Director, Innovation and Strategy - Remote

Optum is a global organization that delivers care, aided by technology to help millions of people live healthier lives. The work you do with our team will directly improve health outcomes by connecting people with the care, pharmacy benefits, data and resources they need to feel their best. Here, you will find a culture guided by inclusion, talented peers, comprehensive benefits and career development opportunities.

Come make an impact on the communities we serve as you help us advance health optimization on a global scale. Join us to start Caring. Connecting. Growing together.

The Innovation & Strategy Director is responsible for establishing and leading a new business partnership model for the Client COE as Analytics Zone expands beyond growth reporting into a broader client intelligence platform. The leader will serve as the bridge between business stakeholders and execution teams, translating strategic needs from functions such as Product, Marketing, Government Affairs, and Operations into clear priorities, data requirements, and actionable plans.

Key responsibilities include shaping cross-functional partnership strategy, leading new innovation discussions with internal partners, and helping redesign workflows so teams can operate differently as AI capabilities are introduced. As AI increases, executive and subject matter expert judgment becomes more important, and this role will help translate desired business outcomes into clear roadmaps, prioritized use cases, and adoption plans that expand the long-term value of the Client COE platform.

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:

Business Partnership Strategy and Innovation

* Establish and lead a new business partnership model for the Client COE, serving as the connective point between enterprise stakeholders and execution teams as Analytics Zone evolves into a broader client intelligence platform

* Lead new innovation discussions with partners across Product, Enterprise Solutions, Product, Marketing, Operations, and Government Affairs to identify business needs and translate them into scalable platform capabilities

* Identify, shape, and prioritize high-value use cases that strengthen enterprise decision-making, improve client engagement, and expand the strategic value of Client COE data and insights

* Partner with Product to leverage data that informs solution gaps, define bundled offerings, and prescribe what to buy next based on client and market needs

* Partner with Marketing to build on the Client COE platform to shift from product-led marketing toward a more direct-to-client marketing capability

Execution, Roadmap Shaping, and Platform Expansion

* Translate strategic partner needs and desired business outcomes into clear priorities, workflow designs, business requirements, and actionable roadmaps for data, reporting, and platform development teams

* Help evaluate and advance data acquisitions, external data sources, and new intelligence capabilities that increase the long-term value and relevance of the Client COE platform

* Drive cross-functional alignment across stakeholders by balancing strategic opportunity, execution feasibility, and enterprise value, while ensuring executive and subject matter expert judgment remains central to AI-enabled roadmap and investment decisions

* Drive adoption of new workflows, platform capabilities, and AI-enabled ways of working by monitoring business impact, gathering stakeholder feedback, and continuously refining priorities to ensure Analytics Zone and related Client COE capabilities deliver measurable enterprise value

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:

* 7+ years of experience in health care, growth or revenue operations type roles

* 7+ years of…