behalf of the company’s patients, employees, and business partners.

• Maintain expert knowledge of assigned payer contracts.
• Monitor performance against contractual, quality, and SLA requirements and present updates to leadership.
• Identify performance gaps and coordinate corrective action plans.
• Support contract renewals, expansions, conversions and amendments.
• Identify opportunities to increase contract value and revenue generation.
• Monitor market dynamics and competitive intelligence.
• Co-lead dashboard development and executive reporting.
• Lead resolution of complex operational issues.
• Support implementation and readiness for new…