Director, Payer Client Operations

A Little About Us Zelis is modernizing the healthcare financial experience across payers, providers, and healthcare consumers. We serve more than 750 payers, including the top five national health plans, regional health plans, TPAs and millions of healthcare providers and consumers across our platform of solutions. Zelis sees across the system to identify, optimize, and solve problems holistically with technology built by healthcare experts – driving real, measurable results for clients. At Zelis, AI is woven into the fabric of how we work. Every associate is expected — and empowered — to partner with AI to challenge the status quo, accelerate innovation, and amplify their impact. This is a place for builders with a growth mindset who act with agility, embrace change, and use modern technology to shape smarter solutions, exceptional experiences, and the future of our industry for our clients, customers, and our culture. Position Overview At Zelis, we're transforming the way healthcare payments work. As the Director, Payer Client Operations, you will lead a high-performing organization responsible for delivering operational excellence and exceptional client experiences for some of the nation's largest healthcare payer organizations across our National, Dental, and Vision market verticals. This is a strategic operations leadership role — not a traditional customer service or call center leadership position. We're looking for a proven leader of leaders who is passionate about operational excellence, developing high-performing teams, and building trusted partnerships with enterprise clients. You'll work across the organization to optimize service delivery, improve operational performance, and help shape the future of our client operations organization. The Director, Payer Client Operations position requires on-site presence at a Zelis office one day per week. What You’ll Do Lead, coach, and develop a team of managers responsible for delivering exceptional operational performance and client outcomes. Build a high‑performing, accountable culture by developing leadership capability, fostering employee engagement, and creating opportunities for growth. Partner with executive leadership to develop and execute operational strategies that support business objectives and long‑term organizational growth. Drive operational excellence through continuous improvement, workflow optimization, process standardization, and scalable solutions. Establish and manage key performance indicators (KPIs), service level agreements (SLAs), quality metrics, productivity measures, and operational dashboards to ensure strong business performance. Analyze operational trends and performance data to identify opportunities for improvement and proactively address risks. Lead organizational change initiatives, including process redesign, technology adoption, and operational transformation efforts. Partner closely with Product, Technology, Sales, Finance, and Client Success to improve operational effectiveness and enhance the client experience. Serve as an escalation point for complex client issues, ensuring timely resolution while maintaining strong, long‑term client relationships. Manage workforce planning, capacity planning, and resource allocation to support business growth and operational efficiency. Foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement across the organization. What You Need to Bring We're seeking a strategic operations leader with deep experience supporting enterprise healthcare payer clients and leading large‑scale client operations organizations. Required Qualifications 8+ years of progressive leadership experience in client operations, service operations, customer success operations, or healthcare operations. Experience leading managers and developing high‑performing leadership teams in a 'leader of leaders' environment. Demonstrated success leading operational organizations supporting enterprise clients. Proven experience managing operational performance through KPIs, SLAs, workforce planning, capacity planning, and continuous improvement. Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills with the ability to translate data into operational improvements. Experience leading cross‑functional initiatives and influencing stakeholders across multiple business functions. Excellent communication, executive presence, and relationship management skills. Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and professional experience. Preferred Qualifications Experience within large commercial healthcare payer organizations, healthcare payments, healthcare technology, payment integrity, or revenue cycle technology. Experience supporting large national or regional health plans and enterprise healthcare clients. Experience supporting National, Dental, and Vision lines of business is highly preferred. Experience leading operational transformation initiatives, process improvement programs, or technology implementations. Experience with Salesforce, Jira, or comparable CRM and workflow management platforms. Lean, Six Sigma, or other continuous improvement experience is a plus. Success in This Role The ideal candidate is a strategic, data‑driven leader who thrives in a fast‑paced environment and enjoys building high‑performing teams while continuously improving operations. They will inspire and develop leaders who build engaged, high‑performing teams; deliver measurable improvements in operational performance, efficiency, and client satisfaction; build trusted partnerships with some of the nation's largest healthcare payer organizations; lead with accountability, transparency, and a continuous improvement mindset; and drive operational excellence while supporting Zelis' commitment to delivering innovative healthcare payment solutions. Location and Workplace Flexibility Zelis is headquartered in the U.S., with multiple locations across the country and in Hyderabad, India. All employee work locations are based on the needs of the position and are determined by the Leadership team. In‑office work and activities vary based on work and team objectives in accordance with Company policies. While location expectations vary by role, candidates within approximately 50 miles of a U.S. office are generally preferred to support collaboration when needed. Our hybrid approach is flexible, and in‑office presence is guided by team and business needs rather than a fixed weekly schedule. The Director, Payer Client Operations requires on‑site presence at a Zelis office one day per week. Please note at this time we are unable to proceed with candidates who require visa sponsorship now or in the future. Base Salary Range $139,000.00 - $176,700.00 Benefits Zelis’s full‑time associates are eligible for a highly competitive benefits package, which includes a401(k) plan with employer match, flexible paid time off, holidays, parental leaves, life and disability insurance, and health benefits including medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug coverage. Equal Employment Opportunity Zelis is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and encourage you to apply even if you don’t meet 100% of the qualifications for the role. We believe in the value of diverse perspectives and experiences and are committed to building an inclusive workplace for all. Accessibility Support If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran and require a reasonable accommodation with any part of the application and/or interview process, please email View email address on click.appcast.io. #J-18808-Ljbffr LE016 Red-Card Systems, LLC