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.
Optum Behavioral Care (OBC) is a national behavioral care delivery organization, delivering virtual and in person outpatient and integrated behavioral health solutions across 40+ states.
Optum Behavioral Care (OBC) is seeking a bold, entrepreneurial VP of Marketing to drive the next chapter of our growth. This is a leadership role for a hands-on builder who is ready to take full ownership of our marketing strategy and execution. You will be a key member of the OBC leadership team and an active participant in business and growth strategy and driving the overall positioning and performance of OBC. You will be accountable for advancing marketing to a best-in-class function that fuels profitable patient demand, enhances our brand portfolio, and solidifies our position as a market leader. We are looking for a strategic thinker with a bias for action, who can personally drive results while scaling a high-performing organization.
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:
- Full Funnel Ownership & Strategy: Take ownership of the marketing strategy, execution, budget, and performance. You will be responsible for advancing the design and leadership of an integrated, full-funnel patient lifecycle marketing plan, from initial awareness and acquisition through engagement, retention, and re-engagement. Accountable for optimizing the client/consumer journey from first touch through completed intake; improving appointment conversion, reducing leakage, increasing self-scheduling adoption, and supporting overall patient volume growth
- Demand Generation & Profitable Growth: Be a primary driver of patient acquisition and profitable growth. Develop and execute multi-channel demand generation campaigns across digital, local, organic, and offline channels, with a relentless focus on optimizing Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC), conversion rates, and overall marketing ROI across ~130+ sites in 22 states, plus virtual care in 20+ additional states across multiple brands
- Entrepreneurial Leadership: Lead, advance, and mentor a high-performing marketing team. Determine the optimal mix of internal and external capabilities, fostering a culture of accountability, data-driven decision-making, and continuous improvement. You must be comfortable managing direct and federated internal resources, external vendor relationships, and rolling up your sleeves to personally execute when needed
- Brand & Go-to-Market Strategy: Develop a clear value proposition and cohesive brand strategy for the Optum Behavioral Care portfolio. Orchestrate go-to-market plans for all service lines, including therapy, virtual care, and specialized services, ensuring our messaging resonates with patients, providers, and industry audiences
- Data & Analytics Accountability: Evolve and mature marketing analytics, attribution, and performance reporting, specifically establishing and optimizing revenue growth targets, CAC, conversion, & performance benchmarks across markets & brands. You will be accountable for defining and delivering business performance against growth targets, providing clear insights to the leadership team
- Cross-Functional Partnership: Serve as a key member of the OBC leadership team, collaborating closely with operations, clinical, strategy, and business development to align priorities and ensure a seamless patient journey from first touch to clinical intake and ongoing loyalty.
- You will collaborate with and be supported by Optum Health, Optum, and UHG marketing and brand experts, platforms, governance, talent development, and AI transformation agenda
Success Metrics:
- Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC)
- Cost per completed patient intake
- Qualified patient volume
- Conversion rates throughout the acquisition funnel
- Marketing ROI and growth performance
- Scalable organization and operating model
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 marketing leadership experience, with clear ownership of demand generation, customer acquisition, and revenue growth targets
- 5+ years of experience in a senior marketing role within the healthcare industry, preferably for a multi-location, multi-brand care delivery organization
- Proven, hands-on experience developing and personally managing performance marketing campaigns, including paid search, paid social, SEO, and local marketing
- Demonstrated success in building and leading high-performing marketing teams with a track record of mentoring and developing talent
- Proven analytical skills and business acumen, with experience owning marketing budgets and delivering measurable improvements in customer acquisition cost (CAC) and conversion performance
- Proven excellent change management, communication, stakeholder management, and influencing skills, with the ability to operate effectively at both strategic and tactical levels
- Experience with CRM, marketing automation, and analytics platforms
- Proven knowledge of HIPAA-compliant marketing practices
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience in the behavioral health sector
- Experience with or deep strategic understanding of Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) and Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) to help evolve traditional SEO strategies to ensure brand visibility within AI-driven search engines, conversational agents, and LLMs
*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 $159,300 - $273,200 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.
Skills Required
- 10+ years of progressive marketing leadership experience with ownership of demand generation, customer acquisition, and revenue growth targets
- 5+ years of experience in a senior marketing role within the healthcare industry
- Hands-on experience developing and managing performance marketing campaigns, including paid search, paid social, SEO, and local marketing
- Experience building and leading high-performing marketing teams, including mentoring and developing talent
- Strong analytical skills and business acumen, including marketing budget ownership and improving customer acquisition cost and conversion performance
- Excellent change management, communication, stakeholder management, and influencing skills
- Experience with CRM, marketing automation, and analytics platforms
- Knowledge of HIPAA-compliant marketing practices
- Experience in the behavioral health sector
- Experience with or deep strategic understanding of Generative Engine Optimization and Answer Engine Optimization
Optum Compensation & Benefits Highlights
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Parental & Family Support — Paid parental leave (six weeks), paid caregiver leave (up to two weeks), Bright Horizons back-up care, and adoption assistance up to $10,000 are prominently included. Feedback suggests these family supports meaningfully aid work-life balance and are often highlighted as strengths.
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Retirement Support — A 401(k) with company match is available to all employees, including part-time staff, alongside other financial protections like disability and life insurance. Feedback suggests broad access and matching make retirement support a core pillar of the package.
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Equity Value & Accessibility — An Employee Stock Purchase Plan offers discounted company stock, with some roles also eligible for sign-on or performance bonuses. Feedback suggests the ESPP is a standout financial perk that helps employees build ownership over time.
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What We Do
Optum, part of the UnitedHealth Group family of businesses, 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. At Optum, we support your well-being with an understanding team, extensive benefits and rewarding opportunities. By joining us, you’ll have the resources to drive system transformation while we help you take care of your future. We recognize the power of connection to drive change, improve efficiency and make a difference in health care. Join a team where your skills and ideas can make an impact and where collaboration is key to creating technology that produces healthier outcomes.
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Hybrid Workspace
Employees engage in a combination of remote and on-site work.
Optum has three workplace models that balance the needs of the business and the responsibilities of each role. These models, core on‑site (5 days/week), hybrid (4 days/week) and telecommute or fully remote, vary by country, role and location.