Associate Finance Director

This position is Remote in Lafayette, LA, Baton Rouge, LA or Eden Prairie, MN. You will have the flexibility to work remotely* as you take on some tough challenges. For all hires in Minneapolis, Virginia, Maryland, or Washington, D.C. area, you will be required to work in the office for a minimum of four (4) days per week.

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 Associate Finance Director is a high impact individual contributor who serves as the operational and analytical right hand to the Vice President of Financial Planning & Analysis. This role owns the quarterly forecasting model, leads data gathering for upstream and executive reporting, and prepares initial financial and business commentary that shapes leadership discussions. The Associate Finance Director plays a critical role in ensuring forecast accuracy, insight quality, and timely communication, acting as a trusted thought partner to senior finance leadership.

This position is full-time. Employees are required to have flexibility to work any of our shift schedules during our normal business hours of 8:00 am - 5:00 pm.

We offer weeks of on-the-job training. The hours of the training will be based on schedule or will be discussed on your first day of employment.

Primary Responsibilities

Forecasting & Financial Modeling

• Own and maintain the quarterly forecast model, ensuring accuracy, consistency, and scalability
• Integrate inputs from business partners, systems, and historical performance into forecasts
• Perform variance analysis versus plan, prior forecast, and actuals to identify risks and opportunities
• Continuously improve forecasting methodologies, assumptions, and model structure

Reporting & Data Management

• Gather, validate, and consolidate financial and operational data for upstream and executive reporting
• Ensure alignment of reported metrics across FP&A, Accounting, and operational teams
• Serve as the primary point of contact for ad hoc data requests related to forecasts and performance
• Maintain strong data hygiene, documentation, and auditability of key assumptions and outputs

Executive & Leadership Support

• Prepare initial financial and business performance commentary for forecasts, reviews, and leadership materials
• Translate complex financial data into clear, concise insights and narratives for senior leadership
• Act as a strategic thought partner to the VP, FP&A, proactively identifying key drivers, trends, and risks
• Support preparation for executive reviews, board materials, and other leadership level deliverables

Cross Functional Partnership

• Partner with business leaders to understand drivers of performance and forecast changes
• Provide guidance on financial implications of initiatives, investments, and tradeoffs
• Influence decision making through strong analysis, clear communication, and business acumen

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

• Bachelor's degree (or higher) in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or a related field
• 5+ years of experience in FP&A, corporate finance, or related analytical roles
• Experience with financial modeling and forecasting
• Experience using Microsoft Excel and financial reporting tools (I would have the HM list some of the specific functions within Microsoft Excel such as pivot tables, vlookup, etc. so that TA can determine if someone is at the right proficiency)
• Experience preparing executive level reporting and commentary
• Ability to travel domestically up to 10% of the time
• Ability to work full-time. Employees are required to have flexibility to work any of our shift schedules during our normal business hours of 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

Preferred Qualifications

• MBA or CPA/CMA (preferred, not required)
• Healthcare experience (preferred, not required)
• Experience working closely with senior executives or finance leadership
• Familiarity with enterprise planning systems (e.g., Planful, Hyperion, or similar)
• Experience supporting quarterly forecast cycles in a complex environment

Telecommuting Requirements

• Reside within Lafayette, Louisiana, Baton Rouge, Louisiana or Eden Prairie, Minnesota
• Ability to keep all company sensitive documents secure (if applicable)
• Required to have a dedicated work area established that is separated from other living areas and provides information privacy
• Must live in a location that can receive a UnitedHealth Group approved high-speed internet connection or leverage an existing high-speed internet service

Soft Skills

• Strategic and analytical thinking
• Ownership mindset and accountability
• Ability to work independently with minimal direction
• Prioritization and deadline management
• Trusted partner mentality and discretion with sensitive information
• Operates as a senior individual contributor with significant autonomy
• Comfortable challenging assumptions and elevating insights
• Detail oriented while maintaining a broader business perspective
• Collaborative, responsive, and solution-oriented
• Attention to detail with the ability to synthesize large amounts of information
• 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 $112,700 - $193,200 annually based on full-time employment. We comply with all minimum wage laws as applicable.

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.

UnitedHealth Group 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.

UnitedHealth Group is a drug-free workplace. Candidates are required to pass a drug test before beginning employment.