Director, Continuous Improvement & Capability Development - Remote

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 in making healthcare work better for everyone through people-led, responsible AI while Caring. Connecting. Growing together.

The Director, Continuous Improvement & Capability Development is responsible for building continuous improvement capability across Real Estate Services (RES), equipping leaders and colleagues with practical skills, methods, tools, and experiences to improve how work gets done.

This hands-on role combines Lean and continuous improvement expertise with curriculum development, facilitation, coaching, engagement, and change leadership. The Director will develop and deliver role-based learning, templates, toolkits, self-directed resources, virtual sessions, in-person workshops, and Kaizen events tailored to the needs of different audiences. The role will coach leaders and teams through real business challenges and partner with process and functional owners to translate improvement outcomes into sustainable standards, measures, tools, governance, and operating practices.

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:

• Serve as a subject matter expert in Lean, continuous improvement, structured problem solving, change management, and capability development
• Develop and deliver CI curriculum and learning experiences that equip different audiences to identify opportunities, solve problems, lead change, and sustain improvement
• Create practical templates, toolkits, and self-directed resources for project chartering, problem solving, process improvement, root-cause analysis, action planning, and sustainment
• Design and facilitate Kaizen events, virtual sessions, in-person workshops, and applied problem-solving
• Coach and mentor teams across RES through real business challenges, building their problem-solving confidence, judgment, and ownership
• Develop leader-focused learning that strengthens leaders as sponsors and coaches of continuous improvement, helping them create the conditions for team ownership and sustained results
• Partner with process and functional owners to translate improvement outcomes into sustainable standards, measures, tools, governance, and operating practices
• Partner with Communications, Change Management, and Learning and Development to drive engagement, adoption, reinforcement, and measurable business impact

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 experience in continuous improvement, Lean, operational excellence, organizational change, capability development, or related disciplines
• Demonstrated experience applying Lean and continuous improvement principles and methods to real business challenges, with the judgment to tailor the approach and level of rigor to the audience, business need, and complexity of the challenge
• Demonstrated experience facilitating complex business or operational transformation, Kaizen events, improvement workshops, project chartering, and structured problem solving
• Demonstrated experience coaching and mentoring leaders and teams through improvement and change
• Demonstrated experience translating CI subject matter expertise into practical curriculum, templates, toolkits, and learning experiences for varied audiences
• Willingness and enthusiasm to travel and work directly with teams to build capability

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience applying Six Sigma and other advanced structured problem-solving methods; Lean Six Sigma certification is beneficial but not required.
• Experience with adult learning, curriculum development, or experiential learning.
• Experience designing engagement strategies and leveraging tools such as Mentimeter, Miro, Viva Engage, or comparable platforms to drive participation, adoption, and peer learning.
• Experience applying continuous improvement in corporate, service, shared-services, or other non-manufacturing environments
• Solid facilitation, communication, coaching, and executive presence, with the ability to influence across organizational boundaries

*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 $134,600 to $230,800 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 help make the health system work better for everyone. Together, we are shaping the future of healthcare by harnessing technology and innovation to make care simpler to navigate, more affordable and more connected for the people we serve. We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone feels welcomed, valued, heard and respected, empowering people to bring their authentic selves to work and strengthening our collective impact through diverse talents, backgrounds, experiences and perspectives.

UnitedHealth Group and its affiliated brands are 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 and its affiliated brands are a drug-free workplace. Candidates are required to pass a drug test before beginning employment.