Principal Project-Program Manager

Optum is a global organization that delivers technology-enabled care and resources to help people live healthier lives. The Principal Project-Program Manager will lead AI transformation, training, workforce enablement, communications, and employee-engagement initiatives across Optum Health Technology. The role will manage complex programs, organizational readiness, stakeholder alignment, adoption, and measurable business and workforce outcomes.

Responsibilities:

• Use enterprise-approved AI tools to streamline workflows, automate tasks, and drive continuous improvement
• Evaluate emerging trends to inform solution design and strategic innovation
• Lead end-to-end program management and delivery for enterprise AI training and capability enablement programs across Optum Health Technology (OHT)
• Define program vision, scope, roadmap, milestone schedules, and resource requirements in collaboration with technical and business leadership
• Partner with cross-functional leadership, subject matter experts, and technology teams to drive strategic alignment and program adoption
• Establish program performance metrics, key performance indicators (KPIs), and executive dashboards to measure training impact and adoption progress
• Proactively manage program risks, resolve inter-team dependencies, and eliminate operational bottlenecks across business units
• Facilitate regular executive communications, status reporting, and strategic stakeholder reviews
• Translate Optum Health Technology strategic objectives into actionable program plans, roadmaps, milestones, success measures, and delivery approaches
• Define program operating models, governance structures, decision rights, delivery standards, and executive reporting mechanisms
• Maintain accountability for program scope, schedule, resources, quality, risks, dependencies, and business outcomes
• Develop and execute integrated communication strategies that accelerate awareness, understanding, and adoption of AI-enabled capabilities
• Create leadership messaging, communication plans, presentation materials, employee toolkits, awareness campaigns, and frequently asked questions
• Translate complex technical concepts into clear, actionable communications for technical, clinical, operational, and executive audiences
• Leverage enterprise-approved AI tools to streamline workflows, automate tasks, and drive continuous improvement

Requirements:

• 8+ years of progressive project, program, portfolio, transformation, or related management experience
• 5+ years of experience leading large, complex, cross-functional initiatives in technology, healthcare, clinical, operational, or other regulated environments
• 5+ years of experience developing and managing integrated program plans, milestones, dependencies, risks, issues, resources, and executive reporting
• 3+ years of experience supporting organizational change, technology adoption, workforce enablement, learning, communications, or business-transformation initiatives
• 3+ years of experience delivering complex cross-functional initiatives involving product, strategy, Delivery, operations, and business stakeholders
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience
• Experience operating effectively in a highly matrixed enterprise environment and coordinating work across multiple business and functional teams
• Experience engaging and influencing director, vice president, and senior executive stakeholders
• Experience establishing program governance, measurement frameworks, executive dashboards, decision processes, and escalation models
• Experience managing multiple concurrent workstreams and leading through ambiguity, changing priorities, and complex organizational dependencies
• Experience translating complex technical, operational, or strategic concepts into clear and actionable communications for diverse audiences
• Experience planning and facilitating executive meetings, workshops, training sessions, employee events, or large-scale engagement activities
• Demonstrated ability to identify risks proactively, resolve conflicts, drive decisions, and maintain accountability for program outcomes
• Demonstrated written, verbal, presentation, facilitation, and stakeholder-management skills
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and project-management, collaboration, or reporting tools
• Experience leading artificial intelligence, generative AI, automation, digital transformation, product-delivery transformation, or enterprise technology-adoption programs
• Experience supporting AI-enabled delivery lifecycle, software-development lifecycle, Agile, product, or platform operating models
• Experience in healthcare technology, clinical operations, care delivery, health services, or another highly regulated industry
• Experience developing and scaling enterprise learning, workforce-development, clinical-education, or train-the-trainer programs
• Experience creating integrated change-management, communications, employee-engagement, and adoption strategies
• Experience designing leadership messaging, awareness campaigns, toolkits, success-story programs, recognition initiatives, or internal communication content
• Experience planning and delivering large-scale virtual, hybrid, or in-person employee events and innovation showcases
• Experience developing adoption metrics, maturity assessments, employee listening mechanisms, scorecards, and value-realization measures
• Familiarity with tools such as ServiceNow, SharePoint, Power BI, Viva Engage, or similar platforms
• Project Management Professional, Program Management Professional, Certified Change Management Professional, SAFe, Agile, or equivalent certification
• Demonstrated passion for helping people adopt new technologies and successfully navigate changes in how work is performed