Senior Product Manager, (Payer/Provider )Network Strategy & Optimization - Remote

Job ID: 96972392192Posted: 2026-08-01Location: Eden Prairie, Minnesota, United StatesSalary: $112,700 - $193,200/yearJob Area: ProductCompany: UnitedHealth GroupOptum 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 Senior Product Manager - Network Optimization is responsible for owning the strategy, prioritization, and execution of the Network Optimization module within the Value Connect platform. This role focuses on capabilities that optimize provider networks across access, cost, quality, and performance, enabling payers and providers to make data-driven network decisions.This role partners closely with engineering, data science, network operations, actuarial, clinical, and business stakeholders to translate complex network performance and cost-of-care challenges into scalable, analytics-driven product capabilities. The Senior Product Manager operates with strong technical and analytical product acumen, driving disciplined execution across discovery, delivery, and optimization while aligning to broader Value Connect platform strategy.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:Network Optimization Product StrategyOwns the product vision and strategy for the Network Optimization module within Value ConnectDefines clear product-level goals, problem statements, and outcome-based success measures tied to network cost, access, and performanceIdentifies and prioritizes optimization use cases such as network adequacy, steerage, leakage reduction, provider performance, and cost efficiencyPartners with network, actuarial, and clinical stakeholders to ensure solutions align to real-world network management workflowsIncorporates customer, market, and competitive insights to inform product tradeoffs and sequencing decisionsRoadmap Ownership, Prioritization & DeliveryOwns the end-to-end product roadmap and backlog for the Network Optimization moduleDrives prioritization across the Product Development Roadmap, Product Backlog, and Sprint Backlog based on value, feasibility, and riskEnsures delivery sequencing maximizes measurable financial impact, operational efficiency, and customer adoptionPartners with engineering and data science to define and track OKRs tied specifically to network optimization outcomesMonitors delivery progress and recommends scope or sequencing adjustments to maintain focus on highest-impact optimization capabilitiesTechnical Product Leadership & Data AlignmentServes as the primary product partner to engineering and data science teams delivering network optimization analytics and workflowsTranslates optimization use cases into clear functional requirements, data needs, and acceptance criteriaEnsures alignment to Value Connect data models, analytics standards, and architectural patternsIdentifies opportunities to reuse data assets, analytics, and workflows across Value Connect modulesBalances near-term delivery with long-term scalability, performance, explainability, and data qualityAgile Execution & Operational ExcellenceApplies agile product management best practices to drive predictable, high-quality delivery of optimization capabilitiesReinforces a shared Definition of Done for analytics-driven features and insightsUses agile product development tools to manage roadmaps, dependencies, and delivery metricsPartners with delivery leadership on capacity planning and sequencing across analytics and engineering workstreamsIdentifies execution risks related to data availability, model readiness, or integration dependencies and drives mitigation plansCustomer Outcomes & Product PerformanceOwns success metrics for the Network Optimization module, including financial impact, adoption, usability, and operational performanceEnsures the right optimization problems are being solved through continuous discovery, testing, and validationPartners with internal and external customers to validate network optimization insights and workflowsDrives continuous improvement of optimization capabilities based on performance data and customer feedbackProvides transparent reporting on product outcomes, learnings, and tradeoffs to stakeholdersCross-Functional Collaboration & InfluenceCollaborates closely with engineering, data science, network operations, actuarial, clinical, and business teamsCommunicates product decisions, tradeoffs, and progress related to the Network Optimization module to senior stakeholdersAnticipates cross-module dependencies and proactively addresses alignment challenges within Value ConnectNavigates competing priorities through data-driven, customer-centric decision-makingYou'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:10+ years overall experience in healthcare, technology, or analytics-driven product environments5+ years in product management roles supporting complex, data-driven products5+ years of experience in network management, provider relations, or network development for payer and/or provider organizations5+ years of experience with healthcare network analytics, cost-of-care analytics, or value-based care analytics domains for payer and/or provider organizationsProven experience leading highly matrixed, cross-functional initiativesExperience prioritizing complex backlogs involving data, analytics, and workflow enablementProven solid expertise in technical and analytics-driven product managementProven ability to translate network, actuarial, and clinical concepts into scalable product capabilitiesProven expertise in agile product development tools and delivery modelsProven ability to drive adoption and measurable impact from analytics-driven products*All employees working remotely will be required to adhere to UnitedHealth Group's Telecommuter PolicyPay 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.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.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.