Clinical Pharmacist, Medication Optimization and Strategy - West Region

Job ID: 100634569376Posted: 2026-09-16Location: Los Angeles, California, United StatesSalary: $91,700 - $163,700/yearJob Area: PharmacyCompany: UnitedHealth GroupFor those who want to invent the future of health care, here's your opportunity. We're going beyond basic care to health programs integrated across the entire continuum of care. Join us to start Caring. Connecting. Growing together.You will play a crucial role in supporting specialty medication and infusion-related programs across the West region. This position partners with providers, nurses, operational teams, and market leaders to optimize medication utilization, evaluate treatment strategies, promote biosimilar and cost-effective therapy adoption, and improve the quality, affordability, and coordination of patient care across the continuum through direct and indirect patient care and care coordination activities for California and the West region (Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington).Hours/Location: Must reside in California. *Primarily remote position with occasional travel (up to 10%) within Southern California for site visits and business needs. Variable hours to work 8 hours within the hours of 8:00AM - 6:00PM Pacific Time Monday - Saturday based on business needs. If you are located in California, you will have the flexibility to work remotely* as you take on some tough challenges.Primary Responsibilities:Clinical Program & Medication OptimizationLead prospective clinical review activities for specialty medications, infusions, and high-cost drug therapies to support appropriate utilization, affordability, and quality outcomes across the continuum of careConduct clinical consultations and evidence-based recommendations regarding medication access, utilization management, and pharmaceutical stewardship initiatives to support medication-related changes, including dose, frequency, route of administration, and therapeutic substitutionsProvide expertise regarding infusion protocols, medication administration considerations, monitoring requirements, and specialty drug operational workflowsEvaluate specialty medication treatment plans to identify opportunities for clinically appropriate optimization, including benefit alignment, site-of-care selection, biosimilar utilization, formulary compliance, and cost-effective therapy alternativesMonitor and manage medication shortage, backorder, and recall processes, partnering with providers, pharmacies, infusion centers, and operational teams to mitigate supply disruptions and ensure continuity of patient careEstablish relationships with physicians, nurses, infusion centers, specialty pharmacies, care management teams, and operational stakeholders to provide pharmaceutical consultation, clinical guidance, and strategic support to ensure effective implementation and adoption of medication management initiatives and best practicesStrategy and ExecutionSupport strategies that promote optimal medication sourcing and administration across care settings, including physician offices, infusion centers, home infusion, specialty pharmacy, and alternate sites of careApply pharmacoeconomic principles and clinical expertise to balance patient outcomes, medication access, provider experience, and affordability objectivesAssist with the development, implementation, and maintenance of policies, procedures, workflows, clinical guidelines, job aids, and operational documentationEvaluate quality controls, monitor program outcomes, and identify opportunities to improve operational performance, standardization, and clinical effectivenessSupport implementation activities, user acceptance testing, workflow validation, and change management efforts associated with new programs and technologiesAnalyze medication utilization trends, medical and pharmacy claims data, and operational metrics to inform strategic recommendations and program enhancementsMonitor specialty drug market trends, including biosimilar adoption, pipeline therapies, drug shortages, reimbursement changes, and evolving clinical guidelinesCross-Functional Team Collaboration:Establish and maintain solid partnerships with physicians, medical providers and staff, nursing leadership, ambulatory operations, procurement teams, infusion centers, specialty pharmacies, and market leadersFacilitate engagement with clinical and operational stakeholders to understand care delivery challenges, gather feedback, and support implementation of strategic initiativesEngage collaboratively with cross-functional teams to advance care delivery and network management, ensuring compliance and upholding clinical excellence These teams represent diverse functional areas such as pharmacy care management, utilization management, payment integrity, claims operations, health care economics, finance, and contracting Present clinical and operational findings to leadership and key stakeholders while providing actionable recommendationsDemonstrate solid planning, organization, initiative, relationship-building, and communication skills to successfully lead complex, cross-functional projectsCompliance:Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, accreditation standards, organizational policies, and pharmacy practice guidelinesSupport audit readiness and maintain accurate, timely documentation in accordance with established procedures, clinical protocols, and standard operating proceduresPerform all other related duties and activities as assigned to meet departmental objectivesYou'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:Doctor of Pharmacy degree from an ACPE-accredited school or college of pharmacySuccessful completion of a PGY1 pharmacy residency program and at least one year of pharmacy experience, OR a minimum of three years of pharmacy experience in infusion or hospital pharmacy settingCurrent, clear, and unrestricted pharmacist licensure in CaliforniaExperience in leading clinical operations, data analysis, report development, or program development within the health care fieldComprehensive knowledge of clinical therapeutics for specialty drugs, including the use of infusions and injectables, with proficiency in literature evaluation and evidence-based medicineFamiliarity with value-based care, including shared savings/risk modelsProven solid written and verbal communication skillsProven solid analytical and computer skillsProven ability to build collaborative partnerships and influence stakeholders across a matrixed organizationMust reside in CaliforniaPreferred QualificationsCalifornia Advanced Pharmacist Practitioner (APh) recognition in good standingSuccessful completion of a PGY2 pharmacy residency program or fellowshipActive board certification through Board of Pharmacy Specialties (BPS) [eg, BCPS, BCACP, BCGP, BCOP]Current, clear, and unrestricted pharmacist licensure in one or more additional West region states, or willingness to obtain additional state licensure based on business needs Relevant states include Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, and Washington2+ years of managed care, health plan, or PBM experience Experience in specialty infusion care deliveryExperience practicing under a Collaborative Practice Agreement (CPA) with medication prescribing and management responsibilitiesExperience working with provider relations, multiple payor environments, and value-based care models, including commercial HMO, Medicare, capitated arrangementsIntermediate or higher level of proficiency in Microsoft 365 applications, including Excel (pivot tables, xlookups, index match, countifs), Power BI, Outlook, and TeamsIntermediate or higher level of proficiency in Epic EHR in the ambulatory care settingProven excellent program and project management skills with demonstrated success meeting or exceeding operational, health care quality, and cost-management objectives*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 $91,700 - $163,700 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.At UnitedHealth Group, our mission is to help people live healthier lives and make the health system work better for everyone. We believe everyone-of every race, gender, sexuality, age, location and income-deserves the opportunity to live their healthiest life. Today, however, there are still far too many barriers to good health which are disproportionately experienced by people of color, historically marginalized groups and those with lower incomes. We are committed to mitigating our impact on the environment and enabling and delivering equitable care that addresses health disparities and improves health outcomes - an enterprise priority reflected in our mission. OptumCare is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer under applicable law and qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, national origin, religion, age, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by local, state, or federal laws, rules, or regulations.OptumCare is a drug-free workplace. Candidates are required to pass a drug test before beginning employment