Director, Data Analytics & Applied AI Solutions

About Optum

Optum is a global health services organization dedicated to improving millions of lives by connecting individuals with care, pharmacy benefits, data, and resources essential to their well-being. Our culture values diversity, inclusion, and offers robust career development along with comprehensive benefits to empower personal and professional growth.

Role Overview

The Director of Data Analytics & Applied AI Solutions plays a pivotal senior leadership role within Clinical Solutions Risk Adjustment & Quality at Optum. This position is accountable for developing and scaling advanced data, analytics, automation, and applied AI capabilities. The incumbent will oversee business intelligence, reporting, data management, and decision-support functions while rapidly advancing AI, machine learning, and agentic technologies to enhance productivity, quality, operations, and decision-making.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and own the Data Operations strategic roadmap, focusing on leveraging data analytics, applied AI, and automation to enhance performance, insight, quality, and decision-making efficiency.
• Advance AI/ML models, predictive analytics, coding agents, intelligent automation, data mining, and LLM-facilitated solutions from concept validation to production deployment, scaling, and delivering measurable business impact.
• Lead business intelligence, reporting, analytics, and data management efforts within Clinical Solutions Data Operations.
• Act as a trusted operations-technology liaison, collaborating with engineering, product, and technology teams to ensure solution design and production readiness align with objectives.
• Define critical metrics, establish reporting standards, create dashboards, maintain data quality, and extract actionable performance insights for consistent business intelligence.
• Guide and mentor a team of data and analytics professionals, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, innovation, inclusion, and high performance.

Qualifications and Experience Required

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Statistics, Data Analytics, Business, or a related field, or commensurate professional experience.
• Demonstrated leadership in managing business intelligence, reporting, dashboarding, data quality assurance, analytics delivery, and business performance teams.
• Extensive experience leading or collaborating in the deployment of AI, machine learning, automation, advanced analytics, or agentic solutions, driving projects from proof of concept to operational adoption and scaling.
• Strong technical aptitude supporting partnerships with data science, engineering, product management, and technology teams in delivering feasible and production-ready solutions.
• Proven capacity to translate complex business problems into strategic data, analytics, and AI roadmaps that enhance efficiency, quality, health outcomes, or financial performance.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and execution abilities to influence stakeholders, prioritize initiatives, and achieve measurable results.

Preferred Qualifications

• Formal certifications or training in Data Analytics, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Product Management, or related disciplines.
• Acquaintance with the U.S. healthcare sector, particularly Risk Adjustment and population health management.
• Experience delivering AI, machine learning, automation, or advanced analytics solutions within complex and regulated infrastructures.

Eligibility and Work Conditions

Candidates must be legally authorized to work and continue working indefinitely in Ireland without restrictions. Verification of the right to work will be required. The position offers hybrid flexibility for employees residing and working in the Republic of Ireland, including a balance of office and home-based telecommuting.

Diversity and Inclusion

Optum is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace free from discrimination on any legally protected grounds. We are an equal opportunity employer and a drug-free environment dedicated to equitable health outcomes and reducing disparities.