Manager, Strategic Initiatives - San Juan, PR

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.

Position Summary

Positions in this function serve as deployable general management execution leaders for the Puerto Rico Geo Leadership Office. This position is assigned to a defined strategic initiative, project, or connected workstream for a specified period and establishes the structure required to convert approved direction into clear plans, accountabilities, governance, decisions, implementation, and measurable outcomes.

This role coordinates work across functions and organizational boundaries, maintains visibility of progress and execution risk, prepares decision-ready escalations, and drives commitments through completion and transition. Assignments may support People priorities, operating model improvements, capability development, workforce transformation, AI adoption, portfolio evolution, cost and productivity, or other priorities selected by the Geo Leader.

Primary Responsibilities

• Mobilize assigned initiatives by converting an approved priority into a clear assignment charter and integrated execution plan, including scope, outcomes, deliverables, milestones, workstreams, completion criteria, and required resources
• Confirm stakeholders, accountabilities, decision rights, dependencies, and escalation routes; surface ambiguity, conflicting expectations, missing inputs, and delivery constraints before they become execution failures
• Establish and manage fit-for-purpose governance forums, review cadences, RACI models, and decision gates
• Prepare and facilitate reviews centered on outcomes, exceptions, risks, decisions, and corrective action; document decisions and translate them into named actions, due dates, and clear ownership
• Coordinate implementation across functional, operational, capability, and enterprise stakeholders; monitor milestones and commitments, follow up proactively, and identify delays early
• Resolve execution gaps within delegated authority and prepare decision-ready escalations when leadership action is required
• Maintain an integrated view of risks, issues, assumptions, dependencies, and pending decisions, including impact, urgency, mitigation, ownership, and escalation requirements
• Present material issues with facts, options, implications, and a clear recommendation; track mitigation and resolution through closure or formal transfer
• Develop concise dashboards and executive progress briefs that show outcomes, milestones, risks, decisions, adoption, and next actions
• Partner with the functional owner to establish baselines, targets, and evidence of value; identify when completed activity is not producing the intended adoption or business outcome
• Coordinate implementation readiness across processes, people, communications, training, technology, and controls, as applicable
• Document the sustained operating process, transfer remaining responsibilities to the permanent owner, and conduct close-out reviews capturing results, open items, and lessons learned
• Use approved AI and Microsoft 365 tools to accelerate synthesis, meeting follow-up, action tracking, reporting, risk identification, and first-draft development, maintaining human review and functional accountability for decisions and final deliverables
• Operate without assuming financial approval authority, talent or organizational design decisions, legal or compliance determinations, or permanent ownership of a functional process after the agreed transition point
• Solve complex problems independently and work with minimal direction; other duties may apply

***ENGLISH PROFICIENCY ASSESSMENT WILL BE REQUIRED AFTER APPLICATION***

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:

• 5+ years of Progressive experience leading complex initiatives, programs, transformation, operating model work, or cross-functional execution in a matrixed organization
• 5+ years of Experience converting broad direction into executable plans, governance, accountabilities, milestones, decisions, and measurable outcomes
• 5+ years of Project or program management experience covering risks, issues, dependencies, benefits, and executive reporting
• 3+ years of Experience influencing senior stakeholders and coordinating outcomes without direct authority
• Experience with Microsoft Tools: Microsoft Word, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft PowerPoint
• Bilingual proficiency in English and Spanish (verbal and written)
• Ability to work 40 hours per week during standard business operating hours, with flexibility to support occasional meetings across US time zones based on business need

Preferred Qualifications:

• Advanced degree in business, healthcare administration, strategy, project management, analytics, or a related discipline
• PMP, Agile, Scrum, Lean Six Sigma, Prosci, or comparable certification
• Experience in healthcare operations, shared services, global capability environments, or regulated businesses
• Experience with governance design, operating models, strategic work intake, change execution, or benefits realization
• Experience using approved AI-enabled productivity tools to improve synthesis, reporting, and follow-through
• Demonstrated ability to enter an unfamiliar workstream, learn quickly, create structure, and maintain momentum through implementation

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.