AVP, Application Engineering- Aetna Core Commercial systems

Role Summary

The AVP, Application Engineering – Aetna Core Commercial Systems will lead the technology strategy and delivery of Aetna Commercial Payor business, including enrollment, eligibility, and sales enablement. The role reports to the VP of Aetna Ventures, Experience and Technology Commercial, Network, and Provider and requires deep collaboration across business and technology teams to transform and enable the portfolio.

• Reimagine core business processes through technology—modernization, transformation, and disruption at scale.
• Drive modern systems while extracting value from existing systems.
• Guide the evolution of a team of over 600 technology professionals into a high‑velocity, product‑oriented organization.
• Instill a culture of innovation, experimentation, and "fast failure" to empower teams to deliver value with agility.
• Lead end‑to‑end operations, aligning business and technology to deliver shared outcomes.
• Develop business‑aligned technology strategies focused on disrupting and transforming the portfolio.
• Create a North Star strategy for the portfolio and align people, process, and technology into an executable framework.
• Manage a portfolio of investments in the $100M range, ensuring projects execute on time, on budget, and with quality.
• Stay updated on industry advancements, new business models, and prepare technology systems accordingly.
• Optimize efficiencies through augmentation and automation, including Dev Sec Ops , increased test automation, simplified architectural designs, and AI.
• Ensure stability of over 200 applications, manage production incidents, analyze root causes, and improve code and test quality toward zero incidents.
• Partner with third parties to maximize innovation and delivery.
• Develop business cases to drive innovation and disruption.
• Lead the project‑to‑product transformation, constantly evolving services.

• 15+ years of technology leadership and delivery, building and growing teams.
• 5+ years of experience in healthcare, focusing on network, provider, and claim systems.
• Deep experience leading large‑scale, globally distributed teams and ensuring production operations’ health and stability.
• Experience in financial management of large corporate portfolios and cost‑center expenses.
• Technical expertise across multiple stacks, enterprise integrations, and vendor platforms.
• Familiarity with Scaled Agile (SAFe), Scrum Agile, and hybrid Agile/Waterfall methodologies.
• Experience delivering technology in highly regulated sectors such as healthcare or finance.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, distilling complex topics into understandable information.
• Ability to engage deeply with technology teams and explain solutions to business partners and senior leaders.
• Proven skill in establishing and sustaining professional relationships through close business partnerships.
• Experience mentoring, coaching, and developing leadership and extended teams.

• Experience leading digital enablement and transformative initiatives.
• Experience optimizing legacy systems with newer technology or practices.

Bachelor’s Degree required.

The typical pay range for this role is: $ – $. The actual base salary depends on experience, education, geography, and other factors. This position is eligible for a CVS Health bonus, commission, or short‑term incentive program in addition to the base pay range. Equity award program targets are also available.

Benefits include medical, dental, and vision coverage; paid time off; retirement savings options; wellness programs; and other resources, based on eligibility.

Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with all federal, state, and local laws. CVS Health is an Equal Opportunity Employer.