UnitedHealth Group is a health care and well-being company that's dedicated to improving the health outcomes of millions around the world. We are comprised of two distinct and complementary businesses, UnitedHealthcare and Optum, working to build a better health system for all. Here, your contributions matter as they will help transform health care for years to come. Make an impact with a team that shares your passion for helping others. Join us to start Caring. Connecting. Growing together.
The Vice President of Community Development is accountable for setting the enterprise vision and long-range strategy for community engagement, strategic partnerships, and community-centered impact. This leader shapes how the organization prioritizes and longitudinally invests in high-profile local communities to advance enterprise impact priorities, strengthen reputation, and deliver measurable community and enterprise outcomes - which will be publicly reported in an annual Impact Report and be used extensively to support media, social media, and advocacy with government officials.
The role establishes the enterprise framework for community development, including market prioritization, partnership governance, investment alignment, and impact measurement. The leader ensures community insights, stakeholder relationships, and external trends inform enterprise planning, strategy, advocacy priorities, and long-term social impact objectives.
The Vice President serves as a strategic advisor to senior enterprise leaders and external stakeholders on community-centered strategy, collective impact models, partnership ecosystems, and the role of community engagement in advancing growth, trust, equity, sustainability, and organizational differentiation.
This position defines the strategic agenda for multi-year enterprise community partnerships, translating business priorities and community needs into integrated, scalable approaches that strengthen the organization's reputation, support market objectives, and position the enterprise as a trusted community partner. The leader is accountable for driving community-led strategies that are designed to substantively drive systems change leading to material and measurable improvements in access and outcomes for targeted geographies.
The leader builds and stewards a portfolio of high-value relationships (e.g. governor and other state officials, local officials, local philanthropic organizations, high profile employers, hospital and provider systems, etc.) across all priority states to bring capabilities from across the entire enterprise, a comprehensive investment portfolio (e.g. regulated capital, Optum Bank, impact/philanthropic, etc.), and multi-sector advocacy to advance strategic community priorities. This position leads a team responsible for developing partnership strategies, stakeholder ecosystems, and engagement models that contribute to long-term community wellbeing, enterprise impact, and sustainable business value.
The leader will also support the advancement of key, organizational priorities including addressing rural health and improving maternal outcomes. The leader will develop a strategy to align these national initiatives to local deployment through development of relationships and an ecosystem designed to maximize the impact of the organization's efforts. This responsibility will include development key relationships with organizations like health systems, government officials, and local stakeholders and maximizing cross sector payment streams including hospital community development resources, state and federal programs/grants, local funding initiatives, etc.
The VP positions community development as an enterprise strategic capability by connecting external community intelligence, partnership strategy, and measurable impact to enterprise impact planning, market leadership, and organizational growth.
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
- Set the enterprise community development vision, strategic priorities, and multi-year roadmap aligned to organizational impact strategy, reputation, sustainability, and impact objectives
- Define market and community prioritization strategies that guide where and how the enterprise engages, invests, and builds partnerships
- Build and steward executive-level relationships with civic leaders, public-sector stakeholders, nonprofit executives, advocacy organizations, provider systems, and other influential community partners
- Partner with enterprise business leaders, UHG Treasury, Optum Bank, United Health Foundation and the Intervention Team to translate community priorities into scalable, community-led strategies that deliver measurable outcomes
- Establish enterprise governance, operating models, and decision frameworks for community engagement, partnership development, stakeholder management, and impact measurement
- Shape investment and resource-allocation strategies that align enterprise capabilities with community priorities and measurable business and social impact
- Develop enterprise tools, insights, and strategic planning processes that enable consistent, high-quality community engagement across markets and business areas
- Ensure community insight and impact data inform enterprise reporting, sustainability narratives, stakeholder communications, advocacy priorities, and future investment decisions
- Serve as the enterprise thought leader and senior advisor on community engagement strategy, collective impact, partnership ecosystems, and stakeholder influence
- Represent the enterprise with elected officials, policymakers, employers, hospital systems, civic organizations, coalitions, and community influencers to advance shared priorities and strengthen external trust
- Design innovative partnership models that differentiate the organization, create shared value, and strengthen the enterprise's leadership position in priority communities
- Influence senior leaders across the enterprise to embed community voice, market intelligence, and partnership strategy into business planning and decision-making.
- Attract, develop, and retain high-performing talent capable of leading complex strategy, external engagement, and cross-enterprise influence
- Build internal champions and executive sponsors who understand the strategic value of community-centered engagement and integrate it into enterprise priorities
- Anticipate and manage legal, compliance, privacy, reputational, and stakeholder risks associated with complex community partnerships and external engagement
- Foster a culture of strategic collaboration, accountability, innovation, inclusion, and servant leadership across the team and enterprise partnerships
Competencies
- Executive presence and proven ability to influence government officials and policy makers, senior leaders, external executives, civic stakeholders, and cross-functional decision-makers
- Enterprise strategy leadership, including the ability to set vision, define priorities, and translate complex objectives into actionable multi-year plans
- Deep understanding of how community development, stakeholder engagement, advocacy, and social impact can advance organizational strategy and market leadership
- Ability to navigate highly matrixed organizations, align diverse stakeholders, and drive outcomes without relying solely on direct authority
- Provides strategic vision and inspiration to teams; establishes clear priorities; empowers leaders; monitors enterprise-level outcomes; and recognizes results that advance strategic objectives
- Applies sophisticated business acumen, market awareness, and community insight when developing community engagement and partnership strategies
- Consistently represents the enterprise impact function as a strategic partner to the business and a trusted voice with external stakeholders
- Uses sound judgment to manage complex stakeholder dynamics, reputational considerations, sensitive community matters, and enterprise risk
- Demonstrates continuous learning, strategic curiosity, and the ability to anticipate emerging trends, community needs, and partnership opportunitiesDemonstrates accountability for strategic partnership performance, enterprise alignment, stakeholder outcomes, and measurable community impact
- Operates effectively in a fast-paced, ambiguous environment; understands business implications of decisions; and aligns work to enterprise goals and long-term value creation
- Balances competing priorities, adapts strategy as conditions evolve, and leads through uncertainty with clarity and discipline
- Builds consensus, negotiates shared priorities, and earns trust across business, community, civic, and nonprofit stakeholders
- Brings energy, resilience, and executive-level influence to establish new partnerships, shape strategic agendas, and drive measurable results
- Communicates with clarity and credibility in executive, public, community, and cross-functional settings
- Models collaborative leadership, facilitation, empowerment, and servant leadership while maintaining enterprise accountability
- Demonstrates solid strategic thinking, analytical capability, and ability to synthesize data, insights, and stakeholder perspectives into actionable recommendations
- Applies systems thinking to align enterprise priorities, community strategies, partnership ecosystems, and impact measurement
- Brings an innovation mindset to strategy development, portfolio design, partnership models, and team leadership
- Prioritizes enterprise-level deliverables and influences outcomes across functions, markets, and external stakeholder groups
- Demonstrates sustained ability to influence work, resources, and decision-making outside direct reporting relationships
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
- 10+ years of progressive leadership experience, including responsibility for enterprise strategy, portfolio leadership, and direct management of teams
- 10+ years of experience developing and executing strategy within a complex, matrixed environment, preferably within healthcare, social impact, public affairs, sustainability, philanthropy, community development, or related industries
- 10+ years of experience building, influencing, and sustaining executive-level internal and external stakeholder relationships
- 10+ years of experience developing strategic business cases, partnership portfolios, investment strategies, and impact initiatives
- Experience developing leaders and teams capable of operating in complex, ambiguous, and highly visible environments
- Commitment to advancing community wellbeing, equity, trust, stakeholder engagement, and sustainable enterprise impact
- Demonstrated success building mutually beneficial relationships with government officials and policy makers, senior business leaders, civic leaders, community executives, public-sector stakeholders, and nonprofit partners
- Demonstrated ability to establish credibility, shape strategy, and influence individuals and groups who do not directly report to the position
- Demonstrated experience designing partnership strategies with community organizations, civic leaders, nonprofit organizations, provider systems, advocacy groups, and public-sector stakeholders
- Ability to travel and work flexible hours to accommodate executive, business, and community engagement demands
- Driver's License and access to reliable transportation
*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 $200,400 - $343,500 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.