Associate Director, Newsroom and Digital Content Strategy

Requisition number: 2397213

Job category: Communications

At UnitedHealthcare, we're simplifying the health care experience, creating healthier communities and removing barriers to quality care. The work you do here impacts the lives of millions of people for the better. Come build the health care system of tomorrow, making it more responsive, affordable and optimized. Ready to make a difference? Join us in making healthcare work better for everyone through people-led, responsible AI while Caring. Connecting. Growing together.

The Associate Director, Newsroom & Digital Content Strategy will lead the writing team and content strategy for the UnitedHealthcare Corporate Communications Newsroom, helping ensure the organization creates timely, trusted and consumer-focused content that strengthens UnitedHealthcare's reputation and increases visibility across traditional search and emerging generative AI experiences.

This role will oversee the day-to-day operations of the Newsroom writing team, establishing editorial priorities, workflows, standards and measurement while ensuring content aligns with enterprise and business objectives.

The Associate Director will also work closely with digital product, SEO, analytics, social, reputation and subject-matter expert teams to identify and close content gaps across UHC.com, when relevant opportunities emerge. A key focus will be strengthening generative engine optimization (GEO) by developing authoritative, useful content that helps UnitedHealthcare earn greater visibility and share of voice when consumers seek answers about healthcare, health benefits and the health system through AI-powered search and discovery experiences.

This leader will translate data and emerging search behavior into actionable editorial strategies, including developing rapid channel action plans when those GEO opportunities, information gaps or reputation issues emerge.

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:

• Lead UHC Newsroom editorial strategy and operations

• Lead the strategy, operations and ongoing development of the UHC Newsroom writing team, establishing clear priorities, workflows, up-to-date editorial calendars and accountabilities

• Manage writers and/or editorial resources, providing coaching, direction and quality oversight

• Develop an enterprise-informed Newsroom content strategy tied to UnitedHealthcare business, consumer and reputation priorities

• Identify opportunities to evolve Newsroom storytelling based on audience needs, search behavior, reputation priorities and emerging healthcare conversations

• Ensure Newsroom content is accurate, consumer-friendly, differentiated and consistent with UnitedHealthcare editorial and brand standards

• Establish scalable editorial processes that enable the team to move quickly while maintaining appropriate review, quality and risk standards

• Partner with communications leaders and subject-matter experts to translate complex healthcare topics into useful, understandable content

• Drive GEO and digital content strategy

• Lead the communications content strategy for improving UnitedHealthcare visibility within generative AI and AI-powered search experiences

• Partner closely with digital product, SEO agencies/analytics and UHC.com teams to identify content gaps, unanswered consumer questions and areas where UnitedHealthcare has an opportunity to strengthen authority and visibility

• Translate GEO insights into prioritized content recommendations for the Newsroom and broader UHC.com ecosystem

• Develop strategies to improve the depth, quality, structure, discoverability and usefulness of existing and new content

• Build a systematic approach for determining when an opportunity should be addressed through new content, optimization of existing content or amplification across additional channels

• Monitor changes in consumer search and AI discovery behavior and adapt editorial strategies accordingly

• Build rapid-response channel action plans

• Develop channel action plans to quickly respond when GEO monitoring identifies an emerging opportunity, content gap, consumer question or factual information need

• Determine the most effective combination of Newsroom, UHC.com, social, video and other owned-channel content needed to address an opportunity

• Coordinate with communications, digital, social, product and subject-matter teams to move from insight to content activation quickly

• Establish playbooks and repeatable processes for responding to emerging topics so UnitedHealthcare can provide clear, accurate and authoritative information when consumers are seeking it

• Help anticipate emerging conversations and build content before information gaps become larger reputation or visibility challenges

• Measurement, reporting and optimization

• Establish and maintain a measurement framework for Newsroom content performance and GEO growth

• Track and report progress against key performance indicators, including measures such as AI visibility, share of voice, citation/answer presence, organic visibility, engagement, traffic and content performance

• Create regular performance reporting for communications leadership that translates data into clear insights, progress, opportunities and recommended actions

• Partner with digital analytics and product teams to establish baselines and appropriate growth targets

• Use performance data to continually optimize editorial investment and identify where new or refreshed content can produce the greatest impact

• Connect editorial activity to measurable reputation, visibility and business outcomes wherever possible

• Lead cross-functional content planning

• Serve as a key connector among Communications, Digital Product, Marketing, Social, SEO, Analytics, Brand and other enterprise partners

• Build strong relationships with business and subject-matter experts to anticipate upcoming priorities and information needs

• Help align Newsroom content with broader UHCcom and enterprise digital strategies while maintaining a clear editorial purpose for the Newsroom

• Advocate for consumer needs and content opportunities within digital product planning and prioritization

• Provide strategic counsel to communications leaders on emerging content, search and AI visibility opportunities

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 communications, journalism, editorial strategy, digital content, content marketing or related work

• 5+ years of experience leading writers, editors, content strategists or multidisciplinary content teams

• 3+ years of experience developing and executing enterprise-level editorial or content strategies

• 1+ years of experience developing content strategies for generative AI search, GEO, AI visibility or other emerging discovery platforms

• Experience using data and insights to inform content strategy and prioritization

• Experience working across complex, highly matrixed organizations and influencing partners without direct authority

• Experience managing multiple priorities and responding quickly to emerging issues or opportunities

• Solid knowledge of digital content strategy, SEO, audience behavior and content performance measurement

• Proven excellent writing, editing and storytelling skills, with demonstrated experience translating complex information for consumer audiences

• Willing and able to travel 10% +/- depending on business need

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with enterprise websites, digital product organizations or large-scale content ecosystems

• Experience using SEO analytics, social listening, AI visibility or content intelligence platforms

• Experience developing executive-level reporting and translating complex performance data into actionable recommendations

• Healthcare, health insurance, financial services or another highly regulated industry experience

• Experience developing content for reputation-building, issues management or high-visibility corporate communications

Key competencies:

• Editorial leadership: Builds a clear editorial vision and turns strategy into a sustainable content operation

• Digital fluency: Understands how content, search, AI discovery, product experience and distribution work together

• Data-driven decision-making: Uses evidence rather than intuition alone to determine where the team should invest

• Enterprise collaboration: Brings multiple teams together around shared outcomes despite complex ownership structures

• Consumer mindset: Starts with the questions people are asking and creates content that provides meaningful, understandable answers

• Agility: Recognizes emerging opportunities and quickly converts insights into coordinated action

• Strategic judgment: Balances speed, reputation, audience needs and business priorities

• People leadership: Builds strong teams, creates clarity and helps writers and content strategists grow

Key competencies:

• Success in this role may include:

• Growth in UnitedHealthcare GEO/AI visibility and share of voice for priority topics

• Increased presence as a cited or referenced source in relevant AI-generated answers

• Improved organic discoverability and performance of priority UHCcom and Newsroom content

• Reduction in priority content and information gaps identified through GEO and search analysis

• Increased Newsroom traffic, engagement and content effectiveness

• Faster movement from emerging insight or opportunity to coordinated content activation

• Stronger integration among Newsroom, digital product, social, SEO and analytics teams

• Clear, consistent reporting demonstrating how editorial strategy is contributing to visibility, reputation and business priorities

*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 $112,700 - $193,200 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 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.