Senior Data Analyst - Payment Integrity Operations - Remote

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 Senior Data Analyst supports Payment Integrity Operations through advanced data analyses that strengthen execution, standardization, and performance outcomes. The role delivers reliable reporting and decision support across programs and markets by translating stakeholder needs into operations requirements, ensuring data integrity, and producing actionable insights that drive operational excellence.

The Senior Data Analyst is sought out as an expert and serves as a key resource for complex and critical operations issues. The role performs complex analyses, develops innovative approaches to recurring operational challenges, and proactively identifies solutions that anticipate stakeholder needs. The position reviews the work of others, provides recommendations for improvement, forecasts, and plans data resource needs, and may lead functional workstreams or projects.

The role also authorizes documented deviations from standards when necessary to meet operational objectives while maintaining data integrity and governance.

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.

- Perform complex analysis of large, structured healthcare data sets using SQL and analytical tools to identify trends, quantify opportunities, and support Payment Integrity initiatives - Design, develop, maintain, and validate production-level queries, data extracts, reports, dashboards, and KPI frameworks that support operational performance and business decision-making - Serve as an analytical resource for complex, high-visibility, or escalated issues by conducting root-cause analysis, data validation, and providing actionable recommendations - Partner with business, operational, and technical stakeholders to gather requirements, translate business needs into analytical solutions, and ensure alignment with organizational objectives - Support short- and long-term operational initiatives by leveraging exploratory data analysis to identify risks, performance improvement opportunities, and emerging business needs - Collaborate with internal and external partners to support data sourcing, integration, validation, implementation, and ongoing operational delivery of analytic solutions and programs - Develop a deep understanding of healthcare operations, payment integrity programs, regulatory requirements, business processes, and underlying data structures to ensure accurate analysis and reporting - Monitor data quality, algorithm performance, operational metrics, and market-level outcomes, providing insights and recommendations that support quality improvement and performance targets - Communicate analytical findings, operational impacts, and strategic recommendations through presentations, summaries, and executive-ready reporting tailored to diverse stakeholder audiences - Support implementation, adoption, and change management efforts by providing ongoing analytical expertise, performance monitoring, and stakeholder education - Work independently to prioritize multiple initiatives, manage competing deadlines, and deliver accurate, actionable insights across multiple lines of business - Collaborate closely with technical teams to understand data models, system dependencies, transformations, and solution design while ensuring analytical outputs are accurate, scalable, and sustainable

- Solid business and operational acumen within healthcare, claims, payment integrity, or related domains - Advanced SQL and data manipulation skills with the ability to work independently across complex datasets - Experience translating ambiguous business problems into structured analytical solutions - Solid investigative, problem-solving, and critical-thinking capabilities - Ability to communicate complex technical findings to both technical and non-technical audiences - Experience with reporting, dashboarding, KPI development, data quality validation, and process improvement - Solid stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence decisions through data-driven insights - Ability to balance strategic thinking with hands-on technical execution in a fast-paced, cross-functional environment

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.

- 5+ years of experience analyzing healthcare claims, payment, operational, and performance data within a healthcare or managed care environment - 5+ years of business and technical data analysis experience supporting operational and strategic decision-making - Experience supporting Payment Integrity, claims payment accuracy, provider reimbursement, payment policy, or related healthcare cost-management initiatives - Experience with data validation, reconciliation, reporting, dashboard development, KPI measurement, and large-scale healthcare data analysis - Advanced SQL skills with experience developing and optimizing complex queries, analyzing multi-source datasets, and supporting enterprise reporting in platforms such as Snowflake, Oracle, or SQL Server - Advanced Excel proficiency, including data analysis, modeling, validation, and reporting - Proven solid analytical, problem-solving, and critical-thinking skills with the ability to perform root-cause analysis and develop actionable, data-driven recommendations - Proven ability to translate business needs into analytical solutions and independently drive investigations from problem identification through implementation - Proven ability to collaborate, influence, and communicate effectively with business, operational, and technical stakeholders, including presenting complex findings to diverse audiences

- Experience working with Optum / UHC healthcare data platforms (e.g., Facets, QNXT, ISYS or similar systems) - Experience supporting regulated or compliance driven reporting (e.g., CMS, state programs) - Experience analyzing fraud, waste, and abuse concepts, analytic methodologies, payment policies, and provider contracts - Experience supporting Payment Integrity, claims operations, or healthcare financial/operational performance programs - Experience partnering with technical teams on requirements, testing/UAT, release validation, and adoption for reporting/data products

*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 $91,700 - $163,700 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.